According to studies, 14% of everything we say can be classified as gossip and 66% of general conversation in the workplace is devoted to gossip about other employees (Cole & Dalton 2009).

Further studies reveal that a person who does not gossip may be marginalized from their social group, whereas a person who gossips excessively may also be marginalized from their social group (Eggins & Slade 1997).  

Millennials (81%) are most likely to gossip at work, followed by Gen Xers (70%), and Baby Boomers (60%).

Here are some helpful tips for dealing with gossip:

1. Recognize the difference between information and gossip. As long as it remains professional, a coworker is perfectly within their rights to tell you about another employee.

2. Stop it in its tracks. When someone says something that is unprofessional about a coworker, have the courage to speak up and say that you aren't comfortable talking about someone else in this manner. (Sometimes easier said than done, I know.)

3. Alter the conversation. Instead of allowing the discussion to go down the gossip route, change it to something more professional.

4.  Maintain privacy of your personal life. Unless you feel confident you can trust a particular coworker, the rule of thumb is to never share your personal life with anyone at work.

Watch the video below to learn about how one of our founding fathers changed their behavior of constantly gossiping, to become United State Ambassador to one of our closest allies.

Also, leave me a comment about some additional suggestions you have to dealing with gossip, in or out of the workplace.    

“If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” - Minquas Proverb
 
How are you able to be grateful for all you have?

“In life, it doesn’t matter what happens to you or where you come from. It matters what you do with what happens and what you’ve been given.” - Ryan Holiday
 
What are you doing with what you have been given?

“The time is always right to do what is right.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
 
How are you doing the right thing at the right time?
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“There are more copies than originals among people.” - Pablo Picasso
 
What are you doing to become an authentically original human being?

The dictionary defines a principle as a fundamental set of truths or beliefs that serve as the foundation for a system of behaviors.

Some examples of these principles might be,  character, justice, or trust. Others might be, courage, commitment, or control.

But if someone asked you what were the most valuable guiding principles in your life, what would you list?

In my book, Sustainable Excellence, Ten Principles To Leading Your Uncommon and Extraordinary Life, I list a number of principles that were valuable to me throughout my life, but especially during my cancer journey.

Check out the video below to learn what the top rules, principles, and maxims were when researcher Daniel Starch asked people to list their guiding life advice.

If you could give someone who was struggling in their life, just one piece of advice, what would that advice be?

Leave me a comment below about what you would recommend to someone struggling to figure out their life.  

“Do not wait for the last judgment. It comes every day.” - Albert Camus
 
How do you deal with your daily final judgments?

The Right Place
  
A mother and a baby camel were lying around under a tree.
Then the baby camel asked, “Why do camels have humps?”
The mother camel considered this and said, “We are desert animals so we have the humps to store water so we can survive with very little water.”
The baby camel thought for a moment then said, “Ok…why are our legs long and our feet rounded?”
The mama replied, “They are meant for walking in the desert.”
The baby paused. After a beat, the camel asked, “Why are our eyelashes long? Sometimes they get in my way.”
The mama responded, “Those long thick eyelashes protect your eyes from the desert sand when it blows in the wind.
The baby thought and thought. Then he said, “I see. So, the hump is to store water when we are in the desert, the legs are for walking through the desert and these eyelashes protect my eyes from the desert sand. Then why are we in the Zoo?”
Moral: Skills and abilities are only useful if you are in the right place at the right time. Otherwise, they go to waste.
 
www.livin3.com/5-motivational-and-inspiring-short-stories

“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities…because it is the quality that guarantees all others.” - Winston Churchill
 
How are you using the quality of courage, to guarantee other qualities?

“I believe truth is revolutionary; it’s part of the work of fierce love. Truth makes a personal, spiritual, ethical, and moral demand upon us. It wants to be said, known, and told. It hurts and it’s inconvenient, but it’s essential to our well-being.” - Jacqui Lewis
 
How does truth resonate in your life?

What are the necessary character qualities needed to be an effective leader?

According to the Center for Creative Leadership, those characteristics are: integrity, delegation, communication, self-awareness, gratitude, learning agility, influence, empathy, courage, and respect.

But how does one go about developing those traits or maybe a better question is, Can those qualities even be developed or are they something certain people are born with?

Again the Center for Creative Leadership outlines three core beliefs that are necessary to develop the makings of a good leader: 1. Good leaders are made not born - leadership is a skill that can be developed. 2. Collaboration builds strong leaders - leadership is a social process that comes from interacting with groups of people. 3. Good leadership never stops - it's a journey, not a destination.

Watch the video and compare what the Center for Creative Leadership believes valuable leadership should look like versus what Sal F. Marino, chairman emeritus of Penton Publishing, considers the assets he expects in a leader.

Also, please leave me a comment about your thoughts on the two styles of leadership mentioned here. Are they the same, similar, or opposite of each other?