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(U) ''Ask Zelda!'': Watching Every Word in Snitch City

FROM: ''Zelda,'' Dispenser of Advice for SIGINTers on Workplace IssesRn Da!e: "#$"#$%"&&

() No!e: T*e +es!ion *as een edi!ed for revi!-'s sake. T*e elo/ col0n is nclassified in i!s

en!ire!-.

Dear Zelda,

1ere's !*e scenario: /*en !*e oss sees co2/orkers *avin3 a +ie! conversa!ion, *e /an!s !o kno/ /*a!is ein3 said i!'s 0os!l- /ork rela!ed). 1e *as *is desi3na!ed 4sni!c*es4 and e5pec!s !*e0 !o keep *i0apprised of all !*e office 3ossip 22 even callin3 !*e0 a! *o0e and e5pec!in3 a rn2do/n6 T*is p!s !*e4desi3nees4 in a reall- a/k/ard posi!ion7 pls, /e're all afraid an- off*and co00en! or an-!*in3 saidin confidence 0i3*! e ei!*er repea!ed or 0isrepresen!ed.

Needless !o sa-, !*is crea!es a cer!ain a0on! of !ension e!/een !ea0 0e0ers /*o nor0all- /old

3e! alon3 /ell, and adds s!ress in an alread- s!ressfl a!0osp*ere. T*ere is also an nspoken elief !*a!*e /ill 0ove people !o differen! desks !o reak p /*a! *e perceives as people eco0in3 !oo4c*00-.4 I!'s een done nder !*e 3ise of 4crea!in3 !ea0s.4)

We sed !o e ale !o 8oke arond a li!!le or !alk ao! or favori!e 4Idol4 con!es!an! !o reak !*e!ension, ! no/ /e're 3e!!in3 0ore and 0ore ski!!is* ao! even !*e 0os! 0ndane 3eneralconversa!ions 4Did -o *ave a 3ood /eekend94). T*is /as once a ver- open, coopera!ive 3rop /*o/orked /ell !o3e!*er. No/ /e're 0ore sspicios of eac* o!*er and !ea0/ork is eco0in3 *arder. Do-o !*ink !*is /as !*e 3oal9

Silenced in SID

Dear Silenced,

Wo/, !*a! !akes 4in!elli3ence collec!ion4 in a /*ole ne/ 22 and inappropria!e 22 direc!ion6

It's lonely at the top

Firs! le! 0e sa- !*a! I do no! !*ink !*is 0ana3er's in!en! is !o discora3e !ea0/ork. W*a! i! sonds like!o 0e is !*a! *e I'll call *i0 4Mic*ael4) feels like an o!sider and /an!s !o e in !*e kno/. I! can elonel- ein3 !*e oss. o si! closed off in an office and 0iss !*e eas- ca0araderie /i!* -or co2/orkers, /*ile a! !*e sa0e !i0e feelin3 !*e need !o 4police4 !*eir e*avior. Ma-e so0eone !oldMic*ael !*ere /as !oo 0c* c*i!2c*a! in *is or3ani;a!ion or !*a! so0e specific prole0 e5is!ed, andresor!in3 !o sni!c*es is *is 0is3ided /a- of ferre!in3 o! !*e clpri!s). all *i0 over /*en *e's /anderin3arond sp-in3 on people and fill *i0 in on !*in3s. Give *i0 de!ails of /ork pro8ec!s and ask *isopinion ao! 0ission 0a!!ers so *e feels like *e's 4in !*e loop.4 Ge! o!*ers !o drop - *is deskperiodicall- 8s! !o sa- *ello, 4*ope -o *ad a 3ood /eekend,4 or 41o/ 'o! !*e0 O's94 I e! !*a! /ill

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sa!isf- *is need !o kno/ /*a!'s 3oin3 on and *e'll ack off /i!* !*e nosiness.

SAo Secrets Allo"ed

We /ork in an A3enc- of secre!s, ! !*is kind of secrec- e3e!s 0ore secrec- and i! eco0es ado/n/ard spiral !*a! des!ro-s !ea0/ork. W*a! if -o p! an end !o all !*e secrec- - rin3in3 i! o!

in!o !*e open9 o and -or co2/orkers cold ask Mic*ael for a !ea0 0ee!in3 and la- o! !*e isse as-o see i!: 4We feel like -o don'! !rs! s and /e aren'! co0for!ale 0akin3 s0all !alk an-0ore forfear of *avin3 or desks 0oved if /e're seen as ein3 !oo c*00-.4 =eave o! !*e par! ao! !*esni!c*es.) Tell *i0 *o/ !*is is *a0perin3 collaora!ion and affec!in3 !*e /ork, ask *i0 if *e *as aprole0 /i!* !*e !ea0's e*avior, and see /*a! *e sa-s. i!-) a! *o0e or o! of si3*!. If -o are p! in !*e 4n/illin3 sni!c*4 posi!ion, I /old advise!ellin3 -or oss !*a! -o're no! co0for!ale /i!* !*e role and !o please no! ask !*a! of -o.

Trs! is *ard !o reild once i! *as een roken. or /ork cen!er 0a- !ake !i0e !o *eal af!er !*isdeplorale prac!ice is discon!ined, ! 3ive i! !i0e and *opefll- !*e open coopera!ion -o onceen8o-ed /ill re!rn.

;elda

($$FO(O) orpora!e =eaders*ip, 10an Resorces, SID, or an- o!*er NSAor3ani;a!ion.