The power of positive gossip

Source:?Adapted from Alula

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Why is it the highlights from ESPN’s SportsCenter that people talk about in the break room, in the cracks between meetings? People want to be like those athletes, they root for milestones, and they get excited about their successes. That is what should be cultivated in each organization—a culture in which talking about the “highlights of the valuable things people have done” is common practice.

The challenge is: How do you create that kind of excitement for things done well in your organization? How do you create a culture in which people regularly recognize, talk about, and take pride in the successes of their co-workers?

One extremely impactful tactic that leaders can use to shape a high performance culture is to actively, purposefully look for, listen for, and share positive examples. We call this?spreading positive gossip.

Positive gossip involves sharing examples of people’s good efforts and successes. The intention is to demonstrate that day-to-day valuable actions are expected, noticed, and appreciated.

As leaders spread positive gossip consistently and broadly, they form the foundation of a culture of engagement.?When someone makes a good decision, finds an uncommon hazard, provides exceptional customer service, jumps in when needed—these behaviors are the highlights that serve as the bricks in this foundation.

As leaders discuss “things that worked” for one person, which others can do as well, they encourage team members to learn from one another. They build on strengths of each team member and work together to develop effective practices.

These may be small successes to start—anecdotes, good reactions, or good efforts. However, as these repeated examples of small wins become part of the regular informal communication, you’ll see that engagement, morale, and ultimately performance will excel.

We should be consistently hearing examples of people helping and learning from others. Hearing about good catches as people proactively find potential hazards or process barriers. Good ideas and suggestions that will save money or good customer service!

Leaders need to generate excitement, energy, optimism, and pride as they highlight exceptional work. These are the examples that can be replicated, that can be best practices, that can yield better, sustained business results.

As leaders attend to the right things and purposefully capture and share success stories, they demonstrate what they value—and consequently, what the organization values. Additionally, the repeated telling of those stories shapes the perceptions, morale, climate, and norms within an organization.

Our mission is to call attention to the valuable things that people do—talk about them, repeat them, celebrate them, learn from them, replicate them, and systematize them.

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Now until next time, go forward and spread some positive gossip!

James & Sylvia