05.06.14 The 12th Practice for Responding to Negative Gossip About You : Make Negative Gossip Work for You Rather Than Against You
Make Negative Gossip Work for You Rather Than Against You
Just as there is no situation that is one hundred percent bad, being a victim of negative gossip may have some benefits for you, your department and organisation or entity at large.
In our case, a lot of positive things happened as we went through the gossip inferno given that, in addition to the myriad of lessons picked, we were able to come up with innovative ways of improving our training products. For instance, we made over 20 movies. We also learnt better ways of looking after our health. Above all, we grew in faith. Surely, what the negative gossiper had meant for evil, God turned it around for our good (Genesis 50:20).
Looking at Nehemiah story, it was negative gossip that alerted him to tighten their security and arm himself and the builders well before any impending ambush (Nehemiah 4:11-23).
Therefore, a rumour may warn you of imminent danger or alert you to an issue that needs your attention thereby prompting you to scan your space before ‘disaster strikes’. How does that rumour educate you about your environment? What are the opportunities? What threats exist? What lessons can you pick from the situation?
Another benefit is that bad rumours reveal what is inside the gossiper. You get to know who you are dealing with thereby taking the necessary precautions when relating with that person. Furthermore, the gossip could highlight any misperceptions that your colleagues may have about you, so that corrective measures are taken well-in-time.
In addition, negative gossip flashes a torch in the way you conduct yourself, highlighting areas where you need to improve, thereby contributing towards building your character.
In essence, negative gossip could be that dark cloud with a silver lining! For example, at JuaLink, it was negative gossip that sent Faraja looking for greener pastures and landing a job that was much better than the one at JuaLink. So, explore opportunities that the rumour presents since, at face-value, you may never know the positives of what the gossip holds. Look for the opportunity in the gossip and use that to perform beyond the expectations of your gossipers and others in general.
Last but not least and most surprisingly, the bible teaches that the people who may offend you, such as negative gossipers of course, have something good in them should you care to find it. The Message Translation of Romans 12:17-21 puts that so beautifully. It reads (MSG): 17-19Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”