How to stop gossip.  The best way to deal with gossip

How to stop gossip. The best way to deal with gossip

In work teams, as indeed in any human community, clashes of interests and resulting conflicts are inevitable, among which the most unpleasant are gossip. The fact is that such a situation is always complicated by several circumstances.

The best way The way to combat gossip is to prevent it from occurring.

  • Firstly, it is not clear what caused them to occur. An unpleasant rumor simply exists and poisons your life.
  • Secondly, too much is involved in the “process” large number participants, and a person who generally treats you well, without knowing it, can act as an enemy, passing on false information to someone.
  • And thirdly, it is not clear how this will all end. Even the most ridiculous rumor remains in the memory for a long time even after it has been exposed.

Therefore, the best way to deal with gossip is to prevent it from occurring.

No, not him!

Most effective remedy preventing slander against you is a good reputation. Those who believe that it takes years to create are wrong. No! It has been maintained for years, and is created almost in the first days, and sometimes even hours, of your stay at work. The fact is that upon seeing a new employee, the work team immediately tries to identify him, classify him, catalog him, and then, having attached some kind of label to him, calmly put him on the shelf. And which shelf you end up on is up to you.

Why are they doing this to me?

You shouldn’t be disappointed in all people and become isolated, just don’t tell anything about yourself that you wouldn’t want to make public.

But sometimes the occurrence of gossip becomes a real psychological blow for a person. This happens when the “victim” herself transferred some confidential information to a dishonest person who decided to take advantage of the trusting relationship for personal gain.

In such a situation, people often find themselves ingenuous, simple, who share with everyone the details of their lives. And the most difficult thing for them is not to lose trust in others.

« Because of my inability to understand people, I have suffered since my school days., says manager Victoria S. INAll the time I told my secrets to the wrong people, and then found myself in stupid situations. At first these events seemed like an accident to me, but soon I realized that the reason was that I didn’t feel there was a catch, I didn’t know how to consider other people’s intentions. For example, if someone shares something personal with me, then I believed that I was also obliged to tell something about myself. By the way, this is exactly how people who like to wash bones sometimes “twisted” me into frankness. Now I strictly adhere to the rule: discuss my personal life only with close people, and at work there are enough other topics».

If you find out that someone has discovered your secret, don't panic nothing irreparable happened. Your colleagues will move on to another subject of discussion faster than you might expect. But if even after some time you feel that it is still unpleasant for you to be in this community, start looking for a new job, but this time take into account the previous mistakes. You shouldn’t be disappointed in all people and become isolated, just don’t tell anything about yourself that you wouldn’t want to make public.

Office vendetta

Another way to protect yourself from gossip is to avoid conflict.

In general, it is best to start searching for the reason why whispering behind your back occurs by analyzing your own actions. Ask yourself: have there been times when you casually offended a person? Has it ever happened that you behaved indelicately with someone, allowing harshness or rudeness in your conversation? Do you often start your speech with the word “no” or even by denying the value of your interlocutor’s words?

If you do not show tact and delicacy in your communication, then no matter how good a worker you are, you cannot count on the love of others. Therefore, the next way to protect yourself from gossip is not to conflict. Psychologists confirm that aggressive behavior– this is nothing more than an attempt at defense. Very often, parents instill in their children: “you must be able to protect yourself.” The main danger of this formulation is that it itself already implies the inevitability of an attack. Formed vicious circle: expecting negative manifestations, such people see them in any innocent remarks and jokes, behave aggressively, which, of course, is followed by harshness in response. Sometimes they unconsciously provoke others into conflicts, but since no one wants to openly communicate with them anymore - they do not hear others and do not perceive other people’s arguments, they are discussed behind their backs. And we all know very well what such a discussion can lead to.

