WHAT YOU SAY MAY HAVE CONSEQUENCES

Are you the sort of person who thinks carefully about what you are going to say first before contributing to a conversation and do you consider your audience and the ‘setting’ before introducing a subject for discussion? Or are you the sort of person who rather more ‘speaks before they think’, and considers/deals with the consequences afterwards?

Most of us are generally somewhere in between as we navigate the best and most effective ways to communicate our messages to people and also try not to offend anyone in the process!

There are times however, when we should most definitely be aware that what we say WILL have consequences and could directly affect the people around us – be that our friends, family or in the workplace.

When writing that statement, it reminded me of the World War II slogan used in a British propaganda campaign to warn citizens about the dangers of revealing sensitive information, even unintentionally, to the enemy. “Careless Talk Costs Lives” was a campaign launched by the Ministry of Information and used humorous posters to convey the message that seemingly harmless conversations, gossip and misinformation could be overheard and used by enemy spies or sympathisers.  Now of course I’m not suggesting that we need to be aware of an enemy within or around us, but more that the same principle can apply to our conversations, interpretation of information and interactions with others as sometimes we can inadvertently mislead. In the same way that you might temper or change your language when around and talking to children, you should also be mindful of what the impact of your words could be on other people.

As rumours and misinformation can spread very quickly, which contributes to an environment or situation becoming toxic and unproductive, it helps to know how to handle things effectively in order to limit the overall negative impact on morale and if in a work environment, productivity.

Whether at work or in your social circles, here are a few strategies to employ to deal with this type of issue effectively:

• Do not get drawn into participating and starting to spread rumours & misinformation yourself – you may think something is true but you should refrain from joining in the gossip
• Do not engage in constant speculative conversations or gossip which only helps to fuel the fire
• Be firm and when you are confronted with a rumour, change the subject & topic of conversation or politely extricate yourself and walk away

Check the Facts

• Never assume that a rumour is true before checking the facts. If you do hear a rumour that concerns you, the best course of action is to find reliable sources to help verify the information
• If it is a work-related rumour, you can check with your manager/boss or HR department, and they can clarify any official company news

Address A Rumour Directly

• If you are the actual subject of gossip or rumour yourself, you should consider talking directly to the person you believe is responsible for circulating it
• Talk with them calmly and stay focused on showing them the impact of their actions
• If you find that the rumour is very widespread, amongst friends & family take it up with someone you trust to help you correct the situation or if with colleagues at work, you should consider involving your manager/boss or HR to help address the issue

Transparency and Open Communication

• Everyone, in all situations, and particularly at work, should be encouraged to create a culture of transparency and open communication
• If you are a manager, you can regularly share accurate information and updates with your team
• Also, in a workplace setting, it is good to encourage employees to ask questions and voice concerns if rumours are upsetting morale and productivity

Be A Good Role Model

• Always behave around others in the way you would like to see them behave. Leading by example works well
• Never engage in gossip or speculation yourself
• Never sit on it! Always speak up if you hear rumours or misinformation being spread

Positive Interactions

• Keep your communication & conversations with friends, family & colleagues, factual, honest and productive
• Don’t speculate or talk negatively about people
• Make all your interactions as positive as possible – make them interactions that will build trust and respect

In order to deal effectively with rumours and misinformation, it does require some extra effort and also requires a proactive and consistent approach. By adopting some of the methods featured above, you can work towards being a trusted, approachable & reliable person who values the truth. In the same way, by considering the impact of what we say first, in the long term it ensures clarity, avoids misunderstandings, strengthens positive relationships and prevents unintended negative consequences.