Gossip Does NOT Work

Hello Everyone

My work in helping organisations bring about cultural change has had me really thinking about workplace gossip.  Beth Weissenberger points out that gossip may sound innocent but if not addressed can undermine team spirit and impact productivity.

Complaining about other workers or whining about work-related issues without being prepared to do something about them is a form of sabotage within the organisation.

Workplace gossip is often a form of bullying and harassment.  It leads to anything but a cohesive workplace.  This is why productive, harmonious companies have a policy of zero tolerance towards gossip.  To be effective, the ban must come from the top down.

Beth Weissenberger says part of the new agreement between co-workers means that everyone has a responsibility to remind others when they are gossiping.  Everyone also needs to establish that they're not interested in taking part in gossip,  And finally everyone needs to encourage each other to go directly to the person who can do something about it.

Being both the gossiper and listener are not acceptable. Gossip does not exist without an audience!  And gossip will not exist if there is honest, open and responsive communication within the organisation.

People need to feel safe and supported to hold each-other to account regarding gossip.  This is best done in a friendly way.  Rather than blaming and making someone wrong, it is more powerful to say ‘it does not work to gossip’.

A study by Georgia Tech indicates how unproductive gossip is.  It found that nearly 15 per cent of internal emails were based only on office gossip.  These emails were about other co-workers who were not included in the email conversation.  Sadly, everyone from the CEO down was doing it.  The negative gossip outweighed the positive 3:1. 
The study also pointed out that the average corporate email user sends 112 emails each day.

If only people would consider the importance of getting the truth or talking directly to the people involved or only passing on positive gossip.  Passing on positive comments about others, for example, enhances one’s own reputation as much as the person being commented on.

Live! Laugh! Love!  Communicate Openly!

Roz Townsend   www.roztownsend.com

PS my next article will appear in August as I will be doing book promotion work in Bucharest and cycling along the Danube.

Gossip DOes Not Work

Hello Everyone

 My work in helping organisations bring about cultural change has had me really thinking about workplace gossip.  Beth Weissenberger points out that gossip may sound innocent but if not addressed can undermine team spirit and impact productivity.

Complaining about other workers or whining about work-related issues without being prepared to do something about them is a form of sabotage within the organisation.

Workplace gossip is often a form of bullying and harassment.  It leads to anything but a cohesive workplace.  This is why productive, harmonious companies have a policy of zero tolerance towards gossip.  To be effective, the ban must come from the top down.

Beth Weissenberger says part of the new agreement between co-workers means that everyone has a responsibility to remind others when they are gossiping.  Everyone also needs to establish that they're not interested in taking part in gossip,  And finally everyone needs to encourage each other to go directly to the person who can do something about it.

Being both the gossiper and listener are not acceptable. Gossip does not exist without an audience!  And gossip will not exist if there is honest, open and responsive communication within the organisation.

People need to feel safe and supported to hold each-other to account regarding gossip.  This is best done in a friendly way.  Rather than blaming and making someone wrong, it is more powerful to say ‘it does not work to gossip’.

A study by Georgia Tech indicates how unproductive gossip is.  It found that nearly 15 per cent of internal emails were based only on office gossip.  These emails were about other co-workers who were not included in the email conversation.  Sadly, everyone from the CEO down was doing it.  The negative gossip outweighed the positive 3:1. 
The study also pointed out that the average corporate email user sends 112 emails each day.

If only people would consider the importance of getting the truth or talking directly to the people involved or only passing on positive gossip.  Passing on positive comments about others, for example, enhances one’s own reputation as much as the person being commented on.

Live! Laugh! Love!  Communicate Openly!
Roz Townsend   www.roztownsend.com

PS my next article will appear in August as I will be doing book promotion work in Bucharest and cycling along the Danube.