Beating the Grapevine

BEATING THE GRAPEVINE

How to Defeat Negative Gossip

‘Negative Gossip’ is as old as history itself yet still destructively vibrant. From the day Eve gossiped with the devil in the Garden of Eden, the vice continues to create havoc in relationships. Not only do numberless victims lament suffering at the hands of merciless gossipmongers, the vice is a common catalyst of wrangles within entities and even between nations. Therefore, we cannot turn a blind eye as negative gossip continues to thrive.

It is on that background that Joyce has written Beating the Grapevine: How to Defeat Negative Gossip, where she shares her personal encounter with the vice. She also discusses the ‘negative gossip’ experiences of notable biblical characters such as Nehemiah, Miriam and Aaron. In addition, Joyce features a fictitious story entitled The Gossip Mill at JuaLink Media Agency, to highlight the vicious entanglements of negative gossip in the workplace. She further blends the content with God’s Word to adequately equip readers with effective practical tools for tackling the vice. The book covers the dangers of participating in negative gossip; signs of a negative gossip conversation; drivers of negative gossipers; how to avoid participating in the vice; what to do if the negative gossip is about ‘you’; and, the impact of negative gossip in a person’s work space. It also covers managerial flaws that fuel negative gossip; and, how to manage the vice as a leader. It is designed to empower readers with effective gossip management skills at work, home and in the community. Since negative gossip is a cross-cutting issue, the book targets people from all walks of life.