The best way to deal with gossip. Calm, just calm. How to behave in a new job: the main mistakes

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It is impossible to imagine a work team without gossip. Employees are divided into groups, whispering, discussing another victim, sharing breaking news. On a small scale, such conversations do not harm the company. But, if an envious person appears at work, a lover of gossip and intrigue, then the consequences are disastrous. The work capacity of the team decreases, conflicts arise, valuable personnel are lost. And in general, the atmosphere becomes tense, as trust and respect are leaving. How to deal with gossip in the office to keep the work spirit?

What is hidden behind the concept of gossip?

We are so arranged that we are used to discussing the events that have taken place. have read new book or watched a movie - gave an assessment, encountered an unpleasant scene in transport - discussed people's behavior, quarreled with relatives - shared details with colleagues. The listed examples fall more under the concept of discussion, since behind this there are no vile goals: to denigrate a person, to anger, to deprive him of his position, bonuses.

What is hidden behind the concept of gossip? Workflows are divided into the following types:

Discussion or banter. This form is found in a friendly team. A group of employees gathers for tea and discusses the actions of one of the employees. At the same time, he is nearby, and the information is presented in a joking manner. Or the team discusses the situation that happened the day before. Events can be both negative and positive. The discussion of an act or situation presupposes the presence of a person about whom in question. Behind this is not the goal to ridicule the employee, to denigrate, to find punctures in the work of a colleague.
Gossip. In contrast to the discussion, the format of the conversation changes. Information is given secretly, quietly, in a confidential tone. The task of the gossip is to arouse the interest of the interlocutor and show the negative aspects of a particular person. To attract the attention of colleagues, such an employee invents information or twists it. To do this, it is enough to eavesdrop on a telephone conversation and turn what you hear in your own way. Gossip appears for various reasons. A person who spreads false information wants to be in the center of attention, has set a goal to remove a person from his position, envies the employee.

Rumors. Similar to gossip and resemble the game "broken phone". Someone heard the information, then passed it on to another employee, who secretly told a friend, and so on. As a result, the data that reaches the manager is false and highly distorted. Rumors also arise in the workplace, where employees do not receive enough information from the boss.

Worried about jobs and misinterpreting snippets of the overheard conversation, the staff comes up with horror stories about dismissals, pay cuts, and staff reductions.

It does not happen that there is one villain at work who spreads rumors and employees. At some point, a colleague was supported and commended. He warned the boss about the inattentive attitude to the work of a new employee and received gratitude. He started a conversation in the kitchen, discussing a colleague, and got a response from colleagues. The mechanism starts quickly, it is almost impossible to stop the spread of rumors. If you see that subordinates often whisper in the corners, then reconsider the load. So the staff has free time on weaving intrigues and discussion of the boss, colleagues.

Where does gossip come from and how to stop it?

It is generally accepted that women are happy to discuss colleagues. But, if you get into the male team, you will find out that rumors spread in any office. There are differences in the reasons why gossip occurs. Women are driven by curiosity to overhear the conversation of a leader or a successful colleague. Scraps are made up of a story that is retold to other employees. At the same time, a colleague says that he may have misunderstood what he heard. But, the rumor goes to another employee and loses additional facts. As a result, it comes to you in such a disgusting form that from resentment.

How to stop gossip?

It is useless to swear and prove the opposite to the squabbler. The gossip will only conclude that he hit the mark. Otherwise, why are you so pissed off. Therefore, do not communicate with such a colleague, keep communication to a minimum. When meeting, do not talk about abstract topics. Even the answer to a harmless question, how are you, the gossip will twist.
Don't share your secrets. Information about personal life Leave family problems at home. Do not try to tell the gossip that you sympathize with a colleague from the next department. After that, everyone will know the secret, while the rumor will reach in an unsightly form.
Don't comment on employees. In order not to discuss the new one, one must be iron man. Hold back and do not give answers to tricky questions: does the employee like how he works, learns information. Get rid of one-syllable phrases.
Talk frankly. Men in the struggle for a career are ready to trip up an opponent. From here, intrigues appear and rumors spread. If you are the victim of gossip, talk to a colleague. Men are straightforward, so they will not play up, express claims and grievances. After a frank conversation, there is a chance to build relationships and continue working.

There is also another situation. Not being the author of gossip, you picked up the information and told the neighboring department. And right at that moment they were caught red-handed. What to do in such a situation. Approach the employee you were discussing and talk in private. Ask for forgiveness, then explain that you did wrong by picking up someone else's words. Do not make excuses, throwing responsibility on the intriguer. After all, you had a choice: not to listen to gossip or not to pass on. You chose the third option, so be in charge of spreading rumors.

How to respond to gossip?

It is unpleasant when you become a victim of an intriguer. You begin to wonder what you did wrong, why a colleague is biased. The whispers of colleagues and sidelong glances that are cast in your direction are offensive. But, frustration and resentment cannot solve the situation. Dismissal will the best gift for the gossip. If you don’t want to give the squabbler such pleasure, then learn how to properly respond to gossip:

Do not get excited, taking what you hear to heart. Yes, it’s unpleasant to find out that rumors about you are circulating around the office, and they are not true. But, do not rush with your fists at the enemy and threaten with reprisal. If a colleague spread rumors to piss you off, then the goal will be achieved. It is better to send forces to another area. Clarify the situation, where did such information come from, why did a colleague take up arms against you. The true reasons will help develop a further strategy.
Prepare the facts. You need to respond to gossip and restore your honest name. Do not waste time on excuses, conversations with colleagues. Channel your energy into looking for evidence. Copies of minutes of meetings, email correspondence, witnesses to the conversation will do. The search for facts depends on the subject of the rumors.

Having prepared truthful information, speak to colleagues and offer to read the documents. So you will make it clear to the squabbler that it is useless to gossip against you.

Accept the rumors. If tales are told in front of you, in the circle of other employees, then nod your head. Say that what is said is true. Just add irony or come up with. As a rule, petty gossips invent nonsense. If there are adequate colleagues around you, then they will not believe in such nonsense. They will draw the right conclusions, smile at the nonsense they hear and go to perform work tasks. Did they like gossip? Then why waste time and energy on inadequate people.

If you suspect a colleague is gossiping, observe the behavior. External signs is a friendly smile, friendliness, participation, attentiveness to colleagues. Such an employee is on friendly terms with all colleagues. He volunteers for public works, organizes holidays, collects money. From the outside, it gives the impression of an indispensable employee. Often poisoned in the chief's office. Behind closed doors, he takes off the mask of a friendly employee and reports to his boss about the mistakes and mistakes of his colleagues.

How to deal with gossip in the office?

The head of the company sets the atmosphere in the team. If subordinates are in constant fear, unsure of the future, then rumors are born. Then the invented facts turn into gossip and the employees no longer understand where the truth and fiction are. The team is not working at full capacity, thinking about the upcoming changes. To prevent this situation, inform subordinates about the company's plans, upcoming growth or reduction in advance. Talk to the team, find out their fears, dispel doubts. In large teams, this role is assigned.

How else to deal with gossip in the office?

Talk to the troublemaker. Start the conversation not with accusations, but with concern for the subordinate. Say you know this employee is spreading rumours. Ask why he does it. If the intriguer stands his ground, claiming that he told the true truth, then thank and say that you will check the information.
Remove the cause. If the gossip frankly spoke about the troubles, then think about how to help. As you do so, speak your thoughts out loud. For example, an employee was offended that he was not taken to the training. Explain that you do not consider the subordinate to be the worst, but that a budget has been set or a topic that the squabbler knows very well and can transfer experience himself.
Stop the rumors. Tell the schemer that in your office it is forbidden to gossip, discuss other people behind their backs, spread untrue rumors. Offer to approach you next time on controversial issues, express grievances directly. If gossip scattered around the office and stirred up the team, then before the end of the working day, gather subordinates. Tell us that you conducted your own investigation and found out that the information received was not true. Provide facts if necessary.

To stop gossip from continuing, set corporate rules. Write down a clause about the prohibition of spreading rumors, gossip and slander.

Thanks for the signal. There is some truth in every gossip. Rumors do not appear in a vacuum. They are built as a result of observing a person, when eavesdropping on a conversation or accidentally seeing scenes. So check the information carefully. Do not exclude the option that you are not a gossip, but a person who defends the interests of the company.

The most important rule for a manager who fights gossip in the office is his own behavior. Never discuss a person who is not in the meeting. Forbid subordinates to speak badly about colleagues. If someone suggested that employee X was to blame for the delay in the project, say that now call him to the office and discuss the problem together.

Do not consider gossip as an exclusive evil. Scientists have proven that when discussing other people and. This does not mean that gossip should be encouraged in the office. But, a friendly discussion of colleagues will not harm the working atmosphere. The main thing is to teach employees not to talk nasty things behind their backs. Don't be afraid to take responsibility for what happens in the office. Some of the rumors spread out of fear of losing a slave.

January 17, 2014, 10:57 am

Every person eventually asks the question: “How to behave at work?”. In order for the authorities to pay attention to you or even raise you, you need to consider a number of factors.

This article is intended for persons over 18 years of age.

Are you over 18 already?

In this article we will look at the psychology of behavior in the workplace. We will also take into account the features of how a woman joins the team, and what is needed to create a favorable working atmosphere.

How to behave in a new job: the main mistakes

Often, starting activities in a new place, employees become conceited. Their behavior shows an attempt to demonstrate their superiority to the leader. This is far from The best way prove yourself on the first day of work.

Although this behavior is formed subconsciously, it is worth controlling yourself. The optimal strategy for a beginner is to maximize efficiency, productivity and modesty. Even if you are a highly qualified specialist who has made the transition from one company to another.

Let the employer see and evaluate your skills for themselves - it takes much more than 1 day. Everything that was noticed during your admission could be forgotten or completely dropped out of the head of the authorities. Therefore, it is necessary to prove your professional suitability by deed, as well as to form a positive reputation.

How to deal with envious people at work

If you are showing good results, be prepared to face enemies. This is a frequent occurrence, accompanied by numerous gossip. Of course, it is difficult to ignore such a phenomenon. Also, do not be surprised if colleagues are stalking you.

The easiest way to deal with boors. The main thing Don't stoop to their level. If their behavior goes beyond the bounds, you should think about writing a report.

The situation with gossips and informers is much more complicated. It is they who plan all sorts of setups and survive colleagues. With such traitors, you should be extremely careful, because a knife in the back can be caught at any time.

The main safety net is that you are not set up - this is a clear implementation of the scope of work and periodic control of production stages. You must be able to prove that you didn’t screw up when the project was unsuccessfully handed over.

The adult world is cruel, so going up to the authorities and simply saying “I am envied” or “I am being ridiculed” is an infantile decision. It is most likely that by doing this you will only alienate the employer.

The only exceptions are some situations when the fight against manipulators and ill-wishers cannot be successful without the participation of the leadership. But the usual fight with an opponent or the so-called vampires falls entirely on your shoulders.

Remember: no matter how annoying colleagues are, your main goal is to do the job well. The society around you is just a background support for your work.

How to behave if there is a scandal at work

Situations are different and the possibility of a scandal is not ruled out. The optimal behavior depends on whether you are concerned with the core of the problem.

In conflicts that are not related to you, it is best to stay away from the hearth. Give people the opportunity to figure out the situation themselves, and work for yourself. Even if other employees are trying to involve you in a showdown, do not see each other - this may be a provocation.

If the scandal flared up with your participation, then in this case it may be appropriate to contact the boss. He will be able to determine who is to blame and impose penalties.

But it is better not to resort to this method, since later you can be known as a snitch. Try to resolve the issue peacefully, and only if a solution is impossible, proceed to drastic measures.

Office romance: how to behave with an ex at work

Since most of life is spent at work, office romances quite often arise. Unfortunately, such a stormy love quickly passes, the relationship ends, but the need for joint work remains. In such cases, productivity depends solely on the adequacy of the pair.

The main mistake that former lovers make is an attempt to sort things out in the workplace. Of course, this brightens up the everyday working days of colleagues, but is not an example of ethical behavior.

Such attacks are especially dangerous when working in related and interconnected departments - in a fit of emotions, the possibility of a set-up is not ruled out.

Therefore, it is necessary to clearly define the obligations at the beginning of the relationship and maintain composure at the end of them.

No longer an employee: how to behave when laid off at work

Every person is afraid of the word "reduction". In fact, this is a lottery, the result of which is not known to anyone. The criterion for selecting employees is known only to the authorities, and it is difficult to predict it.

However, the result can be influenced from the psychological side. When checking employees, show stamina and confidence in success. Don't worry! You will not only give out doubts, but you can also make mistakes in your work because of your worries. Composure is the key to success at any certification.

If you are unlucky, you need to save face until the last. When dismissing, you should not beg your boss or sprinkle it with formidable phrases. After all, there is no guarantee that after a while your former boss won't want you back. It is important to show that you know your worth and are sure that it will not be difficult for you to find a new job.

How to behave to be respected at work

Respect plays an important role. It is not only the attitude of your superiors that matters, but also of your colleagues. If the right atmosphere is created in the team, and relations with employees are established, you can be sure that you can count on help and support.

Respect from superiors is important. It is much easier to work this way, and there is a high probability of moving up the career ladder.

In order to be adequately perceived, you must:

  • conduct themselves with dignity;
  • observe etiquette;
  • communicate appropriately;
  • act confidently, but not self-assuredly.

Inside the team: how to behave with colleagues at work

Colleagues are not just employees and rivals. First of all, these are the people with whom you have to spend many hours working together.

Properly established interaction with the team allows you to feel the team spirit and facilitate the work process.

However, it is not always possible to improve relations in a new team. Sometimes the formed backbone does not accept newcomers well. In this case, it is necessary to apply the skills of psychoanalysis.

There are several classic types:

  • perfectionist - always excessive demands and nit-picking, establishing communication requires a gentle attitude towards criticism and a positive perception;
  • “this is not my duty” - they do not want to do work that is not related to the type of activity, they are difficult to communicate, stimulation is recommended for effective returns;
  • gossips - a classic type, a lover of embellishing facts, you can get along with such employees, being open and not hiding the main facts about your life;
  • a pessimist - everything saddens him and causes discontent, the best option for working is the smooth instillation of a positive habit.

In fact, there are many more types - these are just the most basic ones. Based on the psychotype, you can develop a behavior strategy.

How to behave at work after a corporate party

Holding a corporate party is an integral part of any company. This is a great way to get close to employees in an informal setting. However, various curiosities often occur after drinking alcohol. Therefore, it is worth controlling the dose and behavior as much as possible.

If you could not resist and showed yourself in all its glory, prepare for the first appearance in the office after drinking. Colleagues will definitely tease you. It is important to perceive it correctly - with a smile, and not with hostility.

Be prepared for the fact that the rumor will not subside for a while. Therefore, continue to work in the same rhythm, as if emphasizing that rest is rest, and work is sacred.

If you accidentally offended one of your colleagues, be sure to apologize the day after the corporate party. This is important for maintaining a healthy environment.

How to behave at work with your boss

At the end of the article, we highlight a few nuances of how to behave with superiors. Sometimes it seems that there is nothing complicated in this - it is enough to be courteous, polite, efficient and punctual.

However, when communicating with the management or director of the department, it is important to take into account his psychology and behavior. For example, if what you are wearing plays a big role for the boss, make sure that you come to the meeting dressed “to the point”.

Notice the behaviors and analyze them - so you can determine for yourself what nuances you need to focus on.

And remember that a healthy relationship with superiors is the key to successful and well-coordinated work.

The most effective way to deal with gossip at work is to prevent it. Here are some practical tips to help you avoid rumors.

Reputation is everything

One of the most effective ways avoiding gossip at work is a person's impeccable reputation. If you enter into the trust of colleagues and enlist universal respect and reverence, rumors will not spread about you, since, in fact, no one will believe them.

To earn a good reputation, pay attention to your appearance communication with the team and working relationships. Remember that every action is in front of a large number curious eyes. In addition, the manifestation and demonstration of one's own competence and professionalism will help to nullify the envious attacks of "colleagues-losers".

Down with conflicts and scandals

If you don't want to think about how to deal with gossip at work in the near future, avoid conflicts with colleagues or partners. Being friendly, positive, and respectful with your co-workers will help you avoid spreading rumors, as there will simply be no one to spread them. It is rare to find malicious discussions of an employee whom everyone loves and respects. On the contrary, most often they gossip about people with a difficult character who can break loose and offend someone from the team, as well as about people who differ from everyone else (behavior, appearance or communication style).

Calm, only calm

“Prevention” of gossip is wonderful. But how to deal with gossip, if they have already appeared? The most important thing is not to panic and not withdraw into yourself. Remember that even if your personal information was made public, you should not develop an even greater conflict, since in fact nothing fatal has happened. On the contrary, your calmness and ignoring will force impolite colleagues to look for a more interesting object of discussion, and everyone will quickly forget about your incident. The worst thing that can happen is that you have to change jobs. However, this fact is more likely to play into your hands, being the impetus for professional development or changing the profession that you have long dreamed of. Just remember to remember this unpleasant lesson in order to avoid similar situations in the future that can provoke gossip at work.

Gossip at work brings a lot of trouble and negative consequences that interfere with work. Before you fight gossip, try to avoid it, and in case of unpleasant rumors, do not react or make excuses, just analyze your behavior and learn a lesson that will help prevent gossip at work in the future.

“The opium of the oppressed” is how Erika Jong, bestselling author of Fear of Flying, described the phenomenon of a broken phone. Often we become the object of close attention of society, which, unfortunately, sometimes gives rise to fantastic stories, almost legends with our candidacy for leading role. This is quite unpleasant, even if the sources of conjectures and their further distributors are envious or old women, who thus spend their timeless leisure. It irritates, depresses and even brings to tears. How to deal with gossip and whether it can be prevented is the topic of today's article.

As a rule, we learn news about ourselves from people from our inner circle, who consider it their duty to bring to our attention what, for example, Baba Katya said from the second entrance. Although, rumors can also take the form of an impersonal “they are talking about you ...” from the lips of all the same acquaintances. Immediately after hearing what they hear, emotions take over the mind and provoke a defiled person into at least four mistakes.

Four Behavior Mistakes:

1. Outrage.

This reaction is quite predictable. After all, what was attributed to you is not always true. Either everything was not quite right, corresponding to the truth by only 20-30 percent, or it didn’t exist at all.

For example, being married, you meet a childhood friend after many years of separation, you sit in a cafe, chatting, but by coincidence, your colleague is at the end of the hall, involuntarily turning your table into an observation point. In the evening, your spouse arranges a scene of jealousy for you, accusing you of treason. And all due to the fact that Angelica from the accounting department has excellent eyesight, a rich imagination and a very long tongue. What will you do in the first moments when you hear accusations addressed to you? Of course, to be indignant, which means speaking in a raised tone, getting nervous, and, as a result, harming your health.

2. Excuses.

They follow the outrage. You begin to deny everything and provide evidence of your innocence, not realizing that by doing so you provoke the gossip to further spread of rumors and, confirming the saying "there is no smoke without fire." A person who does not have the slightest relation to the information passed about him from mouth to mouth will never make excuses.

3. Finding out the relationship.

You are seized by a feeling of anger and a sharp desire to look the gossip in the eye. If you manage to identify the source of the rumors, you pay him a visit and ask the question directly. No matter what the "storyteller" answers, conflict cannot be avoided. But what will you achieve by such a rash act? Rumors, most likely, will stop, only you will absolutely make an enemy for yourself. He will quietly hate you until negative emotions again will not begin to pour from an overabundance over the edge.

4. Revenge and threats.

The natural desire of the object of gossip is to do something nasty in response. But you can’t respond to dirty tricks with evil: in this way you will disturb the snake’s nest even more. The same applies to threats: by starting a war with the enemy, you thereby turn on the green light for the “continuation of the banquet”, provoking the enemy more and more. After all, he “feeds” on your negative reaction, becoming energy level stronger than before.

and how to behave:

In fact, you need to behave differently: do not swing your sword, challenging the gossip to a duel, but, armed with a shield, skillfully repel the attacks of the enemy.

Instead of getting angry, stay calm. And even better - show indifference as opposed to a violent showdown. You can also ironically support rumors about yourself by adding some juicy detail. The one who told you the news about you, like the gossip writer, will understand that rumors do not make you worry, which means that this method of influence is useless.

Never make excuses, because it puts you in a humiliating position. You will not restore your reputation in the eyes of the public in this way. And is it worth trying? Would an intelligent person, especially one who knows you well, believe some rumors of dubious origin? And it’s not worth proving something to gullible people who have hung their ears. Appreciate those who do not care about gossip about you: they are your strength.

Sink to threats and vengeance? Well, I do not! The person weaving a web of public lies around you is simply NOT WORTHING your attention. And in general, folk wisdom says: “If they talk about you, then you are still alive,” that is, you stand out from the crowd, because they don’t spread gossip about gray mice.

A quote by the French writer Jules Renard comes to mind:

"Never repeat what you have not heard yourself."

So that gossip does not touch you, you yourself need to learn to keep your mouth shut. Unfortunately, the tendency to condemn is firmly established in human nature - only saints can live without uttering a word about their neighbor...

Gossip is in any team. However, it is hardly worth fighting all the gossips in a row.

Together with this, the quality of work invariably suffers, clashes and conflicts appear, and the loss of experienced specialists is also possible. The general working background is tense, mutual respect and trust even "does not smell". What needs to be done so that gossip in the team ceases to have a negative effect on the staff?

There is enough negativity that gossip in the team entails. This is:

  • resentment of employees who were addressed by unpleasant statements;
  • the presence of rivalry between employees;
  • loosening relationships within a cohesive team;
  • the appearance in individual employees of qualities that interfere, from the point of view of employers, to work;
  • lack of motivation to work in a team where gossips are present;
  • decline to "no" mutual assistance, mentoring, willingness to come to the rescue.

The described troubles mean that there is a tense atmosphere in the company's team and, as a result, a deterioration in the result of the work of employees.

6 reasons for the appearance of gossip in the team

Women's (and sometimes men's) curiosity has several justifications.

  1. Too much free time. More extra time means more gossip. Although it happens that due to the peculiarities of upbringing, the lack of a sense of tact, or in order to achieve their goals, gossip in the team is not alien to really busy employees.
  2. Lack of awareness. To try to fill in the gaps in the lack of information, employees whisper quietly - there are no other sources for such people.
  3. Social media data. In our time, it is not difficult to obtain additional data on almost any person from the profile of a popular social network. Many employees tend to publish their hobbies, communication, stories, photos and other private information in such networks - this is where gossip can “grow legs”, not only in “live” conversations, but also on the Internet itself.
  4. Team of women. The very nature of a woman is due to the desire to discuss and think. However, not necessarily a team consisting entirely of women - entirely envious, chatterboxes and intriguers.
  5. Self-defense. It is difficult for a person who does not have the habit of “washing the bones” of others to be in the society of gossips, and often the choice is between whether to support this type of “communication” among employees or try to stop it (and already risk becoming the one addressed to whom spread new gossip). However, everyone chooses what is closer to him ...
  6. Gossip as a reason for communication. The formation of trusting relationships between employees is one of the causes of gossip. Changes in management team or dismissals allow gossip to energetically “nourish” the team.

Envy is the most common characteristic of an employee who spreads gossip in the team. The reason for envy, as a rule, is a feeling of inferiority, insufficiency. You can get rid of this feeling by doing personal growth or trying to belittle, discredit others. Lovers of intrigue always choose the second option.

Such employees are almost always cowardly, prone to anxiety and lack the attention of others. In reality, such a person is not endowed with the ability to understand others, but it is vital for him to realize his own significance because of his own complexes. He receives each new "sip" of psychological usefulness from gossip. At the same time, such an employee feels like “their own person” in the team and mistakenly thinks that he is worth more than he actually is. He fills his vacuum with gossip, asserting himself in this way and feeling himself the master of the situation.

Such a person wants to find like-minded people, and in case of success, his anxiety disappears ("I'm not alone"): his desire has come true to create his own small social circle, where the gossip will be the main center of attention. And it doesn't matter that the consequences of such actions are possible intrigues and fermentation of minds in the team. For a gossip, the main thing is the growth of their self-esteem and the receipt of positive emotions, this is precisely what is the most important priority.

All of the above refers to the so-called natural gossips, who otherwise do not know how, do not want and cannot interact with the outside world as a whole. However, there are also situational gossips. In this case, the reasons for gossip are not as deep as in the first option. Some just want to have fun (fill the informational and emotional vacuum), others pursue their goals or want to protect themselves from unpleasant people/situations: in fact, gossip is a kind of defense weapon for them. For example, if a woman in the family experiences repression, she often begins to gossip to compensate for such family negativity. Of course, this fact does not make it easier for the leader, but nonetheless. Therefore, a woman can be understood humanly. In addition, this situation does not happen all the time, and in general it is not dangerous.

Typical signs of gossip behavior:

  • by any means try to prove that it is their activity that is the most useful for the company and only their work can help the business;
  • notice all the mistakes of other employees, report their mistakes to the management; use, in addition to gossip, and blackmail;
  • not to be professionals in their field, but to play the role of activists; be loyal to top management; to report at any opportunity about the events taking place in the company (allegedly due to exclusively “working” concerns); slander other employees (using “accidentally” heard conversations). Such people are the most dangerous view schemers.

What should the director of a beauty salon do if gossip appeared in the team

First of all, you should answer the questions: “Who?”, “Why?”, “For what purpose?”, And also “How am I, the leader, connected with this?”.

First you need to determine the type of gossip. Either the matter is in the nature of the employee (and this cannot be changed), or he was simply "damned" in this particular case.

In this case, the first option will require decisive and confident actions of the leader.

First. Try to understand where you, as a boss, made a mistake? What are you guilty of? Got bogged down in a work routine and, as a result, stopped paying attention to your employees? Many employees simply will not understand you - if you lose psychological contact with them, then employees will strive to compensate for the fullness of emotions where they find it more interesting, with those who can be contacted, albeit on a short time. All this only pleases the gossip, and he gladly pulls such an emotional rope on himself.

Second. Get rid of the gossip. And as soon as possible, even if the person is popular or appreciated in the team. Indeed, in fact, such an employee is trying to pull some of the power over to himself and can shake your reputation as a leader. It is pointless to re-educate such people, this is a matter of deep psychology. From unnecessary persuasion, the gossip, on the contrary, will become more dodgy in his attacks and discussions. Therefore, in this case, the issue of dismissal of such a subject, even though it will be painful, is like surgery: sometimes it is necessary to remove something in order to get better. But in the end, the entire salon recovers very quickly. But the whole enterprise is in any case more valuable than one employee. Leaving him to work further, you risk giving rise to conflicts in the salon that will violate labor discipline. The salon will simply die.

Third. Remove gossip-inducing reasons. It is necessary to have stable feedback with each employee of the team. Make sure that there is no information vacuum in the team (after all, news is what the team emotionally “feeds on”). The healthy curiosity of employees should be encouraged and satisfied - but be careful not to become a gossip yourself. However, if you give only verified information, which you have no doubts about, and you can safely say the same thing in the eyes of the one you are talking about, you will not face such a transformation.

Fourth. Establish a gossip boss. This is a pretty effective measure. In any team there are informal leaders and those who are more prone to curiosity than others. And here the following options are possible: such a person will gossip either in the corners, or directly with you. If he opens up with you, it will be useful to encourage him (but not financially!). Try to thank him for the correct information, but at the same time emphasize in every possible way that it is facts that are dear to you, and not speculation, gossip or reasoning. And the negative energy of gossip will go in the direction you need. If the salon team is mired in gossip, if most of the employees are gossips of the first type, everything said in this paragraph will benefit. One-time gossip (an atypical case for your institution), introduced by a completely adequate person and a full-fledged employee, can simply be put on the brakes. This does not apply to work!

How to avoid the appearance of gossip in the team: five tips

1. Openness and internal PR

There is nothing complicated here, just tell subordinates about current or planned activities and events. Of course, sharing information about financial statements or the level of your income is completely optional, but it is quite possible to gather once a week in an informal setting (for example, over a cup of tea) - to discuss weekly news, work results, etc. A sense of openness and stability, which testing the team during such meetings will no doubt raise the level of employee confidence in you. As an alternative, you can create a forum on your company's local network where you and your employees can create and discuss various topics.

2. Rethinking personnel policy

Sometimes the personal vices of an employee (love of gossip, pettiness, lies, envy, sycophancy) can more than outweigh even his valuable qualities as an employee. Therefore, try to form a balanced team - you may need to distribute responsibilities differently somewhere, especially if your subordinates are not equally loaded (one is constantly late at work, and the other spends time from idleness spreading rumors, as a result of which gossip is born in the team).

3. Try to be as objective as possible in your own opinion.

If subordinates see your frank sympathy for a single employee (and you can’t stand another without hiding), such behavior will certainly serve as a breeding ground for resentment, discontent and envy to flourish. Being demanding in terms of objectivity to yourself, ask the same from others. If you suspect that you personally gave someone a reason to gossip, try to communicate openly with subordinates, answer their questions.

4. Think carefully about what you communicate to others

You should only say about employees what you will not hesitate to tell them in person, because it is quite possible that your words to employees will not come in the form in which you uttered them. You should also remember that colleagues with an income level below yours are unlikely to be delighted with your words about large acquisitions.

5. Arrange psychological trainings and team building, if necessary for employees.

At the same time, it should be understood that team building is training in a playful way (and not drinking strong drinks outside the city), aimed at strengthening relationships in the team, clarifying and eliminating its shortcomings. Such events are of different scale, level of extremeness and cost, and, moreover, do not depend on the season.

What are the benefits of gossip

Is gossip in a team always a disadvantage? No. Firstly, it is, after all, team building (at this time, the creation of the so-called "we are consciousness", "we are a single whole"). This is psychological unloading, entertainment, information feeding. A person learns something new (even if it is sometimes mixed with conjectures and fantasies), this contributes to the development of the imagination (it is not without reason that creative teams are full of gossip). In addition, gossip often plays the role of social control over something or someone (“You shouldn’t have been smart!”, “How are you better than others?”, “I didn’t have time to come, but I’m already trying to command!”, Etc. ).

The most valuable advantage of team gossip is that it, like a litmus test, helps to recognize a failure in team management. The gossip in this case is a sublimation of the head, assumes the powers that the head must perform (timely notification of the company's affairs, team building, mentoring). But since this is still a gossip, it is done by him unconsciously, of poor quality and thoughtlessly. Moreover, all this is mixed with his personal inferiority as an intriguer - which is why gossip often does not achieve the goals that it was intended to achieve. Although gossip, of course, plays an important role for the survival of the team.

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