Page 5 - Al-Rashed Newsletter March 2020

GOSSIP!

“WHOEVER GOSSIPS TO YOU, WILL GOSSIP ABOUT YOU.”

Well to start, “Gossip” has different meaning to different people. For some, it is just a chilled out time to take a
break from their usual hectic life, and for some it’s just the random malicious talk,
others it is untrue tales spoken out of mere interest.

However workplace gossip can occasionally provide insight
into office personalities, but more often it ends up hurting the individuals
involved and affect the organization’s culture.

Few points below on the threats of gossip, and to know
when it’s TOO MUCH and how to get rid of it.

The Threats are,
- You will put your trust in question.
- Increased anxiety among employees as rumors circulates without clear information
- Divisiveness among employees as people take sides.
- Hurt feelings and reputations.
- Attrition of trust and morale between employees.
- Unexpected turnover and loss of good talent who left due to the toxic work environment.
- If you still keep gossiping, you will eventually have to visit a doctor to fix your teeth. ;D

When to take a step back:
You want to avoid gossip? Let’s take these few
occurrences for a test run, (wink)
- Does the chitchat rejoice in the misfortune of others? It’s gossip.
- Does it have a negative emotional charge or seem to perpetuate negativity? Gossip again.
- Does it hurt or damage the one being spoken of? Would you say it in front of this person's face
without losing your teeth? No? Gossip.
- Is it an unsubstantiated rumor about another employee? Gossip.
- Reading this and gossiping about the article - VERY MUCH GOSSIP (Kidding ☺).

Ways to Eradicate Gossip:
1. Change the subject.
Change the subject by asking something like “How was your
weekend? Mine was great.”
They will have no option but to answer you..
2. Keep Goals and priority in mind.
Remind yourself that you have something more important to
do so you will never want to waste time in the pantry talking trash.
3. Ignore the gossipers
Gossipers thrive in attention and invitation. Hence, your
solution is to keep yourself busy and ignore them.
4. Walk Away
Do not be the bystander. Walk away or go somewhere else.
5. Set yourself as an example
When you set the example and tone in your workplace,
people will notice and start to follow which is inevitable. This is just like
the saying, “You can’t help the poor by being one of them.”

Rijo N. Abraham