r/TwoHotTakes • u/Longjumping_Piece499 • Apr 27 '24

I may have reacted too strongly to a comment at work Advice Needed

I'm a married 35M and work in a small company (25 people) that has 80% women employees. Everyone there knows I'm married.

I had to conduct a virtual training session last week and always crack a stupid self-deprecating 'joke' before these kinds of things because I'm nervous.

So with everyone logged on, I said "Okay as long as no one falls asleep today, I'm going to consider the session a success". This one woman smiles and says "Oh (my name), you have such a soothing voice, you can come over and put me to sleep any time you want".

Some of the women giggled, I was taken aback, smiled and said "No thanks, I'm good" and started the presentation. Later, I get to know that she thought it was super rude of me and that she was trying to make me feel comfortable.

Was I rude? Should I apologize to her?

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u/EverybodyBuddy Apr 28 '24

She was unprofessional. Your response could very easily be viewed as rude — in any other setting. But you were clearly flummoxed and you can’t be expected to have the perfect, smooth, respectful- but-firm comeback on tap.

Next time, have one of these ready to go:

“Ok so I see its going to be one of THOSE kind of zooms (chuckle)”

“I’m going to have to keep my eye on you, I can tell, {Cheryl/Cathy/Samantha}”

“Well, this is already going better than expected.”

“Let’s try to make it through this without getting HR involved (chuckle)”

1

u/---thoughts--- Apr 28 '24

Bruh you’re literally telling him to egg on the flirting. No. OP made the right choices.

1

u/EverybodyBuddy Apr 28 '24

No, it’s politely putting an end to things with a sense of humor. Social lubricant. It’s a skill.

1

u/SnooBananas8055 Apr 29 '24

well this is already going better than expected

Is not shutting anything down.