et the tone right for the rest of the year by committing to a dramafree workplace and learning the management skill sets needed
to handle office politics and gossip. Whether one admits it
or not, office politics and workplace gossip is a fact of life
in any organization. Anytime we work with
others, there’s always the possibility that
BY
conflict and workplace drama may arise. The
ANDREW
challenge for any good leader is to create work
DEWSON
environments that do not allow counter-productive
practices, like gossiping or playing office politics, to flourish
and become part of the daily work culture.
But how exactly do you do this? Start by being honest, transparent and keeping an open line of communication with staff
members. Often, office gossip occurs because team members are
kept in the dark about important work issues that may impact
them, leaving them feeling the need to fill the void with
unfounded speculations.
Good leaders set good example. In order to create a gossip-free
zone, make sure that you treat everyone fairly. Playing favorites
could easily be a source of frustration among staff members,
leaving them more likely to create conflict.
January/February 2016
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