What is the difference between colleagues, friends and acquaintances?
One of my previous colleague once told me that there is no friends in workplace, they are all his colleagues. I find this statement rather cruel... not to mention a bit grey view of the world and somehow a sad statement.
Then i was thinking.. how would you define all these three terms afterall? How to draw the line between them?
From online.com (yes.. i am lazy to dig out my big and heavy paper version of the oxford dictionary.. hence google the terms online. Haaaa...)
Colleagues = Partners in office/one chosen to work with another.
Friends =
1. A person attach to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2. A person who gives assistant.
3. A person who is in good terms with another/not hostile.
4. A member of the same nation/party.
5. A member of the religious society of Friends.
Acquaintances = A person known to one but not a close friends.
It is all easy and good to define these as above. But i do believe that in workplace we have friends too.. and our colleagues can be our friends. It is really a bit harsh to say that in work place there should be no friends. It is also a sad thing don't you think? It will be really lonely to be so... but there are people who choose to be such and i guess it is a form of protection for themselves. Nevertheless... i choose to not be in this group. I have a lot of friends who are and were my colleagues.
2 comments:
some people work better with clear cut relationship... but then again, i also term all those who work in same company as me colleagues, after i left the company they become my ex colleagues and friends. Acquitances, maybe my suppliers and customers hahaha...
True.. but i still think that colleagues can be friends. ^_^
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