To flirt, or not to flirt?

You landed your dream job. Nice environment, supportive team, good perks.

Your first few days at work are always full of anxiety, new faces, and before you know it, the trailer of your first days of school is back all over again.

But you manage. You start getting used to the people, your manager, things start to finally make sense now.

“Would you like to have lunch together some time? I really like you”. He is the manager of another department of the company, but you are an individual contributor, still in Operations.

“Why would he like me? He is way better positioned in the company than I”.

And then your mind starts spiraling, tens of thoughts suddenly invading your head, all sorts of scenarios start coming to life.

“Should I have lunch with him? I would perhaps say no, but I am afraid I might lose my job if I did.

If I say yes, then where would it lead to?”

When a simple invitation starts feeling like a decision with possible consequences, is it still flirting, or is it already power?

Some of us have been there before… Some of us have not lived this story yet.

The idea is still the same. When is it ok to say “no”? And will he take it personally if you politely refuse?

What consequences will this bring to your career? And the spiraling continues…

I believe in love stories. Some may happen even at the workplace.

But do we really have the freedom to say “no” when the story does not have a happy ending? Up to which point can a woman go without having to worry about her job, or losing herself in the process, if she does not feel the same way?

How many “yes” at work were never meant to be “yes” in the first place?