Workplace gossip happens everywhere, so it’s about time we learned how to do it well! Let’s face it–gossip helps us build relationships, understand norms, address bad behavior, and have fun! Unfortunately, gossip has gotten a bad rap…until now.
SHOW NOTES
Researchers define gossip as “talking about someone who is not present” and, according to research, people spend an average of 52 minutes a day gossiping. Gossip is not always negative. In fact, as one study found, most if gossip is actually neutral, and according to researchers - boring.
Since we have this strong impulse to gossip, it is important to get it right and to do it in a way that is not destructive to the workplace. Gossip has a bad rap, and for good reason, but it allows us to feel closer to others at work and can raise trust and intimacy. It also allows us to form workplace norms and to pass on information to others about those norms - and it builds cooperation. And even though gossip can hurt - it drives self-reflection.
The problem with gossip is that unless it is done well, it can cause significant negative impacts in the workplace. Just as gossip can build trust, gossip can erode trust. Gossip can waiste our time and cause anxiety. And of course, gossip can cause hurt feelings and create divisiveness in the workplace.
It is really important to gossip well. Crina and Kirsten have some suggestions:
We are going to gossip in the workplace because we are, well, human, so let’s get it right at work!
Good Read:
The Science Behind Why People Gossip—And When It Can Be a Good Thing
Why You Procrastinate, and How To Overcome It
Belonging at Work: Honoring Our Own Experience and Engineering Each Other’s
Social Media Is Soul Sucking (oops...did we say that out loud?)
Working With Men (Spoiler Alert: You Don’t Need To Drink Beer or Play Golf)
Toxic Workplaces: How to See the Signs (& How To Deal With Them)
Imposter Syndrome: When You Feel Like You’re Faking It.
Self Sabotage: Why We Get in Our Own Way, and How To Stop It
Workplace Performance Anxiety: The Fear of Failure
What’s Your Problem?
How Sisterhood, Sexuality and Civil Disobedience Set the Stage for Gender Equity in Iceland
Toxic Coworkers: Removal, Remediation and Containment
When ’Blah’ Is As Good As It Gets, You Might Be Languishing.
Success is within your reach, but you need to define it first
The Fairy Dust of Effective Teams - Psychological Safety
Are You Ready For The Future Of Work?
Caring for Caregivers
Five Traits of High Achieving Women
Hack Your Job!
Black Women At Work
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
Reaching your Goals
Insights@work
The Ken Coleman Show
David Goggins Motivational Speech
Business Dad