The Other Side Of The Coin

One of my co-workers is no longer one of my co-workers.

Just in case some random media person stumbles across this blog, I'm not going to go into any specific details about one of my co-workers no longer being a co-worker.

Today was my first experience being on the other side of the coin -- by that I mean from when I used to be the reporter asking the public relations/information representative why a particular person is no longer working at a particular place.

I used to hate getting the standard "I cannot discuss personnel matters" line. It drove me nuts -because you know there's more to it.

Then there's the 'knowing more to it' side. Despite the fact that I hated saying it because I did hate hearing it so much, I had to use the "I cannot discuss personnel matters" line today when talking to a reporter who called me to ask some questions about why one of my co-workers was no longer one of my co-workers.

From knowing at least some details about the situation involving this now-former co-worker, I now fully understand and empathize with my fellow public relations colleagues about why this line has become so standard and why it is the safest thing to say. You have to protect all the people involved, regardless of what side of the situation they are on, and who thinks what of whom or who allegedly did whatever, whenever. You have to protect the image of the institution. And you have to convey your message with personal and professional integrity.

So I apologize ahead of time to any of the reporters in the local newsrooms if I ever have to give you the standard "I cannot discuss personnel matters" line. But I'm on the other side of the coin now.