Be a Grown-Up: Don't gossip
This is my 9th of 12 posts about how to be among the Best Leaders. In these, I provide inspiration for everyone seeking professional and personal growth as a leader of people, projects, groups, teams and organizations. I welcome your comments and feedback.
Guard the reputations of others as if they were your own. Gossip has ruined many solid professional reputations. Get to know people one on one, and believe your own experience rather than coffee-room whispers. Forming relationships based on trust and mutual respect allows you to more easily approach people directly if you have questions about them or their work, and to hold the necessary difficult conversations. If you don’t do it for others, do it for yourself: gossipers create untrustworthy reputations for themselves in the long run.