Work gossip: We’ve all heard it, and some of us have spread it -- whether that action took place around the water cooler, via text or through email. There are mixed views about gossip: Some say that gossip is toxic, and I tend to agree. Others, such as Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst, actively encourage it. But at my company, our definition of gossip is clear: “unproductive communication with someone who cannot help solve the problem at hand.” In short, this kind of talk pollutes a work environment. Personally, I believe humans' tendency to gossip can be transformed into better communication all around. Here are some intentional steps leaders can take to flip office chattiness on its head and model the behavior they want their employees to emulate.

1. A V I V A L E E B O W W O L M E R P R E S E N T S :
5 WAYS TO TRANSFORM
WORK GOSSIP INTO POSITIVE
COMMUNICATION

2. WHETHER THAT ACTION TOOK PLACE AROUND THE
WATER COOLER, VIA TEXT OR THROUGH EMAIL.
W O R K G O S S I P : W E ’ V E A L L H E A R D I T , A N D S O M E O F
U S H A V E S P R E A D I T - -
C O M P A N Y . C O M

3. At my company, our definition of gossip is clear:
“unproductive communication with someone
who cannot help solve the problem at hand.”
There are mixed views about gossip: Some
say that gossip is toxic, and I tend to agree.
Others, such as Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst,
actively encourage it.
In short, this kind of talk pollutes a work
environment.

4. P E R S O N A L L Y , I B E L I E V E
H U M A N S ' T E N D E N C Y T O
G O S S I P C A N B E
T R A N S F O R M E D I N T O
B E T T E R C O M M U N I C A T I O N
A L L A R O U N D . H E R E A R E
S O M E I N T E N T I O N A L
S T E P S L E A D E R S C A N
T A K E T O F L I P O F F I C E
C H A T T I N E S S O N I T S
H E A D A N D M O D E L T H E
B E H A V I O R T H E Y W A N T
T H E I R E M P L O Y E E S T O
E M U L A T E .

5. Gossip feels like fun because it’s juicy and secretive. Team members get
excited and share it quickly. But why not consider the following notion:
Leaders can redirect the passionate feelings gossip generates to improve
everyday office communication on important subjects.
1. THE ART OF
REDIRECTION
Imagine treating pertinent work news with the same excitement. It
would spread important information quickly and with enthusiasm. Have
an update on a project? This is a great opportunity to put your skills into
action. Channel that zeal, and let others know!

6. The important differentiator
is that communicating
exciting, relevant topics in
the office leads to idea
generation and
productivity. If you can
apply gossip’s fervent
energy to a new type of
message, your own
communication skills will
improve radically and can
help advance the entire
team.

7. Gossiping team members should use their conversation to better
communicate their problems to other teammates or with
management. The workplace simply isn't the right environment
for vague, wholesale venting.
2. HONESTY FIRST
I ’ m a h u g e p r o p o n e n t o f h o n e s t y i n t h e
w o r k p l a c e , w h i c h i s w h y I s t r i v e t o b e o p e n
w i t h m y a s s o c i a t e s a b o u t m y o w n l i f e . I a l s o
e n c o u r a g e t h e m t o s h a r e t h e i r p r o b l e m s w i t h
m e . G o s s i p , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , d i s h e s o n
p e r s o n a l o r p r o f e s s i o n a l i s s u e s w i t h o u t
p u r p o r t i n g t o s u p p o r t t h e i n d i v i d u a l o r f i n d
a s o l u t i o n .

