Grapevine communication can be impossible to eradicate in an organisation but can be used to the benefit of the organisation.

2. What is
Grapevine ?
Grapevine is an informal means
of communication that has
the potential to stretch
through an entire office.
Gossip
Rumour
s
Gis
t
unofficia
l

3. 8 Grapevine
Facts…
 Grapevine is not about grapes and vines,
it’s about how people communicate.
 Organizations cannot FIRE grapevine
because they did not HIRE it.
 Grapevines are usually interesting but not
really significant.
 It contains only few people knowing the
information.
 Grapevine helps humanize organizations.
 Grapevine may also be an expression of a
healthy environment.
 Usually, grapevines flow wherever people
get together in groups
 Lastly, management should remember that
the workplace community is maintained not
only by the work itself but also by the
informal human relationships.

4. The Journey
Plan
• Key communicator –
Kelechi
• End users – Foluso and
Dare
• Dead Enders – Idowu
that just heard and did
not share
• Isolates – Not privy
Kelechi gossips
with Foluso and
Idowu.
While she tells
them; Dare
listens in the
background
He spreads his
newly-found
info afterwards.
Foluso does the
same, spreading
the gist.
The gist goes
viral.
Idowu
pretends not
to have ever
heard the
conversation.

5. Outcome
s Bonding
 Quarrels or “Shaking tables”
 “Shots fired”
 Miscommunication or “bad
vibes”
 Low productivity

6. I heard
Grapevines
cannot be
managed.

7. So what
do we do
now?

8. Go with the
Flow
Big Idea

9. Discover: Work out who the
key communicators are
because they hold the power
and influence over other
employees.
Generate: Create information
for the grapevine to make sure
they have needed information
so there is no room for
speculations and one-sided
facts.
Trial-run strategy: In this
method, the organization can:
 validate the DG framework
 bring in a new policy, relay it
through the grapevine and
observe how employees
react to it.
The DGT
Method

10. Benefits of managed
Grapevine to
Employees
Benefits of managed
Grapevine to the
Organization
 Quick information drop
• Free flow of information
• Improves interpersonal
relationship
 Fast and valuable feedback
 Understand employee
behaviour
 Enhanced teamwork
 Productivity
 Credibility and stability to
achieving organizational
objectives

11. Grapevine cannot be eliminated but
can be managed to the benefit of the
organization. Daunting and
demanding, it will require creative,
deliberate and proactive efforts.