Posted by Kristin Baird
Face it. Dig beneath any organizational issue and you’re likely to unearth varying degrees of communication problems. Organizations are, after all, comprised of people and dependent upon good relationships among those people to achieve organizational goals. Gossip erodes these relationships
A healthy culture requires healthy communication. There are things that each of us can do to positively impact a healthy communication culture. Even if you’re not a formal leader in the organization, you can play a leadership role in improving your health care organization’s communication culture.
Don’t Sit Quietly By
Overhearing gossip is a common occurrence in many work situations. If you are committed to a healthy culture, it is important to become involved – not in the gossip of course, but in the solution.
What many people don’t understand is that by sitting by quietly and listening, they are actually contributing to the behavior. After all, gossip needs an audience. It takes courage to speak up and say that you feel the discussion is inappropriate. Mention that gossip does not aligned with the values. In some situations you may simply need to walk away. The key is to not become part of the problem – but to strive to be part of the solution.
- Gossip Kills the Culture
- Don’t Overlook the Subtle Influence of Gossip and Drama
- Coaching Culture Improves Employee Engagement and Patient Experience
- Gossip Erodes Culture
- 5 Questions that Define Your Culture