8. I N S T E A D O F S H A R I N G O R C O M P L A I N I N G
A B O U T A N O T H E R P E R S O N ' S D I F F I C U L T I E S -
- A S A G O S S I P E R M I G H T - - T R Y T O
I D E N T I F Y T H E C O R R E C T P E R S O N W H O S E
P O S I T I O N O R I N T E R P E R S O N A L S K I L L S
M A K E H I M O R H E R T H E R I G H T P E R S O N T O
A D D R E S S T H E I S S U E .
T H E N , D I S C U S S Y O U R I N F O R M A T I O N W I T H
T H A T I N D I V I D U A L I N A R E S P E C T F U L ,
A P P R O P R I A T E W A Y . I F Y O U R S I T U A T I O N
C O N C E R N S A N O T H E R T E A M M E M B E R , D O N ' T
C O M P L A I N T O C O W O R K E R S . S E E K O U T
M A N A G E M E N T O R R E S O U R C E S I N T H E
H U M A N - R E S O U R C E S D E P A R T M E N T ( W E
C A L L I T T H E P E O P L E A R E A ) .

9. YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE THE CALL
ON A CASE-TO-CASE BASIS. IF
YOU’RE UNSURE ABOUT SHARING
INFORMATION, ASK,
"WILL THIS SOLVE A PROBLEM OR
ADVANCE MY TEAM?”
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO HANDLE
THE PROBLEM AT HAND OPENLY
AND HONESTLY, THE ANSWER
USUALLY WILL BE A RESOUNDING
"YES."

10. W H Y D O P E O P L E L O V E T O
G O S S I P ? F O R S T A R T E R S ,
E N G A G I N G I N T H I S T Y P E
O F C O M M U N I C A T I O N C A N
F O S T E R A S E N S E O F
I N T I M A C Y B E T W E E N
C O W O R K E R S A N D
F R I E N D S . R E F O R M E D
G O S S I P E R S C A N
A N A L Y Z E T H E W A Y
C H I T C H A T C R E A T E S
T R U S T A N D
C O N N E C T I O N S A N D U S E
T H I S T O T H E I R
A D V A N T A G E , E S P E C I A L L Y
W I T H C U S T O M E R S .
3. CLIENT-FACING
COMMUNICATION

11. THIS MEANS DISCLOSING
APPROPRIATE
INFORMATION TO
CUSTOMERS IN A WAY
THAT MAKES THEM FEEL
IMPORTANT, VALUED AND
PRIVY TO COMPANY
HAPPENINGS. SALES
TEAMS LEVERAGE THIS
KIND OF RHETORIC TO
THEIR ADVANTAGE ALL
THE TIME. CHUMMY
CLIENT-FACING
COMMUNICATION ISN'T
GOSSIP. IT'S
CONSTRUCTIVE
PRECISELY BECAUSE IT
CAN LEAD TO BETTER
RELATIONSHIPS AND
BETTER SALES.

12. 4. FOCUS
ON THE
POSITIVE.
Most important, perhaps, is
reversing our primary focus on
problems in the first place. Gossip
is damaging because it breeds
negativity. Spreading good news
and laudable attainments can be a
great alternative. Management
should lead by example in this
regard, and it's easy to start. Make
it a habit to recognize and share
accomplishments made by
associates on all levels.

13. Leaders should be clear
about which types of
communication are
acceptable. Warmly
encourage this positive
sharing, drawing out the
elements that make gossip
fun and spinning them
into celebrations of effort.
It could take your team to
the next level.

14. 5. BECOME A COMMUNICATION
MASTER.
These tenets guide
communication within
our company:

15. Say what you mean. Be
clear and make direct
requests.

16. Write and speak in a way
that your audience can
understand.

17. Address issues only with
those who possess the
ability to help you solve
them.

18. Use "I" statements, not
"we" statements. Speak
only on behalf of yourself.

19. ALTOGETHER, THESE
PRINCIPLES MAKE FOR MORE
OPEN, BENEFICIAL AND
ENERGETIC COMMUNICATION
IN THE WORKPLACE. ONCE
YOU MAKE THE SHIFT, I'VE AN
INKLING YOU'RE LIKELY TO
FIND PRODUCTIVE
COMMUNICATION MORE
SATISFYING THAN GOSSIP IN
THE LONG RUN.

20. THANK YOU
F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N
C L I C K H E R E