Svetlana Kataeva, managing director of a recruiting company AVRIO Group Consulting , warns: “I would like to say right away that there were, are and will be gossips in office life. It is important to be able to respond correctly, or in some cases not react, to gossip and not allow it to ruin your life at work. The nature of gossip varies. Sometimes rumors are generated by the situation in the company: a tense communication environment, the lack of clear and unambiguous official information on a number of important issues, etc., and sometimes the reason is given by the employees themselves due to their difficult, quarrelsome character, defiant or simply unusual behavior. If you think a little about this topic, you will notice that very rarely rumors are spread about friendly, friendly people who are always ready to help a colleague. But employees with a complex character, non-communicative, allowing themselves harsh and sometimes offensive statements towards their colleagues, quite often become objects for the spread of gossip about them.”

Who are we going to talk about?

Another reason for the emergence of rumors lies in the peculiarities of human psychology - people simply like to “dig” into other people’s problems. Discussing others is also a unifying factor.

Answer honestly: have you ever gossiped?

Answer honestly: have you ever gossiped? It is unlikely that anyone will say: “never.” We all from time to time discuss third parties in their absence and convey information from hearsay. This is called gossip.

If people think about why they have such conversations, it often turns out that the reason is not personal gain, revenge, or the desire to harm a person. Often the motives will be: to feel like you belong in society, to emphasize your own importance, involvement in a secret, to try to warn someone. It turns out that in most cases there is no malicious intent in gossip, but simply a desire to talk.

And the most “convenient” objects for gossip are often those people who are noticeably different from others and oppose themselves to the community. But if such a person is yourself, then this is very uncomfortable. The head of the IT department, Evgeniy M., was convinced of this from his own experience: “ I have always strived to be independent and have my own opinion about everything. Moreover, I expressed this not only in conversation, but also through my appearance. Tattoos, piercings, unusual clothes very clearly demonstrated my musical tastes and attitude towards life. At work, I didn’t communicate with anyone, considering myself above office get-togethers and corporate events. My colleagues seemed boring and narrow-minded people to me. Since I worked as a system administrator, who, according to many, simply must be a person with oddities, I got away with all this. A year later, the company began to expand, and a senior student was hired to help me. He did not have any special knowledge, and he had no practical experience at all, but at the same time he immediately made friends with all the employees and endeared himself to his superiors.

Soon I began to notice that he was addressed more often and more respectfully, and there was a feeling that I was the assistant, and not he. The attitude towards me became more and more distrustful and hostile. As soon as I got sick, my colleagues whispered: “I went on a drinking binge,” although in fact I never had problems with alcohol. When the assistant became so comfortable that he could do without my help, my alleged alcoholism became a formal reason for dismissal. It’s difficult to say who started such gossip about me and why, but this situation served me as a lesson. On new job I now come in accordance with the dress code. And the style of communication with colleagues had to change. By the way, there were some pretty interesting people among them.».

“Such situations are not uncommon,” says Svetlana Kataeva. – Therefore, it is important to adapt socially, to make sure that the team accepts you. And it depends only on you. As a rule, they do not like upstarts, sycophants, rude people and quiet people who seem to be on their own, people who deny common values, arrogant people who put themselves above others. The community strives to crowd out everything foreign, sometimes even unconsciously, instinctively. No one is forcing you to be friends or stay in close contact with absolutely everyone, but establishing positive working relationships is important.

Here are some tips on how to join the team and not become an object of gossip:

  • be friendly, welcoming to everyone, don’t let bad moods or personal problems affect your communications,
  • take an interest in the lives of your colleagues, their opinions on various issues,
  • try to listen to employees, help them if possible,
  • if this is customary, bring something tasty to work to treat your colleagues, and it is not at all necessary to wait for a birthday or other occasion,
  • and most importantly, never spread gossip yourself or indulge the gossipers!”

What to do if...?

You should not make excuses, defend yourself or take revenge - this is not effective.

The time has come to answer main question: What to do if you suddenly find out that there is an unpleasant rumor circulating about you in your team? Of course, there is no universal recipe - everything depends on the team and the person himself.

Svetlana Kataeva gives recommendations: “How to react? In most cases, it is better not to make excuses and do nothing; gossipers themselves will lose interest in you after some time and move on to other matters and news. It is also useful to analyze what is the root cause of gossip about you? Who benefits from this? This way, you will most likely be able to identify the initiator of the spread of gossip. But you should not make excuses, defend yourself or take revenge - this is not effective. Gossip as a symptom - it makes no sense to treat it without identifying the disease. And the disease in in this case– bad relationship with one of your colleagues. These are the ones that need to be established.”

Trust is the foundation of any relationship. But for some reason, often, having entrusted something to one person, we find out that it has become known to everyone around us. What now, trust no one? But you can’t live like that!

The solution is simple: you need to learn to understand people well in order to know who to trust with secrets and who is better off not telling anything at all. And yet, the friend with whom we have been through thick and thin, for some reason suddenly blurted out your deepest secret to everyone.

It is not possible to answer this question right away. You need to know what kind of relationship you have with your friend. Maybe she was pushed to this act by jealousy, envy or boredom? Often people tell others' secrets because they want to appear knowledgeable, powerful, and all-knowing.

But that doesn’t make it any easier for you! Becoming a victim of rumors or gossip is not pleasant. In addition, gossip can be dangerous: it has a destructive effect on relationships and can easily damage the reputation of other people. Gossip often quarrels the closest and most devoted friends! They separate us from loved ones and denigrate in our eyes those whom we admired and loved. So what to do with them and how to deal with them?

First, let's figure out whether gossip is bad.

Gossip: good or bad?

Whether you like it or not, gossip performs important functions, both social and psychological. Because of gossip, we unite in groups and get information about someone and something. You don’t have to look far for an example. Let's say the yellow press.

Are you interested in looking through magazines and reading gossip about TV stars? It’s nice to realize that they have the same problems as you: someone’s boyfriend left someone, someone had a row with someone else... Against the background of their problems, your troubles seem to deflate and become not as scary and terrible as it seemed earlier.

You are part of the gossip

If you yourself like to wash the bones of your girlfriends and boyfriends, don’t expect your friends to trust you with secrets. It is unlikely that you will become a reliable friend in their eyes. Try not to take part in gossip, even indirectly! If you hear that someone is gossiping about your friend, it is better to step aside so as not to be a participant in all sorts of speculation. Or openly declare that you don’t believe in all this. At first, it seems interesting and exciting to spread all kinds of news about people. But then she herself becomes disgusted, because a person who is a hypocrite behind a friend’s back cannot be called anything other than a scoundrel!

You are the object of gossip

People who spread gossip thus gain drive and emotions that they lack in life. Thus, gossipers assert themselves at the expense of the victims of gossip. Gossip helps them free themselves from negative feelings and emotions. But that doesn’t make it any easier for you!

Here are some tips for those who have fallen victim to fake gossip.

- Try not to protest too much. Even if rumors and gossip touch your heart, do not pay attention to them. Gossipers just want you to get nervous and prove otherwise!

❧ Do you know how to piss off gossipers or make them stop spreading rumors about you? Start agreeing with everything they say! Do they call you a Satanist? Invite them to become victims of another bloody ritual! They say that you are in love with the nerd and bespectacled Petrov? Laughingly talk about the fact that you are already married or something like that. Gossipers will see that you are laughing at them, and no one will want to spread rumors about you.

- During the day, act as if nothing happened. Don't try to take revenge on gossipers. Even if you find out who is spreading gossip and pin him to the wall, nothing good will come of it. It's easy to turn the situation against you. It turns out that you are to blame, and not the gossiper! So stay calm and control your emotions.

- Once you find out who is spreading gossip about you, calmly talk to this person. Let him explain why he is spreading rumors and where he got such stupid information from. Eventually you may just stop communicating with this person.

— The best assistant is time. If you don't focus on gossip, it will subside on its own.

“The opium of the oppressed” is how Erica Jong, author of the best-selling book “Fear of Flying,” described the phenomenon of a broken phone. We often become the object of close attention from society, which, unfortunately, sometimes gives rise to fantastic stories, almost legends, with our candidate in the leading role. This is quite unpleasant, even if the sources of speculation and their further spreaders are envious people or old women who spend their time-bound leisure in this way. It is annoying, depressing and even brings you to tears. How to deal with gossip and whether it can be prevented is the topic of today’s article.

