Gossip: A Test of Leadership
A brief commentary on how leaders should view office gossip.
The one clear fact leaders and managers have to accept is that their people will talk about them or other people, whether fairly or harshly.
Office gossip has its uses, particularly for back-channeling. The grapevine, if tapped with the right kind of focus, can be both an unconventional source of honest feedback and an effective conduit of pertinent information. Where it needs some form of balance is in making sure that people understand the perils of gossiping themselves into irreversible de-motivation and demoralization. This is where leaders come in to make a decision whether something needs to be addressed publicly and urgently; or if something is insignificant enough that it could be swept under the rug.
Wisdom and character are both essential elements in choosing one's battles. Gossip, by itself, isn't usually the problem.
It is in the handling of the gossip that typically makes the difference.