Gossiping, actually we all do it a little, often unconsciously but also often consciously. Talking about someone else is already considered gossip, so you can’t completely prevent people from gossiping about you, but you can reduce it a lot!
What is gossip?
The official definition of gossip, according to the dictionary, is: ,to talk about another person, especially in an angry way., Everyone knows someone in their circle of friends or at work who gossips, and maybe you are one of them. Gossips are seen as troublemakers and non-collegial people. In this way you can give people a bad image towards other people while the person in question cannot answer and therefore cannot do anything about it. This is especially annoying in the workplace and can even in extreme cases lead to dismissal or the end of a friendship, both for the gossiper himself and for the person the gossip is about. So time to do something about it!
Improve your reputation
The best weapon against gossip is to have a good reputation. Be a kind and honest person to your friends and family. At work, you need to be someone who keeps his promises and takes his duties seriously. Don’t promise things you can’t keep. If you do this, you run the risk that you will no longer be taken seriously and that people will not have confidence in you and your work. This certainly does not benefit your reputation and makes people spread their dissatisfaction about you even more.
Improve your communication
Improve your internal communication. Organize weekly meetings, email newsletters, flyers on desks, it doesn’t matter: do whatever it takes to notify your people on time. If they know everything there is to know, there is no guessing. Stop gossip afterwards by being there for your people immediately if they have questions. Check that they share any bubbling anxiety with you. For this it is also important to generate trust among your colleagues. By keeping people informed of what is happening and being open about your own tasks and dealing with them sincerely and answering their questions and concerns, you gain their trust and they are more likely to do the same towards you.
Stop troublemakers
Determine who the gossipers are and ask them for explanations. Are they genuinely concerned about something? Then reassure them. Talk to them and see if there might be any problems and promise to sort it out. Do they simply enjoy stirring up trouble? Then make it clear that it must be over. This also applies to setting a good example.
If you want to know what far-reaching consequences gossip can have, then the film ,Gossip, (2000) by Davis Guggenheim is definitely recommended. my view on