As a rule, we learn news about ourselves from people close to us, who consider it their duty to bring to our attention what, for example, Baba Katya said from the second entrance. Although, rumors can also take the form of an impersonal “they are talking about you...” from the lips of the same acquaintances. Immediately after hearing this, emotions take precedence over reason and provoke the discredited person to make at least four mistakes.

Four behavioral errors:

1. Outrage.

This reaction is quite predictable. After all, what was attributed to you is not always true. Either everything was not entirely true, corresponding to only 20 - 30 percent of the truth, or it did not happen at all.

For example, if you are married, you meet your childhood friend after many years separation, you are sitting in a cafe, chatting, but by coincidence, your colleague is at the end of the hall, unwittingly turning his table into an observation point. In the evening, your spouse makes you a scene of jealousy, accusing you of cheating. And all because Angelica from the accounting department has excellent eyesight, a rich imagination and a very long tongue. What will you do in the first moments after hearing accusations against you? Of course, to be indignant, which means speaking in a raised voice, getting nervous, and, as a result, harming your health.

2. Excuses.

They follow outrage. You begin to deny everything and provide evidence of your innocence, not realizing that you are thereby provoking the gossiper to further spread rumors and, confirming the saying “there is no smoke without fire.” A person who has not the slightest relation to the information passed about him from mouth to mouth will never make excuses.

3. Clarification of relationships.

You are overcome by a feeling of anger and a strong desire to look the gossiper in the eyes. If you can determine the source of the rumors, you pay him a visit and ask him a question directly. Whatever the “storyteller” answers, conflict cannot be avoided. But what will you achieve with such a rash act? The rumors will most likely stop, but you will absolutely make an enemy for yourself. He will quietly hate you until negative emotions again begin to flow from excess over the edge.

4. Revenge and threats.

The natural desire of the target of gossip is to do something nasty in response. But you cannot respond to dirty tricks with evil: this way you will disturb the snake’s nest even more. The same applies to threats: by starting a war with the enemy, you thereby turn on the green light for the “continuation of the banquet,” inciting the enemy more and more. After all, it “feeds” on your negative reaction, becoming stronger at the energy level than before.

and how to behave:

In fact, you need to behave differently: do not wave your sword, challenging the gossip to a duel, but, armed with a shield, skillfully repel the enemy’s attacks.

Instead of getting angry, stay calm. Better yet, demonstrate indifference as opposed to a stormy showdown. You can also ironically support rumors about yourself by adding some juicy detail. The one who told you the news about you, like the writer of gossip, will understand that rumors do not make you worry, and, therefore, this method of influence is useless.

Never make excuses, because this puts you in a humiliating position. You will not restore your reputation in the eyes of the public this way. And is it worth trying? Isn't it smart man, especially someone who knows you well, will believe some rumors of dubious origin? And it’s not worth proving anything to gullible people who are hanging their ears. Appreciate those who don't care about gossip about you: they are your strength.

Stoop to threats and revenge? Well, no! A person who weaves a web of public lies around you is simply NOT worthy of your attention. And in general, folk wisdom says: “If they are talking about you, it means you are still alive,” that is, you stand out from the crowd, because gossip is not spread about gray mice.

A quote from the French writer Jules Renard comes to mind:

“Never repeat what you haven’t heard yourself.”

To prevent gossip from affecting you, you need to learn to keep your mouth shut. Unfortunately, the tendency to condemn is firmly established in human nature - only saints can live without uttering a word about their neighbor...

Do you feel prickly glances burning your back? Is there an awkward silence when you appear? Well, sooner or later everyone has the “honor” of becoming the object of gossip

Rumor or gossip

What is gossip? Often the difference between the concepts of rumor and gossip is very blurred. But these two formulations should not be confused! A rumor is fragmentary information conjectured due to the lack of reliable information. It may be quite harmless. Hearing is a manifestation of the instinct of self-preservation. After all, by nature itself we have curiosity, a desire to have information. Therefore, in the absence of certain facts, we instinctively try to “complete” the picture with the power of imagination.

