A Lie Begets a Lie
Feroshia R.J. Knight, MA, PCC
Admit it or not, a large portion of our young adulthood is spent bouncing off the walls of the infamous School of Hard Knocks. Our honesty, integrity, and work ethics are occasionally outmaneuvered by a lack of confidence, a need to please, and an aversion to pain.
For instance . . .
After graduation, I worked as a secretary in a real estate office. Back then we still did most things without the aid of high-tech computers. That was okay because I had little confidence in my abilities to produce the slick reports and presentations of my older, more experienced counterparts—especially Daisy, who only tolerated me and, I suspect, thought me incompetent. But at least I earned a paycheck that covered the basic necessities. By that, I mean my new convertible, shopping, and anything that inspired two words: crazy fun.
One Tuesday morning, my boss Martha approached me. "Remember the stats sheet I gave you yesterday?"
"Um, yes?" I was pretty sure I'd already filed it—in my trash can.
"Good," Martha said. "I need you to take those stats and summarize them in a report, and then plug them into a presentation for the broker's luncheon."
"Um, me? Are you sure?"
"Of course," she said, patting my back. "I need the report by tomorrow and the presentation by Thursday. I went to bat for you, kid. Don't let me down."
"Okey doke."
Our janitors came nightly, but I peeked into my trash can, just in case. I found a Snickers wrapper and the Dr. Pepper can I'd depleted for breakfast. My heart pounded as I panicked and plotted my escape. I figured fast food would help, so I took an extra-long lunch hour to cook up the world's best excuse—hey, that's where my creativity shined!
Why didn't I give Daisy her phone messages? They must have gotten mixed up with other pink papers I shredded. Why did I wear jeans and flip-flops to work? My ex-boyfriend Super Glued my closet door shut. What happened to that report I took home? A vampire sneaked in to the apartment, grabbed my briefcase, and accidentally fell into the pool with it. Actually that one was true. Halloween party.
The next morning, Martha came by my desk. "How's that report coming?"
"Report?" I looked over at Daisy, sitting at her desk yakking on the phone. "Hey Daisy, are you finished proofing that report I put in your inbox?"
Daisy's squinty eyes got huge. Older people were always terrified of losing their memory. "You gave me a report to proof?"
"Don't tell me you forgot," I said, feigning sincerity. "It's due today."
Daisy rifled through the stacks of papers and folders on her desk. "No worries, no worries."
Not finding any document from me, she pulled her copy of the stats sheet from her files and compiled a summary report from scratch. I watched over her shoulder.
Later, I delivered the report to my boss. "Great work!" she said.
On returning to my desk, Daisy gave me the evil eye. Did she know I'd tricked her? I busied myself on Thursday's presentation, based on Daisy's report; but I felt guilty and inept. And now that I'd made Daisy my enemy, I couldn't ask for her help.
So I shuffled into Martha's office complaining of incredible stomach pain, migraine, sore throat, blurred vision, and potential head lice. She practically begged me to go home.
I was immediately inspired by two words: road trip! So the next morning, accompanied by three buddies in my convertible—top down—we headed toward the coast in our swimsuits and cover ups. We reveled giddily in my genius when I stopped at the red light, right next to my boss.
I was immediately inspired by two more words: you're fired!
I never forgot those lessons, and I offer them for you now:
- Make honesty your policy. One lie begets another—and another—until you trip yourself up. Lying squanders your time, energy, and imagination.
- Make allies. If I'd been my authentic self with Daisy, she'd have been more willing to teach and help me when I needed it. I wouldn't have sabotaged her and, in so doing, sabotaged myself.
- Make no excuses. If you're not living your ideal life, if you feel overwhelmed, if you're avoiding the work you signed on for, own up to it, make a plan for change, and follow through.
I'm off now to have a chat with my young assistant about that report I was supposed to have on my desk this morning. I think the words of inspiration you're searching for are: good luck!
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