Dear Coleen:
I’ve worked at the same place for five years and there’s a girl I adore, but I just can’t bring myself to ask her out.
She’s funny, witty and very attractive – I know we’d get on like a house on fire. I think she likes me too.
My problem isn’t that I’m afraid to ask her out and get rejected.
I’m worried because I love my job a lot and I’m successful, and starting something with a colleague could have a negative impact on my career.
In the past, I’ve always steered clear of office romances for that very reason. What do you think?
Coleen says:
Yes it’s a risk, but then isn’t that the exciting thing about life?
Some you win, some you lose, but if you never push yourself out of your comfort zone and always make the sensible choice, then things would be very dull.
And you might miss out on some great opportunities.
The office is a professional place and if you did date then you’d have to learn to separate that from your personal life.
I know several couples who work together and when they’re in the office you wouldn’t know they were in a relationship.
Their jobs come first and they save anything personal for home.
You also have to think about whether not asking her out would affect your mood at work and have a knock-on effect when it comes to your performance.
And what if you don’t ask her out and someone else does? That could be just as distracting.
What are your views?