Whereas gossip is deliberately untrue information that a person secretly shares with others. Some authors classify it as a type of rumor. At the same time distinctive features such information are the following factors:

a) the object of gossip is shown in an unsightly light;
b) the author of the information receives moral satisfaction from its transmission;
c) the essence of gossip can harm the image of the object and undermine his relationships with other people.

Consequences of gossip

What are the consequences of gossip for you? The very first thing is internal negativity: a feeling of vile disgust, depression, awkwardness, powerlessness and anger. These emotions can create a hole in your energy field. And also become the reason depressive state, nervous breakdown.

The second unpleasant outcome of the “information attack” is the emergence of tension in your relationships with other people. Simple truths about smoke without fire, the residue after the discovery of silver spoons, work here. After all, a person who has heard unpleasant information about you may not believe it. But that same residue in his attitude towards you will clearly remain.

The third negative point is that trouble does not come alone. With the advent of gossip, you are more sensitive to negativity: thoughts constantly circle around the current situation, like a tongue around a sore tooth. As a result of this, you are on a “negative wave”, which attracts even more negativity to you (money problems, quarrels). You've probably noticed that as soon as one thing goes wrong, everything starts to go wrong.

Algorithm of action, or how to deal with gossip

What to do in this situation? Remember: gossip is like a forest fire! She is like fire - uncontrollable and unpredictable. The neglected gossip based on the “broken phone” principle is acquiring more and more new details. It is constantly changing, “mutating”. It is impossible to predict where the course of a fictional story will turn during the next retelling. Just like you can’t protect someone’s ears from this nasty information.

Therefore, you need to fight gossip like a fire. There are several proven ways to do this:

1. Let the fire burn out. Completely ignoring gossip in 2 (maximum 3) weeks will reduce it to nothing. People will just get tired of repeating the same things over and over again. Therefore, the easiest way is to relax, try to enjoy the close attention that is paid to you. If they talk about you, someone needs you and many people are interested in you. And this, you see, is not so bad!

2. Let the fire burn. This method will require a little humor and a lot of imagination from you. Come up with a more interesting rumor that will beat the “rating” of the gossip. The main condition is that your information should touch people's heartstrings! A little hint: exams at school and salaries in a team will never lose their relevance.

3. Cut down trees in front of the fire. Make your life more public! Share information about yourself openly - first-hand information is always more interesting than someone else’s retelling. Let it into your life more people. Then the need to gossip about you will disappear by itself.

But most importantly, try to protect your nerve cells from dying out. In order not to take everything to heart - speak up! You can talk about your experiences best friend, a psychologist or a faithful diary. The main thing is to get rid of obsessive thoughts and “let go of the situation.” And then all problems will find their adequate solution.

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It is impossible to imagine a work team without gossip. The employees are divided into groups, whispering, discussing the next victim, dividing latest news. On a small scale, such talk does not harm the company. But if an envious person appears at work, a lover of gossip and intrigue, then the consequences are disastrous. The working capacity of the team decreases, conflicts arise, and valuable personnel are lost. And in general, the atmosphere becomes tense as trust and respect disappear. How to deal with gossip in the office to maintain a working spirit?

What is hidden behind the concept of gossip?

We are designed in such a way that we are used to discussing events that have happened. Read new book or watched a film - gave an assessment, encountered an unpleasant scene in transport - discussed people's behavior, had a fight with relatives - shared details with colleagues. The listed examples fall more under the concept of discussion, since vile goals are not hidden behind this: to denigrate a person, make them angry, deprive them of a position or a bonus.

