As a leader, you have a responsibility to minimize gossip and politics. There’s a reason why it’s “lonely at the top” because your role as a leader is to NOT gossip and be consistent and fair across the board. That’s why it’s so crucial for leaders to intentionally have their own ‘board of advisors’ or someone who acts as a neutral sounding board (like me, their Coach). Venting and needing to talk things through is necessary. Leaders need to be extra cautious about what they say to other internal colleagues and their direct reports. I have personally both witnessed firsthand and heard horror stories about internal managers, including senior managers gossiping to other internal employees. This is creating a toxic spiral. 

 

When you have direct reports who are gossiping, what do you do about it as their leader? 

 

(#1) Assuming there is a foundation of trust (that you’ve worked hard to create), you give the employees space to vent – with appropriate boundaries. Make sure they feel heard and understood. 

 

(#2) Let everyone on the team know that the expectation is that they stop conversations that make them uncomfortable and redirect the person who is gossiping to speak to you, the leader. Bonus: provide them with verbiage and communication tips so they feel confident doing this. 

 

(#3) Consistently reinforce this and genuinely encourage your team to fill you in on what’s going on. Openly encourage debate and other viewpoints. Too often, leaders are disconnected from what’s going on ‘on the ground’ and gossip and politics run wild.