Sara*, the CEO of a software company, had recently fired an employee. In a heartbeat, gossip about the who, how and why of the termination began spreading through the office grapevine like chicken pox in a kindergarten classroom.<\/p>\n
The copy-room commentary was flat-out false. But the buzz quickly infected her team with a\u00a0rumor that more people were on the chopping block, even though this was far from the truth.<\/p>\n
How did the gossip get to that\u00a0point? Why do workplace rumors happen in the first place? And what can be done to prevent them?<\/p>\n
Up to\u00a090% of conversations qualify as gossip<\/a>. That means it is almost certain that you are pretty regularly a rumor initiator or enabler, listening without deterrence. And it\u2019s not just cafeteria and hallway whispers that contribute to the problem:\u00a0Nearly\u00a015% of all work email<\/a>\u00a0can be categorized as gossip.<\/p>\n To be sure,\u00a0not all gossip is bad<\/a>\u00a0for an organization. But the kind that poisons rapport, maligns reputations, and contaminates cooperation is what you need to take action\u00a0against. To do this, it\u2019s important to go back to the basics and understand\u00a0what gossip really is<\/a>: casual and unconstrained conversation, about absent third parties, regarding information or events that cannot be confirmed as being true.<\/p>\n Gossip is born out of uncertainty. When we are uncertain, we are inclined to make assumptions. Why? Uncertainty creates a knowledge void that must be filled with actual, or in many cases artificial, information. The antidote, of course, is open and honest communication with your employees. Here are a few strategies to try.<\/p>\n A big change in a company \u2014 firing a top executive, shutting down an office \u2014\u00a0can be a tripwire for explosive speculations if the\u00a0change isn\u2019t communicated clearly to employees. Because uncertainty creates a knowledge void, be sure to quickly fill the void with facts before suspicion becomes \u201cfact.\u201d The more quickly you spill the beans, no matter how painful doing so might be, the less likely people are to start panicking.<\/p>\n For example, before seeking to acquire another firm, Joe, the CEO of a midsize consumer packaged goods company, gathered his\u00a0team and revealed the\u00a0company\u2019s financials in great detail. Next, he outlined the process for acquisition with a well-defined timeline. In the following weeks, rather than counterproductive chatter clamoring through the ranks, Joe\u00a0saw her team become more cohesive, rallying together to pull the company through a challenging and transformative time.<\/p>\n Katrina, the COO of an international software company, made a decision to terminate her entire sales team over the course of a year. It was a move she knew would send the company into a frenzy. To mitigate this, she regularly asked questions\u00a0before<\/em>,\u00a0during<\/em>, and\u00a0after<\/em>\u00a0the process. She wanted to know:<\/p>\n By asking questions early and regularly, Katrina signaled to her employees that she valued their feedback and that they were encouraged to become invested in the process. As a result, she squashed the development of widespread negativism within the company, even during a difficult time.<\/p>\n Gossip can ruin team cohesion as flagrantly as slinging mud on a white suit. When trust is sullied, rancor, animosity, and misgivings can turn a culture of cooperation into a mosh pit of dysfunction. To \u201cwear white\u201d means to be mindful of mudslinging \u2014 and the more you know someone, the less likely you are to malign them. So encourage employees to get to know each other as people,\u00a0not just coworkers.<\/p>\n You can promote workplace fellowship by:<\/p>\n Employees look to their managers as role models and messengers of organizational values. It\u2019s one thing to insist on conduct based on mutual regard and high character; it\u2019s quite another to demonstrate it. Ethics and empathy should be the tandem directive for conduct. If you model integrity in what you say and do, your employees will likely follow suit. Consistently communicate\u00a0your expectations in written policies, verbal exchanges, and meaningful actions.<\/p>\n In addition, you can block gossip by sticking to the facts \u2014 what verifiably was said, done, or occurred \u2014 and by being direct. If someone is giving you an earful, let them know you will not participate. If they persist, excuse yourself from the conversation.<\/p>\n Gossip has been undermining relationships since the beginning of time. You can diminish its impact by eliminating knowledge voids, fostering feedback, encouraging relationships beyond coworker consideration, and modeling the conduct of mutual regard.<\/p>\n After all, grapevines are better suited for making wine.<\/p>\nGive Them the Low-Down<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Get the Scoop from Employees<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Always Wear White<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Be a Role Model<\/strong><\/h3>\n