In a Masterclass, Professor Jeffery Pfeffer from Stanford University said something that stayed with me:
👉 “Don’t overshare at work.”
A young man then asked him, “Does that mean we can’t have friends at work?”
His reply was interesting:
Yes, you can have friends. But don’t forget, your colleague is also your competitor.
When we overshare our weaknesses, frustrations, or insecurities, it may be used against us.
Not because people are bad, but because workplaces are competitive.
And in that context, oversharing can make us appear vulnerable in ways we did not intend.
Now, I’ll admit. I overshare at work all the time.
But I have also learned to be intentional about what I share and with whom.
Here is a simple rule of thumb I follow:
đź‘Ť Share our personality, not our drama
đź‘Ť Share collaboration goals, not career frustrations.
Trust is important. But so are boundaries.
We need to balance both. ⚖️
How about you? Have you overshared at work and regretted it?
Or do you believe oversharing can build stronger bonds?
xoxoxo, AuntyHR
