If you are really upset, then you may even want to take until the next day to respond.
For false rumors, you might say something like, “I’m disappointed in you, Greg. I thought you were above workplace politics. Could you please stop telling everyone I’m leaving the company? It’s just not true. ” For gossip that is true, you might say something along the lines of “Marie, I told you about my illness in confidence. But, it appears you’ve told others. I’d appreciate it if you let me tell my own bad news. ”
For example, you might say, “A little birdie mentioned that I was getting promoted…Where do you think that information came from?”
For instance, your coworkers are whispering about you having a relationship with another coworker. You could own up to it by telling your peers and your supervisor, “I’ve heard the rumors that Rob and I are seeing each other. It’s true. In the future, we’ll be sure to keep our relationship strictly professional at work to minimize any disruptions. "
For example, if people are saying you ratted out a coworker to win favor with the boss, you’ll have to work hard to overcome the impression of being a brown-noser. Do this by becoming more of a team player and sharing the credit with your peers.
Talk to a supervisor or a human resources personnel about what’s going around. [6] X Research source
Let’s say you overhear two coworkers whispering about your boss getting a cosmetic procedure. You might say, “I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I doubt she’ll be happy it’s going around…Why don’t you two help me stamp out those rumors? Honestly, they have nothing to do with our job, anyway. ”
For example, you might say something along the lines of, “If you wouldn’t say that in front of him, I don’t think you should be saying it behind his back. ”
For instance, you’re talking to a coworker about Bill’s report and they say, “Yeah, I hear his wife asked for a divorce. ” You might counter with, “Bill did a really good job with these numbers. What was your question again?”
If you can’t avoid a gossipy situation, simply say “I’d rather not discuss him without him being there” and leave it at that. If you do not want to make a direct comment, then you can also say something like, “I really don’t know anything about that. "
For instance, if you know an unflattering remark is making its rounds about a peer, you might counter by saying something like, “Paul’s doing a great job on the new project. I think his creativity is really showing. "
If you do discuss personal or professional matters at work, do so with people you can trust.
Having a few friends at work can ensure that you hear about rumors. Plus, with allies, you’ll have help squashing any unkind talk before it damages your reputation.
