My Unconventional Method: Secretly Helping My Stubborn Coworker Succeed.
I'm 24, navigating my career, and honestly, mostly keeping to myself. But there’s this colleague, Riya, a year younger than me. She’s a sweet girl, full of potential, but she has this one quirk – she’ll come to me for advice on everything, from a tricky client email to what sari to wear for the office Diwali party. The catch? She never, ever takes it. It's like she asks just so she can do the exact opposite, almost to prove a point.
For months, I’d rack my brain, offering genuine, well-thought-out guidance. And every single time, she’d nod, maybe even say "thanks bhaiya," but then do precisely what I advised against. It was infuriating, honestly. I felt like a human dartboard for her contrarian streak.
About eight months ago, I just snapped. I thought, 'Fine, if she wants to do the opposite, let’s give her the opposite of what she *should* do.' It started as a joke, a little experiment, but oh, how it's worked.
When the senior role opened up, I told her, "Riya, you’re talented, but maybe this is too soon. Focus on building your experience here first." The very next day, she applied, gave it her all, and guess what? She got it. She actually *got* the promotion! Her big project idea, the one she was so passionate about? I dismissed it, saying, "It’s too ambitious, too risky, you might burn out trying to pull that off." Naturally, she championed it with renewed vigour, got it approved, and it's now hailed as one of our team's most innovative projects.
I feel like a low-key manipulator, but seeing her shine, seeing her confidence grow… a part of me believes this is the only way she learns. She thinks she's proving me wrong, but she's actually proving how capable she is. It’s a strange little secret I carry, a silent cheer for my unwitting star pupil. Bhagwaan jaane what will happen if she ever figures it out, but for now, it's our little successful game.
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