What’s the “termite” Causing Drama in your Workplace?

Can we talk about very few others WILL talk about??

GOSSIP in the workplace.

I’ve seen it time and time again; gossip will slowly undermine your work culture and your own productivity.?

Think of gossip like termites. You can’t physically see the damage happening day by day. Everything looks good and normal from the outside.?

However, looking closely after time has passed, you see that things are severely damaged and lacking the structural integrity it once had.?

How did this happen? Termites, like gossip, slowly ate away at the foundation. Things are left shaky, compromised, and often expensive to remediate.?

Let’s correlate it directly to your workplace. Gossip creates a toxic environment by undermining trust, damaging key relationships, reducing productivity, and sending morale down the drain. It’s one of the leading causes of workplace drama.

Let's take it one step further.?

When a person finds out that others have been speaking behind their back (because, let’s be honest, it ALWAYS comes out), they feel isolated, picked on, and self-conscious. The implications of that in THEIR personal life are massive!

That is not a culture we want to create or enable.?

Here are a few key ways to start getting in front of this issue:

Ensure that there are clear policies against gossip.?

Make sure everyone is on the same page and that there is no tolerance around this issue.

Lead by example!?

If you expect it from those around you, make sure you uphold it, too. Whatever you do in moderation gives liberty to those around you to do in excess! (drop the mic).?

This pertains to silence, too. Don’t allow your silence to send messages of approval to your team.

Provide a safe place for communication.?

As a leader, when a team member can bring serious issues about a co-worker without being judged, disregarded, it communicates that we are on the same team and the airways are clear. But be careful not to become just a sounding board for complaints.

Nip it in the bud!?

When you start to notice a conversation heading towards gossip, don’t wait until the conversation has unfolded! Stop it in its tracks and redirect it to something more productive (this is another way to lead by example). You can ask a question like: “If there were other explanations for someone’s behavior, what might they be?”

Regularly check in with your team/staff.?

When communication is regularly open about the positive and productive things taking place, it then becomes much easier for them to also voice any concerns they may have. This practice builds trust between you and your team significantly!?

By addressing gossip head-on, you will find that your teams will be happier and more productive —a win-win situation!

Comment if you found this helpful, or share any thoughts on how this has been played out in your workplace. I’d love to hear from you!?

PS. If you could use a speaker to come into YOUR workplace to help motivate, realign, and uplift your team, reach out to me today.

Let’s work together to create a drama-free workplace and a drama-free life.

Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt