83
Putting an End to a Direct Report's Gossiping

STRATEGY

Gossip in the workplace is like an open jar of honey: everyone enjoys a small taste, a big gulp can make you sick, and getting the lid back on is sticky business. Unrelenting, focused attacks on a single worker create fear, resentment, and apprehension in all workers. The gossipmonger is rarely called to task by colleagues, protected by the silent shield of everyone's penchant to gossip. The result is the undermining of the equilibrium and effectiveness of the workforce. This script's goal is put an end to the pronouncements of your office gossip. Your willingness to acknowledge the problem, consider it seriously, and confront the source are the secrets to success.

TACTICS

  • Attitude: Be firm and confident in your approach. No one will debate that gossip is a good thing. Stress that your intolerance and anger is for the activity, not the person.
  • Preparation: Try to get actual examples of the gossip's bad‐mouthing. The strength of your documentation will determine if you can, in fact, confront a gossip as the problem, or must confront gossip itself as the problem. If direct reports come to you to complain, keep notes. Check with other supervisors too. Your own experiences of negative behavior are a key. Since direct reports may clam up when a supervisor is around, and probably won't snitch on a peer for an activity they have engaged in too, getting solid documentation may be tough. Still, every workplace has a body of common knowledge—everyone just knows—so don't hesitate to go with your feelings and instincts.
    Flow diagram depicting a course of action for 83. Putting an End to a Direct Report's Gossiping with an opening statement, situations, and responses.
  • Timing: As soon as you feel satisfied that you've determined who is the primary problem, confront the person. The longer you allow the behavior to continue, the more you send the message that the problem is unimportant. Delay, and you'll have an office gossiping about your lack of concern for an effective, harmonious workplace.
  • Behavior: Strongly state how professionally destructive and personally repulsive you find the activity. If you have first‐hand examples and documentation, confront the person directly and tolerate no excuses. Anger, annoyance at the least, is appropriate. Without documentation, confront the behavior and not the person. Be concerned and solicitous, seeking help from the individual to solve a problem. You'll ultimately win acceptance that the problem is a serious one that can't be tolerated in the work place. With documentation, you might even get a begrudging acknowledgment of guilt. In either case, be clear what future outcomes will be.

ADAPTATIONS

This script can be modified to:

  • Put an end to the antics of the office practical joker and the office know‐it‐all.

KEY POINTS

  • Documentation may not be possible. Move on the problem based on your general knowledge and gut instincts.
  • Move quickly once you are aware of it. Do not let it linger.
  • Focus on gossip as a harmful and destructive force in the workplace.
  • If you've no evidence, ask if the suspect has any, and then ask for their help in solving the problem.
  • If you've some evidence, reveal it to the suspect, and then ask for their help in solving the problem.
  • Be clear there will be serious repercussions if the problem doesn't stop.