Unity brings us a great work environment where productivity, customer service, creativity and the resulting profit more naturally occur.
There are 5 enemies of unity.
1.Poor Communication
2. Lack of shared purpose
3. Gossip
4. Unresolved disagreements
5.Sanctioned incompetence.
This post is focused specifically on one of those enemies.
"Gossip is evil, it is insidious, and it is contagious."
When most people think of gossip they think of people spreading rumors, or just talking about other people behind their backs. "Gossip about the company, or about leadership, is a particularly evil form of disloyalty. And it is suicidal when the person gossiping is hurting and running down the place and the people who pay him so he can feed his family." Put yourself in the other person's shoes before you open your mouth.
Problems and gripes are fine but they must be handed UP to leadership/management. Problems or gripes that are handed down or laterally are by definition gossip. Hand your negatives up and your positives down. Otherwise it starts to sound a lot like gossip. Can the person you're talking to do anything about the situation? If the answer is no, you probably don't need to be discussing it with them.
We are in a unique situation with our work environment. The union protects people from being fired for such things (to a point), so it seems like people think it's just fine to air their grievances to anyone who will listen. I know I'm guilty of this from time to time. The problem is we need to stop and think before we speak. I've seen this quote a few times on Facebook...
Do you really want to work in a place where it seems like people around you are unhappy? I don't. I LIKE my job. I think I get paid pretty good for what I do. Sure, some days are harder than others. Some days I don't feel like being there. Most days though, I start off pretty happy. Grateful to have a job. Especially grateful I make the kind of money I do while not having to work a full 8 hours most days.
If people are talking loudly in the middle of the workroom floor everyone can hear that. If it's negative talk it seems to get more and more people involved, spreading to those in the vicinity. Do we want new subs hearing a bunch of negative talk? They're not likely to stay if they think it's a miserable place to work. Don't start the conversation, and don't participate in a discussion like this. Peer pressure is pretty powerful, gossip dies if there's no one to listen.
Another question to ask yourself every so often is this- If you were your boss, how would you feel about the work you do? Are you going above and beyond? Just dialing it in? Do you care about your customers or are they just a number on a box to you? Also, How would you want YOUR mail carrier to treat your mail?
The path to working in a winning culture is in each one of us. All you have to do is try. Try a little harder to focus on the POSITIVES, and think of solutions for the negatives. If the solution to the negative is out of your control, talk with management or your union steward. Do SOMETHING!
Talking isn't doing, it's just gossip.
There are 5 enemies of unity.
1.Poor Communication
2. Lack of shared purpose
3. Gossip
4. Unresolved disagreements
5.Sanctioned incompetence.
This post is focused specifically on one of those enemies.
"Gossip is evil, it is insidious, and it is contagious."
When most people think of gossip they think of people spreading rumors, or just talking about other people behind their backs. "Gossip about the company, or about leadership, is a particularly evil form of disloyalty. And it is suicidal when the person gossiping is hurting and running down the place and the people who pay him so he can feed his family." Put yourself in the other person's shoes before you open your mouth.
Problems and gripes are fine but they must be handed UP to leadership/management. Problems or gripes that are handed down or laterally are by definition gossip. Hand your negatives up and your positives down. Otherwise it starts to sound a lot like gossip. Can the person you're talking to do anything about the situation? If the answer is no, you probably don't need to be discussing it with them.
We are in a unique situation with our work environment. The union protects people from being fired for such things (to a point), so it seems like people think it's just fine to air their grievances to anyone who will listen. I know I'm guilty of this from time to time. The problem is we need to stop and think before we speak. I've seen this quote a few times on Facebook...
Do you really want to work in a place where it seems like people around you are unhappy? I don't. I LIKE my job. I think I get paid pretty good for what I do. Sure, some days are harder than others. Some days I don't feel like being there. Most days though, I start off pretty happy. Grateful to have a job. Especially grateful I make the kind of money I do while not having to work a full 8 hours most days.
If people are talking loudly in the middle of the workroom floor everyone can hear that. If it's negative talk it seems to get more and more people involved, spreading to those in the vicinity. Do we want new subs hearing a bunch of negative talk? They're not likely to stay if they think it's a miserable place to work. Don't start the conversation, and don't participate in a discussion like this. Peer pressure is pretty powerful, gossip dies if there's no one to listen.
Another question to ask yourself every so often is this- If you were your boss, how would you feel about the work you do? Are you going above and beyond? Just dialing it in? Do you care about your customers or are they just a number on a box to you? Also, How would you want YOUR mail carrier to treat your mail?
The path to working in a winning culture is in each one of us. All you have to do is try. Try a little harder to focus on the POSITIVES, and think of solutions for the negatives. If the solution to the negative is out of your control, talk with management or your union steward. Do SOMETHING!
Talking isn't doing, it's just gossip.
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