When you hear gossip, don't participate in it and consider contrasting it by leading by example. Don't share too many details of your personal life and don't get carried away with overly personal conversations with your co-workers while you're in the office. Consider pointing out that the person being talked about is not here to defend themselves. Let them know that you're willing to help them organize their ideas and discuss what they might want to say directly to the other person.
Don't be the person who spreads gossip, rumors, negativity and causes drama in your workplace. The second thing you can do when someone gossips or toxic conversations about another person is to redirect them in a more productive direction, back to the source. According to Law Crossing, certain topics can expose both the company and the gossip person to a lawsuit if the gossip is libelous. This is a great way to redirect the conversation to be productive in order to find a solution and avoid simply gossiping or talking badly about another person.
Gossiping for the purpose of damaging a co-worker's reputation in a cruel, unfair, or harassing manner is an act of manipulation. The fact is that people like to gossip, just take a look at any celebrity-focused magazine or website. Approach your gossipy co-worker in a non-confrontational manner and politely but firmly ask him not to talk more about you or whoever is the target of his gossip. Of course, this tactic may not be a long-term strategy (especially if the person gossips a lot), but it allows you to leave the scene unscathed.
Respond to toxic conversations and gossip with these two phrases on a consistent basis and you'll unlock an additional level where people will stop engaging in conversations like this because of how unsatisfying it is that you don't interact. Proactively creating a culture that doesn't support gossip will help protect you and your colleagues from unfair rumors. Managing gossip appropriately will help you establish yourself as a leader and foster a positive work environment that increases retention and instills a sense of psychological safety. As I said last week, one of the keys and warning signs to a healthy culture is an attitude of non-tolerance for gossip.
However, some types of gossip are psychologically destructive and can also expose you or the company to liability. Be the type of person who stops gossip at its source: it's good for your reputation and, more importantly, it's good for your heart. Malicious gossip is a form of harassment that can damage morale, increase anxiety, reduce productivity and ruin reputation, according to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).
