Everyone wants to build rapport with their coworkers; having a close relationship with the people you work with can make your place of business a more comfortable, pleasant place to spend your Monday through Friday. Unfortunately, a common way for people to try to build this rapport is through gossip. Gossip is not productive speech. It is not meaningful speech. It is not eloquent speech.
In general, talking about those around you can be a quick and easy way to form a bond. However this type of bond tends to be superficial and fleeting. Gossiping or speaking inappropriately tends to breed distrust; it’s natural to think that if this person is willing to talk about others with you, what might they say about you when you’re not around?
While gossip can be dangerous anywhere, it’s especially toxic in the workplace. A professional setting is where maintaining an honest and confident speech image is the most essential. By indulging in gossip with others in the workplace, you send the message that you are insecure and more interested in discussing what’s happening in the lives of others than your professional performance. If you find yourself in a conversation with a coworker who tries to drag you into a gossip-laden conversation, simply find a reason to politely excuse yourself from the conversation and end the interaction. By doing this repeatedly, you send the message that you are uninterested in spreading gossip, and others will eventually stop approaching you with this type of conversation.
Do you want to improve your business communication skills and learn how to make the most of your professional interactions? Give us a call at 212-308-7725 or visit us on the web at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com and let our team of corporate speech-language pathologists help you turn your speech into your most powerful professional tool. Don’t live in NYC? No problem! Our services are Skype ready, so CSS can help you improve your communication from anywhere in there world.