The “David Letterman Risk”
There’s one more potential risk here, as exemplified by late night talk show host David Letterman, whose romance with a direct report was revealed when a scorned boyfriend made a blackmail attempt. Even consensual relationships may jeopardize the company’s survival when the scandal becomes public by a lawsuit (or blackmail scam). After the fact, its exposure has potential to create an incentive to write a revision of history. What started out as a mutually desirable romance may—to protect one’s reputation or for financial reasons—morph into a “he/she-forced-me-to-do-it” lawsuit. In other words, the possibility now exists to exploit the circumstances, knowing the subordinates today have all the leverage because the romance was with the boss. However, this was not always the case.
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