Stay positive and dodge the drama.
Humans like to gossip. It’s fun to talk to your co-workers about managers that might be less-than-perfect, or project members that just aren’t carrying their weight. You get a certain buzz from feeling like you’re “in-the-know” on a juicy situation.
It’s something we all do. But there are plenty of reasons to minimize gossiping in the workplace, especially if you want to grow your career. Let’s dig in.
- Gossip breeds negativity
Gossip is rarely positive. The more you gossip, the more you’re dwelling on harmful feelings and emotions. That can get tiring after a while and trap you in a cycle of negativity.
Gossip is usually born out of a place of self-doubt (you want to impress others with your insider knowledge) or jealousy (Carmen only got that promotion because she’s friends with the director). Instead of talking to others about the latest faux-pas, act to further your career and surround yourself with folks that uplift and inspire you.
- If they gossip about others…
They probably gossip about you, too. You don’t want to spend years trusting your co-worker only to learn they’ve been speaking badly of you all along.
Prime gossips have a mental notebook full of scandalous details they pull out to make themselves feel better. The best way to avoid earning a page in that book is to just not participate.
- Be someone people want to work with
A gossip is fun to talk to. They seem to know the real story on everything, and it looks like they have all the details on what’s really going on behind the scenes.
But they aren’t likely to move up in the company. A person who is focused on their job and career doesn’t have time to gossip. They’re likable, brand ambassadors who represent the company well at all times. Gossip will never get you a promotion—concentration, training, and commitment to your projects will.
When a manager considers you for advancement, do you want them to remember the time you told them about Mary’s upcoming divorce or the time you excelled on a project and increased your numbers over the previous year by 50%?
And that’s that! It’s not the worst thing in the world to gossip from time to time—we all do it! But don’t let it become a chronic condition.
How do you feel about gossip in the workplace? Let us know in the comments section below!
