Neutralizing the power of workplace gossip
  • Blog post

Neutralizing the power of workplace gossip

Describe and confront workplace gossip to neutralize it

First, leadership, by confronting the issue of workplace gossip, by describing what it is that’s driving you crazy in terms of the behavior, the badmouthing the company, the badmouthing the client, the triangulation once you described it.

A problem named is a problem solved. A little over simplified but boy, if you can just get over. And his point is just get over the hurdle. You’ve got a name the issue. You can’t keep it a secret. That’s a sense of leadership.

Praise negates workplace gossip.
If you want to neutralize the power of negativity in workplace gossip, try some of these things. First, go three weeks without criticizing, the whole 21 days, three weeks without criticizing. Just talk to them, reward them when they do something right.

When was the last time you took your best employee to lunch? I remember this brand new supervisor – got no training. They called it fast track. We don’t train you until you’ve been on the job for six months. Because then we determine at six months after we’ve thrown you against the wall, if you stick, you’re in management. Then we might invest in training. Otherwise, you’re on your own. Great opportunity. You’re at a big company, you want to separate yourself from the supervisors next to you, start using praise. Catch them when they’re doing it right. Be amazed at response.

The big companies you’ve got managers that other employees want to work for and you got managers nobody wants to be near. Why? Because the quality of life at work. There comes a point where they say, “You know, it’s not worth it. I’m out of here.”

I have this employee about three to five years now. We’ll see if a downturn comes slow to some of this turnover. But we’re not seeing it yet. We’re scrambling to find and keep good people.

Take them to lunch, have a conversation. This is not complicated. It’s hard work and it’s constant.

Edited remarks from the Rapid Learning Institute conference Gossip, Gab, and the Grapevine:How to Neutralize its Negative Impact by Hunter Lott

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share:

Get a demo of all our training features

Connect with an expert for a one-on-one demonstration of how Rapid Learning can help develop your team.