05.09.05 The 3rd Leadership Practice for Managing Negative Gossip
3. Consider Summoning the Negative Gossiper and the Victim
In some cases, you as the supervisor may have no option but to take a bold step and summon the negative gossiper plus the victim; so as to hear from the ‘donkey’s mouth’, as that will help you to manage the gossip more effectively.
In Miriam’s case, if there were any misunderstandings of any kind, she should have convened a meeting between her and the two brothers who were also playing God-given leadership roles, to sort things out.
Looking at JuaLink, after receiving Obed’s rumour alleging that Faraja and Neema were fraudulent, the board chairman should have summoned the human resource officer on one part; and, Faraja and Neema on the other, so as to hear and understand the issue from both parties rather than believing Obed, hook, line and sinker. Such an approach would have exposed the shallowness of Obed’s and Lulu’s insinuations; and the matter would have been ironed out transparently once and for all, thereby cutting a long story short.
That is to say, when a rumour falls on your desk as the leader, consider identifying, summoning and warning the negative gossiper. However, should you choose that option, first check if the policy for handling negative gossip is outlined in the Human Resource Manual of your organisation; and if so, follow it.
In case your organisation has no gossip handling procedures yet, begin by having the evidence of the allegation at hand rather than acting on just hearsay. Once that is in place, choose a neutral environment then invite the gossiper and the victim. Have a witness attend the meeting and record the deliberations. Start off by presenting the negative gossip and the evidence on the same, then reiterate the negative effects that the person’s gossip is having on the victim, team members, the team, department or the organisation. Give a verbal warning by advising the gossiper to stop the habit, pointing out the inherent consequences should the person fail to change. Let the person know that his or her progress will be monitored. Should the gossiper’s behavior continue, write a formal warning; and if that does not work, the offender should face disciplinary action, in line with your Human Resource Manual or Code of Conduct. In some organisations, people of that sort face dismissal since their behavior can drive members away, especially when the good performers perceive that the gossip problem is not being well-managed, dealt with or resolved.
Lastly, whatever the case, mind how you communicate to the gossiper. See what Colossians 4:6 advises (NKJV): 6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Therefore, display politeness and respect while being firm and straight to the point.