What is hidden behind the concept of gossip? Work gossip is divided into the following types:

Discussion or banter. This form is found in a friendly team. A group of employees gathers over tea and discusses the actions of one of the employees. At the same time, he is nearby, and the information is presented in a humorous manner. Or the team discusses the situation that happened the day before. Events can be both negative and positive. Discussion of an action or situation presupposes the presence of the person in question. The goal behind this is not to ridicule the employee, denigrate, or find fault with a colleague’s work.
Gossip. Unlike discussion, the format of the conversation changes. Information is given secretly, quietly, in a confidential tone. The goal of a gossip is to arouse interest in the interlocutor and show the negative sides of a particular person. To attract the attention of colleagues, such an employee makes up information or twists it around. To do this, it is enough to eavesdrop on a telephone conversation and turn what you hear into your own way. Gossip appears on various reasons. A person who spreads false information wants to be the center of attention, has set a goal to remove the person from his position, and is jealous of the employee.

Rumors. Similar to gossip and reminiscent of the “broken phone” game. Someone heard the information, then passed it on to another employee, who told a friend in confidence, and so on. As a result, the data that reaches the manager is false and greatly distorted. Rumors also arise in teams where employees do not receive enough information from their boss.

Worried about jobs and misinterpreting snippets of overheard conversation, staff come up with horror stories about dismissal, salary cuts, and staff reductions.

It doesn’t happen that there is one villain at work who spreads rumors and employees. At some point, a colleague was supported and praised. I warned the boss about the inattentive attitude towards the work of a new employee and received gratitude. I started a conversation in the kitchen, discussing a co-worker, and received feedback from my colleagues. The mechanism starts quickly, and it is almost impossible to stop the spread of rumors. If you see that subordinates often whisper in the corners, then reconsider the workload. So the frames have free time to weave intrigues and discuss the boss and colleagues.

Where does gossip come from and how to stop it?

It is generally accepted that women enjoy discussing colleagues. But, if you find yourself in a male team, you will find out that rumors spread in any office. There are differences in the reasons why gossip occurs. Women are driven by curiosity to eavesdrop on a conversation between a manager or a successful colleague. From the scraps, a story is compiled, which is retold to other employees. At the same time, the colleague says that she may have misunderstood what she heard. But the rumor goes to another employee and additional facts are lost. As a result, it comes to you in such a disgusting form that it is offensive.

How to stop gossip?

It is useless to swear and prove the opposite to a troublemaker. The gossip will only conclude that he hit the nail on the head. Otherwise, why would you be so fussed over? Therefore, do not communicate with such a colleague, keep communications to a minimum. When meeting, do not talk about abstract topics. Even the answer to a harmless question, how are you, will be twisted by the gossiper.
Don't share your secrets. Information about personal life, family problems leave it at home. Don’t even think about telling a gossiper that you like a colleague from a neighboring department. After this, everyone will know the secret, but the rumor will reach it in an unsightly form.
Don't talk about employees. In order not to discuss something new, you have to be an iron man. Restrain yourself and do not answer tricky questions: does the employee like it, how does he work, or how does he absorb information? Avoid monosyllabic phrases.
Have an open conversation. Men in the fight for their careers are ready to trip up their opponents. This is where intrigue arises and rumors spread. If you have become a victim of gossip, then talk to a colleague. Men are straightforward, so they will not fuss, they will express complaints and grievances. After a frank conversation, there is a chance to improve relationships and continue working.

There is another situation. Not being the author of gossip, you picked up the information and told it to the next department. And at that moment they were caught red-handed. What to do in such a situation. Approach the employee you discussed and talk privately. Ask for forgiveness, then explain that you did something wrong by taking on someone else's words. Don’t make excuses by shifting responsibility onto the schemer. After all, you had a choice: not to listen to the gossip or not to pass it on. You chose the third option, so be responsible for spreading rumors.

How to respond to gossip?

