Gossip in The Grooming Salon and LIfe
Definition…negative
or derogatory comments made about another with no intention other than talking
about another to hurt or discredit.
We have
all done it. We have been sucked in by others or are guilty of doing it
ourselves. I am certainly not proud of the times I have participated or have
been guilty of spreading stories I have no personal experience with. Women seem
to be particularly guilty of this, but I have known a couple of men in this
industry that are worse than any woman I have ever met.
Gossip with
in a grooming salon can wreak havoc in the social culture of that salon causing
a breakdown of teamwork and respect. It is toxic and could even eventually be
the downfall of someone’s business if the gossip is allowed to grow and fester.
Why would
we do this to one another? We are all in this together. Groomers need to
support one another and if we do not agree, mind our own business. Live and let
live. It will be a much better world and work environment if you do
.
Dave
Ramsey of Dave Ramsey Solutions, a huge, very successful company, has a no
gossiping rule for team members. If anyone is caught gossiping, they lose their
jobs. No excuses. Done! He feels that strongly that gossiping can erode the
structure of a business. Maybe we should all take a cue from Dave? He talks a lot
about this in his Entreleadership program. Here is a link to one of his You
Tube talks. It is quite the rant!!!
What? The Damage it causes.
When gossip
is present it pushes people apart, segregates, causes unfair judgment about
people you may not even know.
It is a huge time waster, it hurts
others, and erodes your own ability to be happy and successful because
of the negative energy, you are spreading or participating in.
Fact! Those who gossip to you will
gossip about you.
Gossiping brings to the surface the
insecurities of the gossiper, when we speak badly about others, we speak badly
about ourselves
Gossip ruins reputations, our own
credibility, and trustworthiness. If you speak badly about others, people will be
guarded with you and keep you at arm’s length in fear of being victims
themselves.
Oprah once said “When we make
negative comments about others behind their backs, we often do so because of we
want to feel powerful and that’s because, in some way, we feel powerless,
unworthy, or not courageous to be forthright” So much wisdom in that statement.
Why? Why do people gossip?
To feel superior
Gossiper does not feel good about
themselves and feels better by talking shit about someone else
Boredom
To get attention
Envy
To feel more connected to the who we
are gossiping too, to be a part of a group or clique
How? How to stop gossip in its tracks.
Drama needs an audience. Don’t
participate. Gossip is a 2-way street. By not responding, we do not play and
hopefully, we can move on.
Deflect with comments such as…
“Why does she/he interest you so
much?”
“I’m more interested in what you have
been up to?”
“Let’s talk about something more
positive”
There is no way of knowing what truth
is or lies, or how the story has changed through all the mouths it has left. Do
not judge people by what someone else has said let your own experience speak
the truth to you.
Gossiping is not only immoral and
unkind, hurtful, and damaging. Spreading personal information whether accurate
or not is just wrong.
Hold yourself to a higher standard.
If you catch yourself gossiping, stop it and move on to something else. Do not
engage in gossip you hear. It will stop it in its tracks.
I write this as I was thinking about
gossip... on how it has affected my life as a victim of gossip as well as a perpetrator
of gossip. I have personally seen how it caused hurt and pain. I have chosen to
make a commitment not to gossip as I travel through the rest of my life. No one
is perfect but all we can do is try. My hope is that I can be mindful if I am
in the presence of gossip and do the right thing. I hope you will join me in
this commitment and make the world…the grooming world, a better place.
Namaste
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