Gossiping is Kryptonite

We wrote about The Dasher Way in a previous blog (How We Built the Dasher Culture, June 25, 2019).  The Dasher Way is our shared set of norms, where everyone understands the rules the same way. This is the way we behave. It gives us a common language and a common way of being that is shared by every individual.

One of the behaviors in The Dasher Way is “Never Gossip.” Gossip is absolutely not permitted at Dasher. This zero tolerance promotes the trust that is essential for making Dasher a safe space.

Gossip is poison. We cannot allow gossip to exist, much less to flourish. By gossip, we mean discussing anything negative with someone who cannot help solve the problem. We talk about Dasher as a no-gossip zone. With a warning and a repeat, gossip is a firing offense because we know it is the kryptonite that can bring down our culture.

Prohibiting gossip helps to create a nurturing environment for people because they can share open and honest dialogue that is helpful to everybody. They know they are not going to get stabbed in the back. They know that people are not going to be talking about them or taking pleasure from their challenges.

We reap the benefits of the never gossip policy. People feel safe. It increases the level of trust. There are fewer secrets. People help each other with the challenges that they face. They can trust each other to say, “Hey, I have this problem,” and know somebody will respond with, “Oh, yeah. I did too. Here is how you fix that.”

In our next blog entry, “A Culture of Influence,” we explain the key ingredient that all cultures must have to influence employees.

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