Participants at most of my presentations will remember my suggestion to “Say No to Gossip.” As I explain, I used to think gossip was something very specific, but it’s really anything you say about other people when they are not around.
I recently read this New York Times piece about a bunch of people who will not gossip.
As the piece’s author wrote, “No one I spoke with claimed to be a perfect exemplar of pure speech, but all of them took it seriously.”
One person interviewed for the piece said while she isn’t afraid to let you know if she has a problem with you, she doesn’t gossip to others, and she doesn’t like to hear gossip, either, especially at work. “When people start, I disengage,” she said. When co-workers try to gossip to her about someone they have an issue with, “I’ll tell them, like, ‘Hey, that’s not my business. Why don’t you go tell her how you feel and come to some sort of resolution?’”
Check out the article if you find this approach of interest. Or simply start saying no to gossip.
All my best,
David