It's unpleasant when you become a victim of an intriguer. You begin to wonder what you did wrong, why your colleague is biased. The whispers of your colleagues and the sidelong glances thrown in your direction are offensive. But frustrations and grievances cannot solve the situation. There will be dismissal the best gift for a gossip. If you don’t want to give the troublemaker such pleasure, then learn how to respond correctly to gossip:

Don't get excited about taking what you hear to heart. Yes, it’s unpleasant to find out that there are rumors about you in the office, and untrue ones at that. But, there is no need to throw your fists at the enemy and threaten with violence. If a colleague spreads rumors to anger you, then the goal will be achieved. It's better to direct your energy to another area. Clarify the situation, where did such information come from, and why did your colleague take up arms against you. The true reasons will help develop a further strategy.
Prepare the facts. You need to respond to gossip and restore your good name. Don't waste time making excuses or talking with colleagues. Focus your energy on finding evidence. Copies of meeting minutes, email correspondence, and witnesses to the conversation will be suitable. The search for facts depends on the subject of the rumor.

Having prepared truthful information, speak to your colleagues and offer to review the documents. This way you will make it clear to the quarrelsome person that it is useless to gossip against you.

Accept the rumors. If fables are told in front of you, among other employees, then nod your head. Say that what was said is the absolute truth. Just add irony or make it up. As a rule, petty gossips invent nonsense. If there are adequate colleagues around you, then they will not believe such nonsense. They will draw the right conclusions, smile at the stupid things they hear, and go on with their work tasks. Did they like the gossip? Then why waste energy and time on inadequate people.

If you suspect a colleague is gossiping, observe their behavior. External signs- a welcoming smile, friendliness, participation, attentiveness to colleagues. Such an employee is on friendly terms with all his colleagues. Volunteers for community service, organizes holidays, collects money. From the outside he gives the impression of being an irreplaceable employee. Often goes to the boss's office. Behind closed doors, he takes off the mask of a friendly employee and reports to the boss about the mistakes of his colleagues.

How to deal with gossip in the office?

The head of the company sets the atmosphere in the team. If subordinates are in constant fear and unsure of the future, then rumors arise. Then the invented facts develop into gossip and employees no longer understand what is truth and fiction. The team is not working at full capacity, thinking about the upcoming changes. To prevent this situation, inform your subordinates about the company's plans, upcoming growth or reduction in advance. Talk to the team, find out their fears, dispel doubts. In large teams, people are appointed to this role.

How else to deal with gossip in the office?

Talk to the troublemaker. Start the conversation not with accusations, but with concern for your subordinate. Say you know the employee is spreading rumors. Ask why he is doing this. If the schemer stands his ground, claiming that he told the true truth, then thank him and say that you will check the information.
Eliminate the cause. If the gossiper openly spoke about the troubles, then think about how to help. At the same time, speak your thoughts out loud. For example, an employee was offended that he was not included in the training. Explain that you do not consider the subordinate to be the worst, but that a budget or topic was set that the troublemaker knows very well and can pass on experience himself.
Stop the rumors. Tell the intriguer that in your office it is forbidden to gossip, discuss other people behind their backs, or spread untrue rumors. Suggest in next time on controversial issues, approach you and express grievances directly. If gossip has spread throughout the office and stirred up the team, then gather your subordinates before the end of the working day. Tell them that you did your own research and found out that the information you received was not true. Provide facts if necessary.

To prevent gossip from continuing, establish company rules. Write down a clause prohibiting the spread of rumors, gossip and slander.

Thank you for the signal. There is some truth in every gossip. Rumors do not arise out of nowhere. They are built as a result of observing a person, overhearing a conversation or accidentally seeing scenes. Therefore, check the information carefully. Do not rule out the possibility that this is not a gossip, but a person defending the interests of the company.

The most important rule for a manager who fights gossip in the office is his own behavior. Never discuss someone who is not at the meeting. Prohibit subordinates from speaking badly about colleagues. If someone expressed the opinion that employee X is to blame for the delay in the project, say that you will now call him into the office and discuss the problem together.

Don't view gossip as an exceptional evil. Scientists have proven that when discussing other people and... This doesn't mean you should encourage gossip in the office. But a friendly discussion between colleagues will not harm the working atmosphere. The main thing is to teach your employees not to say nasty things behind their backs. Don't be afraid to take responsibility for what happens in the office. Some rumors are spread due to fear of losing a slave

January 17, 2014, 10:57