05.09.10 The 8th Leadership Practice for Managing Negative Gossip : Get to the Root Cause of the Negative Gossip

Get to the Root Cause of the Negative Gossip

In order to manage negative gossip, it is important for supervisors to address the root causes of the habit, as well as any symptoms accruing from it; short of which negative gossip could thrive.

Many writers question the reason for punishing Miriam with leprosy while Aaron was left to go scout free. But God who is all knowing must have seen a strong association between Miriam and the root causes of that gossip combined with her role as the firstborn, and decided to tackle just that. Some writers assert that the underlying cause of Miriam and Aaron’s gossip was jealousy and a looming struggle for power. But even though that could have been the case, Miriam should have sat her siblings down to discuss what exactly was at the origin of those feelings or concerns then brainstormed on possible solutions to address causes.

Looking at the JuaLink story, Eliya discovered that the root of Lulu’s gossip against Faraja was the publicity officer’s obsession with becoming the publicity manager, the director would have focused on counselling Lulu to appreciate that she was not yet ready for that position; given that she lacked the required qualifications and experience for the job. That kind of intervention would have stopped Lulu from fantasising that she would replace Faraja at the snap of a finger or any time soon. Instead, she (Lulu) would have treated Faraja with the professional respect the publicity manager deserved. On that premise, Faraja would have stayed, thereby saving JuaLink the loss that the company incurred when they promoted Lulu into a position she was not fit for. The publicity officer could have put herself under Faraja’s mentorship, passed the scalpels, submitted to her authority and learnt from the manager’s rich experience. In addition and as said elsewhere, she (Lulu) could have used the time to add value to herself in preparation for a promotion that would have surely come at the right time through a carefully crafted succession plan; and, with God’s blessings and His timing.

So, as a supervisor, avoid brushing on top of gossip-related issues rather than getting to the root cause of the problem, as your efforts will be superficial and therefore ineffective. Identifying the foundation of the gossip will assist you to address real issues. Otherwise, negative gossip could recur, thereby becoming a chronic problem that will gradually become tougher to deal with.