05.09.04 The 2nd Leadership Practice for Managing Negative Gossip : Wisely Handle Negative Gossip Against Internal and External Stakeholders
Wisely Handle Negative Gossip Against Internal and External Stakeholders
Be prudent in the way you handle negative gossip against stakeholders should any rumours surface on the grapevine.
Reading Miriam’s story, writers assert that being the eldest, she should have exercised wisdom during her discussion with Aaron and wisely handled any dissatisfactions that her younger brother was putting on the table. In her position as the firstborn and moreover a prophetess, she should have responded to Aaron from God’s point of view rather than joining the brother in querying the channels that God was using to interact with Moses.
To begin with, discourage negative rumour-mongering amongst members. Be sensitive regarding the information that you relay to or receive from team members, and how you do that, to avoid triggering gossip instead of curbing it. What information do you communicate to who? What is the process for handling ‘touchy and delicate’ information? How do you react in case you receive a bad rumour about any member of yourteam? Do you disrespectfully rebuke the person in public or talk to him or her in private? You can also pick a leaf from how David was managing his team members in Psalm 101:7. That scripture reads (MSG):7 ... I put a gag on the gossip who bad-mouths his neighbor; ... no one who traffics in lies gets a job with me; I have no patience with liars.
That said, it is important to provide a ‘love shield’ when reprimanding a team member who happens to be a gossiper, so that you keep your team together, despite how ‘ugly’ a rumour may sound. You may ask: what if open rebuke will make the rest learn from the mistakes of that team member? Much as that could be true, of course, depending on the issue at hand; but let it not come as a shock to that gossiper. Confer with him or her first before bringing the issue out in the open; and let the person know beforehand that you will share the matter with the rest of the team. That is what Proverbs 17:9 teaches when it says (AMP): 9He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or gossips about a matter separates intimate friends.
Last but not least, if a team member brings a rumour to you, listen but avoid adding to it; as that will send a message that negative gossip will not be tolerated in your space. In case the information has some truth in it; pick what is useful then trash the rest.