Dealing with Gossip in the Workplace

traumaRUs, MSN, APRN

When discussing gossip in the workplace, here are some tips to follow on this volatile subject

Use the nursing process

Follow the same nursing process when dealing with subordinates. identify a problem, collect data (don't forget that part), figure out a plan of action, implement it, and then follow up. Don't be quick to take action on a problem without collecting some data. When you are dealing with people there are always two sides to a story. it's very easy to get sucked into the emotion of a situation and take sides. As a supervisor you can't afford to do that since it undermines your power and sucks you down to the level of the gossiper. As a supervisor you want to maintain an appearance of impartiality before taking a definitive stance on an issue. Be aware of your feelings and make a conscious effort to look more closely at data. Sometimes both sides of a story are legitimate and the situation is a standoff. Like any nursing procedure there are books and manuals on supervision and management to help you figure out plans of action. And, like nursing procedures, the same kinds of situations will come up again and again, so you will have an opportunity to hone your style of dealing with them.

Why do we gossip?

When people become frustrated and vent there is a reason. Like a drowning man they are yelling out for help, but no one is throwing them a rope. It sounds like they are hoping that you might have a resolution to their complaints. You must remember that your subordinates were not trained in assertiveness techniques and leadership. Some nurses have either forgotten that part of their education or never understood how it worked in the first place. There are a couple of approaches you can take with gossip. You've already been doing the easiest and most convenient: that is not to get involved and participate in their complaints about co-workers. You might recall from psychology that this is called negative reinforcement. You just ignore the comments and act as if they were never spoken. You never make reference to them. The idea is that eventually the behavior is stopped because it is never rewarded. For now, as a new supervisor that gives you the chance to focus on the patient care you are giving. However, I am also going to recommend that you listen to the gossip with your listening ears (the ones that also evaluate what you're hearing). I can pretty much guarantee that eventually you are going to hear something that you're not going to be able to ignore. Also, you are in a situation where you have an open channel of communication with these co-workers and you don't want to close down that channel.

What if it turns nasty?

If the gossip is particularly nasty and back-biting and you want to do something to effectively stop it, you will have to confront the speaker. This is not something to be taken lightly. You want to prepare for and put some thought into what you are going to say to the gossiper and how you are going to say it. It can be as simple as, "Mary, I don't want to hear that kind of talk." Practice saying it in different ways and putting emphasis on certain words more than others to see how it sounds to you. Repeat the statement as many times as you need to. That is an assertiveness technique for people who do not respond to what you are saying. I would also go back into your leadership textbook and take another reading on how they recommend dealing with this, but I'm pretty sure that classic assertiveness techniques will work here. Talk this over with fellow supervisors or another nurse who seems helpful and get their input and advice before jumping into the fire, so to speak. Confronting someone and correcting them for an unacceptable behavior sets clear lines of authority and is a very serious undertaking. You want to be sure that you've assessed the situation correctly before asserting your authority for the first time and i suggest you get the advice of your boss before taking the plunge.

What if its true?

I would really urge you, however, to first consider that they may be telling the truth and asking for help in the only way they know. It's kind of like taking for granted that the patient who tells you they are in pain and need pain medication, really is in pain. Making the assessment that they are lying is a very drastic decision to make and slams the doors of communication and trust shut if you have made the wrong assessment.

Empower your subordinates

One of the things a really good supervisor does is to help employees empower themselves by teaching them how to deal with a problem. Think of yourself as the person at an information booth. "You know, Mary, you're telling the wrong person here. If Joan nurse is really doing that you need to be telling her charge nurse about it. it will have more impact if you tell her because you're seeing what's going on." If the employee is out of line, correct them on the spot. "Mary, it isn't wrong for Joan nurse to do that. we were taught in nursing school that. . ." Do you see what I'm getting at? Always give the benefit of doubt and assume they just don't know how to solve the problem and then teach and advise. Remember that teaching role of the nurse you talked about in school?

Believe them

One of the biggest problems with subordinate staff is that they believe their opinions are insignificant. I have run across some who have a bizarre belief that they will get into trouble with the boss if they tell on someone doing something that they know is really, really wrong. Be sensitive to the quiet ones who don't speak up and may have the tendency to let things fester inside until there is an explosion. Always remember to ask their opinion about a situation if you are trying to gather some facts before taking an action. Don't leave anyone out.

Conclusion

To sum this all up, i am saying that a good supervisor is someone who is kind, understanding, nurturing, but smart and crafty when they need to be. There is absolutely no reason to overuse authority. Getting an employee to experience the satisfaction of successful resolution of some conflict that they have is good supervision and contributes toward making satisfied, happy employees.

What do you do as a supervisor to stem the gossip? What would you like your supervisor to do?