Today I was having a rare lunch alone at a neighborhood establishment. While I was eating, the principal at my children's school came in. I asked him to join me. He hesitated slightly but did join me. The conversation was extremely professional and polite. No gossip, no conversations about school/PTA politicals. Besides other chit cht, I asked his opinion on my job reentry into schools. He offered some quick and generic suggestions. We finished our meal, wished each other a good day and went our own ways.
The more I think about this I wonder if I may have placed him in a awkward position. If someone came in and spotted us, they could have thought badly of the situation. Do I apology to him or just leave it alone?
Add: No I wasn't hitting him up for a job. I am looking to update my credentials and was asking for advice on current trends, places to focus my energies etc.
I think it's fine. It's someone you know socially, somewhat, and you were dining alone. Lots of people do that type of thing in order to network (which it sounds like you were doing). Nothing out of the ordinary there. I wouldn't give it another thought.
I can see where you might feel uncomfortable, though I don't think you did anything wrong in asking nor did he do anything wrong in accepting. If you're still concerned, however, send him a quick email something like this (maybe edit to include some specifics about what you discussed or whatever):
Thank you so much for joining me at lunch the other day and especially for sharing your views and tips regarding my current job search. In thinking on it later, I was concerned I might have put you in an awkward position or may have intruded on what you hoped would be a quiet lunch break away from the office. Please excuse me if that's the case -- and I really appreciate your perspective and suggestions.
Thanks again!
Hope this helps!
No, I think you should just leave well enough alone. It's over and done with.
Why would anyone have thought badly that a parent was having lunch with a school principal? I can't imagine why that would reflect poorly on him. The only thing I think that could have been awkward was you asking him for job advice (since he might be someone you'd ask for a job). But he accepted the offer to sit with you and it doesn't sound like you hit him up for a job.
So... I don't think you have anything to apologize for. But maybe I'm missing some key piece that wasn't obvious to me?
Even if there was something "off" about it (and I don't think there was), I would not apologize That will just put him on the spot even more. It's not as if you intended to do anything wrong.
JMO.
If people have such small minds and think badly of you or him because you shared a meal, let it go. Some people have way too much time on their hands. There is nothing wrong with having lunch with a school principal or the president of the local bank or the police chief. Most people don't know if you have a history with this person, maybe you went to the same summer camp as kids, or have cousins in common, or went to high school together. For all anyone knows you could have been talking about a school issue and the only time that fit both of your schedules was lunch on Monday.
You didn't do anything wrong nor put the guy in a bad or awkward spot. Don't overthink this. No one would have thought badly of anything.
Yes, you put him in an awkward situation, not just b/c you were sitting alone together (which I don't think it would look weird to anyone), but b/c you asked him to join you, then you asked him about getting in the job market, which could make it *seem* like you were asking him to hook you up with a job. I would just pretend like it didn't happen and not bother with bringing up the awkward situation again through a likely awkward apology. There isn't anything wrong with chatting or asking about getting back into the education job market or any of that, but that would be best as a little conversation, if you had stopped by his table for a minute or two, not by asking him to sit with you to eat lunch.
School principal's are important people in the community, there's nothing wrong with you inviting him to join you to chat about what's happening in the schools or life in general. A big part of a principal's job is communicating with the community members, not that he would be rude if he declined your offer. It's fine that you asked him some general questions about the job market, he's responsible for hiring and interviewing so he's probably a good person to ask for suggestions. No apology necessary!
I'd just leave well enough alone. I don't think you did anything wrong or even put him in an awkward position or anything. Just let it go and move on. =)
Yes, it's awkward, especially if either of you are married, other members of the community COULD take it the wrong way. However, I would just leave it alone. Your intentions were in the right place, and that's what really matters. If he had a problem with it, he should have said so from the get go. Next time take up the matter of professional advice at the school in his office.
