So I was at work drinks and was bonding with a new colleague. I started talking about my upcoming birthday and accidentally invited her to the birthday dinner. She said she might be free, I said I’ll text her the details. Would it be weird to just leave it and not follow through? I do have her on my Instagram she might see stories…I mean she’s cool but I just barely know her and I haven’t invited other colleagues I’m actually closer to (just 1 who is a mutual work friend).
2 comments
How do you accidentally invite someone to a party?
Did the words “Would you like to come to my party?” just spill out by accident? Either way, you’re in a bit of a pickle now. Your options are as follows.
1. You simply never send the details to the coworker, and make up an excuse about forgetting to if they inquire later. RIP to bonding with this particular coworker. It doesn’t look good on your part to invite someone, and then just “forget” to follow up…bad first impression.
2. Give them details. You cross your fingers that they can’t make it, but prepare to deal with potential drama at work if they do show up and other coworkers find out they weren’t invited.
3. Invite your other coworkers so they don’t feel left out…which I know you never wanted to begin with
Honestly, none of these are good options but they’re really your only options. Like I said, you created a real pickle by “accidentally inviting” someone to something you specifically didn’t want them to go to.
So much of this just feels really unnecessarily unkind – I mean… is it really necessary to weasel out of this? is it the end of the world if she shows up to this one dinner?
IMO *every* action you take in life should be first filtered through three questions:
1. is this true/high-integrity?
2. is it necessary?
3. is it kind?
You need a “yes” for all 3 questions to move forward. I think “not following through” in this case is actually a “no” to all 3.
You said you’ve give her the details – so you need to act with integrity keep your commitments. You can always explain the situation and tell her its a small thing and give her the *option* to not come – but you do need to follow through on the invite because its the right thing to do.