Almost everyone has done it: lied to someone to spare their feelings, to get out of something that they didn’t want to do, or to avoid confrontation. In general white lies are supposed to be innocent enough, after all they are really not supposed to hurt anyone. In your career however, a lie of any kind could be damaging. It breeds trust issues with co-workers and prevents team building. You may not want to be the bearer of bad news, but when the lie is found out your credibility is shot. Deborah Jacobs, a Forbes staff writer, outlines reasons you shouldn’t lie at work:
Complicate life. Trying to remember what you’ve said to whom creates too much pressure. When you tell the truth, you don’t need a perfect memory. White lies, on the other hand, can backfire at the worst possible moments, and the consequences are unpredictable. You never know when a white lie could cause you to lose a client, a plum assignment, a promotion, or even your job. Don’t risk it.
Hurt your clients. If you’re in business, you provide either a product or a service aimed at making the consumer’s life easier, or in some way better. Your raison d’être comes down to helping other people. Therefore, clients deserve the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable to talk about or when it doesn’t benefit you.
Read more at Forbes …