Say it to Their Face

One of the difficulties in discussing gossip is the fact that the term encompasses a wide variety of behavior. My interest in the topic is narrowly focused on gossip as malicious, destructive communication behavior. I recognize that we are all social creatures and that spending time with others discussing the details of people’s lives is both normal and important. So, how does one distinguish between the gossip that I want to expunge from the workplace and that which is both necessary and healthy? Here is one test; in talking with a fellow employee about a third employee would you change what you were saying if the third employee joined the conversation? If what you are saying about a person cannot be said when that person is present then maybe you should not be saying it at all.