"R" Is For Rumors

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As always, I want to offer my sincere apology to Sue Grafton for using (stealing??) her approach for the titles of her many outstanding mystery novels for this series of articles that I hope makes YOU a happier and more effective leader working with a truly empowered team that really enjoys what they do! Oh, and if you have not read any of Ms. Grafton’s novels I highly recommend that you give her a try.

Office Rumors, Gossip and Politics

“I mean the great advantage of a place like Knox (Business Machines) is that you can sort of turn off your mind every morning at nine and leave it off all day, and nobody knows the difference.”

- Frank Wheeler in Revolutionary Road By Richard Yates

Over my five decades in the workforce I think that I may have heard them all.

“Your boss was just caught having sex with one of his Teamers in a conference room!”

 So what!

“There are layoffs coming!”

Not true, since I was the one usually doing the layoffs and I hadn’t been told anything yet!

“There were bits of glass in the ham salad that made people sick!”

Not true, I had made the salad.

Standing around the “water cooler” and listening to rumors, politics and gossip is a waste of time. Have a Rumor Round-Up agenda item in all of your meetings (see the next section), but don’t dwell on this “stuff.” You will hear things that you simply can’t believe and most likely they are true, but ignore them anyway and focus on improving your Teamers and the quality of your team’s work in these specific areas:

  • Finding, empowering and keeping the best talent possible

  • Improving communications inside and outside your team

  • Managing your team’s projects and quality.

  • Working daily with specific key core values that guide what you say, do and think

  • Eliminating time spent on things that you should not worry about

Do not involve yourself in rumors, gossip or politics. 

“Put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.”

- Swami Sivananda

The Rumor Round-Up Agenda Item

“Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unring a bell.”

- Shana Alexander

Always include the Rumor Round-Up agenda item in all of your team meetings. It should be at the close of the meeting. Start the agenda item up with open discussion. Ask your Teamers what they have heard. What rumors are flying around?  I suggest that you use this session to head off problems that might come from a rumor that doesn’t get addressed.

Sometimes Teamers have things to ask, but most times not, but it’s important for you to represent the Organization to each of your Teamers. Sometimes they may ask you a question that you don’t know the answer to. Simply say “I don’t know,” and add that you will get an answer from the Organization to the question and get back to them as soon as you can.

“Never bear more than one trouble at a time. Some people bear three kinds – all they have had, all they have now, and all they expect to have.”

- Edward Everett Hale

I wish you empowerment, happiness, peace and every success! Jonesy