How to Deal with Gossip at Work
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How to deal with gossip at work is another lovely request from last year when I polled you for Women in the Workplace. I think it is such a great topic to cover, as everyone is susceptible to it and often times, it is women against other women, whichhh is just not cool.
Last week at church, Pastor Erwin said that in LA most conversations consist of discussing other people. I’m sure this happens everywhere, but in LA we are especially prone to it, with all the glitz and glam of Hollywood. No matter where you live, internet trolls are also a real thing, as there are entire websites/forums that focus on talking about other people. Why is that? Most of the time, it is rooted in some form of insecurity in the person hiding behind a computer. It’s not just adults though - kids will often deflect on others, just to get by.
Hey, we are all flawed and all make mistakes, soooo how can we deal with gossip in the workplace, in a positive light? Here are some tips!
Madewell Tie-Sleeve Tiered Midi Dress | Kendra Scott Hallie Statement Earrings (c/o) | Veja Sneakers (also here)
TIPS FOR DEALING WITH GOSSIP AT WORK
Talk to the person. Sometimes there’s gossip about someone and their personal life, but if it is words regarding work/someone’s job, it is 100% better to take the issue to them than spreading it around. They may have no idea that there is an issue. Taking the problem to the root is always the best idea. And if you hear something about them and are close, you might consider asking them if they are okay.
Talk to your boss.* I’ve had plenty of issues with people during my tenure in corporate America. If it truly affected my job, I always brought it to my boss. I know not everyone is blessed with a good boss, but I have been lucky enough to have pretty great ones for most of my career.*
*Side note to this one, during my longest tenured position, I had 1 other person on my team and she and I became great friends. We would often vent to each other about things, because we were the only ones who understood the other’s role and so on. I never considered this gossiping or talking about other people, because although others may have come up, it was more in relation to our jobs and how it affected us. Not just to speak about someone because we were bored.
Talk to a friend or loved one. Every day after work, I talk to my mom. She is my drive home call! I use this time to talk about anything whether it is something that bothered me or gossip, whatnot. I really don’t consider telling my mom what I heard gossip. LOL. Either way, I’m getting it out of my system and telling someone who literally isn’t going to say anything to anyone else.
TIPS FOR AVOIDING GOSSIP AT WORK
I know how you handle gossip is one thing, but sometimes it just happens and is out of our control. Here are some tips for combatting gossip around the office.
Don’t put yourself in the situation. If you can avoid it, do. Off campus lunches and such during the work day, often led to the tea being spilled. I read the situation and would go if it was important, but more often than not, declined these invitations.
Stand up for that person. At the very least say something good about the person. Wouldn’t you want that done for you? Often times, this will lead to people not gossiping around you, because they know you aren’t going to participate in it.
Leave the area. If it is literally happening around the water fountain, or a place besides a lunch or a meeting that you can politely walk away from, do it. You don’t have to stand there and listen!
Don’t repeat it. If you can’t get away, try to stand up for the person, and it still keeps occurring, at the very least, you can keep your mouth shut and not spread the information to anyone else at work.
People aren’t perfect. If you can extend grace and be nice, that will go very far. Besides it being the right thing to do, it can also get you far in your career! Respect and character can often get you further than actual talent ever can. Plus, by gossiping with others, you are literally giving them ammo to gossip about you with!
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” Eleanor Roosevelt
I wanted to wear this dress on a Women in the Workplace post, because I think it’s a great piece that works well for spring and summer, but also the office. Just swap my sneaks for some nude heeled sandals, wedges, or even flats! Now, it is a little low, so I pinned it just for comfort. I would probably pin it a little higher for work, but otherwise it is great! Sling a denim jacket on or even a light pink blazer. If you liked this dress, you’ll probably love this similar red one I shared a couple of weeks ago. I like it better than this blue one and that is saying something, as this one is gorgeous! I feel the same way about this black floral maxi from last summer too! If you want a floral maxi with more coverage, I shared this short sleeve one the other day too. There’s an option out there for everyone!
P.S. We shot this look during our dreamy Malibu weekend a couple of weekends ago. We love it there!!
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