05.03.11 The 9th Sign of a Negative-Gossip Conversation

9. Manipulative Discussions

Manipulative conversations about other people are classified as ‘negative gossip’. In such dialogues, the gossiper propagates a rumour about another person just to further a hidden agenda or solicit favours cum rewards from listeners in exchange for the gossip that she or he puts on the table.

In Nehemiah’s case, we see how Prophet Shemaiah tried to use negative gossip engineered by Sanballat and his cohorts, to manipulatively frighten Nehemiah to flee to the temple under the pretext of saving his life from ‘assassins’; although he (Nehemiah) refused to fall into their trap (Nehemiah 6:11-13, NIV).

Looking at the fictitious story on JuaLink for example, the manipulative discussions that Lulu would engage Obed in fall into the category of negative gossip; where she harboured the hidden intention of manipulating the human resource officer to approve her applications for ‘day-offs’ and other such benefits.

All in all, if you are a supervisor, beware of team members who come to feed you with negative gossip. Do they attach those conversations to some requests for favours? Are you being lured to participate in things that you would not have otherwise given an audience to? Is the person throwing a bait?