and vitriolic arguments, but few things are more distractive and
disruptive than gossip-mongering in the workplace.
Oftentimes gossip stems from resentment. We may fear others who
are smarter, wiser,
better connected, or more productive than
ourselves and want to knock them down a peg or two. Not only does
that sort of thing distract us from performing productive work, but
ultimately we all know that we cannot trust those who speak out of
turn. When we see someone backstab a coworker, subordinate, or
manager we know that at some point he or she will try to throw us
under the proverbial bus too. In business where inappropriate
disclosure of trade secrets,
proprietary processes, and confidential
information can be extraordinarily detrimental, lack of trust is a very
serious problem.
Do not abide chronic complainers, people who incessantly whine,
nitpick, and criticize others. This admonishment does not refer to
people who make dreary jokes or cheerless comments from time-to-
time, but rather to pessimists who habitually see everything around
them in a negative light. There is a world of difference between folks
whose negativity inhibits the productivity of others and those who
occasionally have a bad day. Further, we should embrace those who
uncover flaws in the system, bring them to light, and then go on to
make positive changes in the workplace that eliminate the problems
they encountered. They aren’t whiners; they are positive agents for
change. That sounds like a winner in my book.
One way to spot the difference in a person’s intent is in the language
that they choose to use.
Is it a problem or a challenge, a
predicament or an opportunity? Downbeat tones of voice and
terminology may be innocuous, but often such things are indicators
of deeper issues. Eons ago when I worked in finance I had a
coworker we nicknamed “Eeyore” because he was such a downer
[18]
.
At first people ignored him, but after a while they began to
sympathize, commiserate, and even chime in.
Within a year the
group dynamic had changed, we developed a bad reputation, and
those who had the option refused to deal with us, turning instead to
other teams for help when they needed it. This is never a good thing
in an overhead organization where our budget was contingent upon
helping line organizations (that produced the products and services
we sold) make money for the corporation. Even though he was one
of the smartest people in the group, well-educated (he earned his
bachelor’s,
two masters degrees, and a CMA certification
[19]
), and
productive, Eeyore was the first person let go in the next layoff cycle.
Since negativity tends to be infectious as I discovered while working
with Eeyore, we must ruthlessly stamp it out. But, we have to do it
intelligently since we don’t want to inadvertently reward groupthink or
instill a culture of fear. This means that we must make a commitment
along with everyone on our team to avoid gossiping, to treat each
other with dignity and respect, and to not bring up problems without
also suggesting solutions whenever we are able to do so. This
attitude can become pervasive, making
significant changes in the
workplace. That does not mean that no one ever gets upset or says
anything derogatory, people are people after all, but rather that the
accepted norm is to engage each other in a professional and
constructive way.
Once this commitment is put in place we must then hold each other
accountable for sticking with it. For example, even if we cannot figure
out how to resolve something, we
can identify potential paths
forward and ask for help where it’s needed rather than throwing our
hands up in frustration and giving up or making it somebody else’s
predicament to sort out. A positive attitude can carry us far,
personally, professionally, and as an organization… For example,
our current CIO earned his position in record time in large part due to
his dynamic, upbeat personality.
[20]
There’s
an adage in the business world, “Strategy eats culture for
lunch.” A systemic aversion to antipathy, bitterness, and negativity is
a large part of why that saying rings true, as well as why I
wholeheartedly agree with Musashi that resentment and complaint
are inappropriate for us and for others. In fact, I’d go so far as to say
that I’d rather staff my team with folks
who have lower skills and
