Commitment 05:
Gossip
Gossip is a statement about another made by someone with negative intent or a statement the speaker would be unwilling to share in exactly the same way if that person were in the room.
Gossip is a key indicator of an unhealthy organization and one of the fastest ways to derail motivation and creativity.
From Above the Line
By Me:
I commit to ending gossip, talking directly to people with whom I have an issue or concern, and encouraging others to talk directly to people with whom they have an issue or concern
From below the Line
To Me:
I commit to saying things about people that I have not or will not say to them. I commit to talking about people in ways I wouldn’t if they were there. I commit to listening to others when they gossip.
Practice It:
Begin to eliminate gossip from your interactions by committing to yourself and to key people in your life that you will no longer gossip. This is a simple and profound commitment.
Then, identify any areas in your life where you have gossiped about someone or listened to gossip. If you are gossiping, stop. Go direct to the person if you are willing to and reveal your unarguable truth (see Commitment #4). If you are listening to gossip, stop.
For advanced practitioners, you can use the clearing model to speaking directly to someone about an issue. For some, this practice alone has revolutionized their relationships, resulting in great leaps in their leadership both at work and at home. However, for the model to be most effective, it is important to use the clearing model only when above the line, and with someone who is also committed to practicing conscious leadership.
