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Workplace Communication Advice – The Office Gossip

Question

Dear Guy – I hope this is a communication question you can help us with. We have this person who will not stop gossiping. Anything this person hears is fair game for spreading to anyone who will listen. What can we do to discourage this type of thing – it’s been going on for some time?

Answer 

People often gossip as a way of gaining power, control or attention. The important thing to remember is that it’s a behavior rather than a character flaw and, as such, it can be redirected. The alternative is to practice positive workplace communication.

You might find it helpful to take away the fuel that keeps gossip burning. If no one participates in the gossip or reacts to what is shared, the person involved eventually notices that his or her actions don’t have the same effect. This approach requires that people exercise discipline and a commitment to not interacting on that level with the person in question.

What you can do instead is model open, positive communication. It’s like showing the person what positive behavior looks like. Another option is to have everyone attend a workplace communication workshop together so that they’re all on the same page.

One important thing to remember is that people want attention whether it’s for positive or negative behavior. You can focus the energy in a beneficial direction by praising the person every time you see him or her practicing a positive behavior, that will help him or her get attention and reinforcement for something other than gossip.

It will take some time to change the behavior, but if you stick to it you’ll see results.

Take care,

Guy

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