“So and so is sleeping with the boss.” If you indulge in office gossip, read this

Bits of Me

Do our deeds often defines us? If it reflects in our work place, it will be a differentiator from your peers and point of notice to your superiors but disablers and snitches.

This category of spoiler’s turnaround fortunes in work places, and place employees in their scheme of ‘man eat man’. And themselves into ‘friends of the bosses’ while others later grow their Dark Arts into spinsters for bosses. You ’re following right…Ulala!

Yusuf Sserunkuuma a Political theorist at Makerere University penned an opinion ‘When our dreams for ‘making it’ got reduced to befriending Museveni’.

My mind arrowed straight to similar actors we encounter in our work places whose dreams have been reduced to sabotaging others. Trust me each of us has a ‘Museveni’ -boss- in our places of work; good or bad.

As a professional, our innocent naivety imagines our work ethic and effective delivery will speak for us, but ALAS.

There is obviously every good intention to strike a good work charm with the BOSS but it should not be at the cost of ‘its ALL or Nothing’ .

Work places stink of those that would die to ‘shine the boss’s’ shoe or be their handbag. I am certain, you have encountered such a pack, that can hang you on a noose as long as it pleases the boss or favours their dark scheme.

Bits of YOU

While Yusuf Sserunkuma’s opinion chronicles the Chris Obores’ and Andrew Mwendas’ to have swapped their patriotism to satisfy their purse, I would still share a cup of tea with those folks because they didn’t crash heads to climb up the ladder.

I am talking about the choking intrigue in work places that takes away the breath of those on the other side; victims whose aspirations have been flashed down the washer, and those who got replaced with ears(gossip) that listen for the boss.

The stoppers/spoilers- whose odd entry towards the pack, participants begin to flee or the conversation switches- we know you!

A friend intimated, at her work place, their bosses are willing to pay selected employees for in-house gossip on others…Hhm…mbu at times they use it to ‘keep law and order’ hahaha…snitches…Ulala!

Bits Crispin Kaheru an election Analyst shares, I listen to them, but I ensure that they do not bias my objective opinion towards the colleague(s) they are telling me about.

Gossip or rumour mills are bad in which ever fashion—whether in or out of office. A superior who encourages gossip is not fit to actually be in a leadership position.

Asan Kasingye, Chief Political Commissar at the Uganda Police recalls a time when he was the director of INTERPOL and was away on assignment.

“I left a day after we reburied the late former IGP Erinayo Oryema…I told a colleague that I was travelling and will be back in time to handle the AFRIPOL chiefs of police meeting in Kampala the following weekend.

A colleague instead told my IGP that I had said, “I will not handle the meeting and had instead travelled out of the country.”

When he returned and came face to face with the IGP, he was greeted by indifference. “Fortunately, when I realised so, I asked him what the problem was and as always, he was straight and told me. I almost froze”!

Kasingye advises people to handle office gossip and get it off your mind if you are the victim and If you are a boss, do not handle the junior’s file if you are still angry. This may affect their promotion, salary increment, placement, transfer, leave, travel etc.

Spire Ssentongo, editorial cartoonist weighs in. “It depends on which gossip and whether it promotes intrigue or not. At times it’s good to have flies on the walls, at times they may make the workplace toxic with conflict and mistrust,” he said.

To the snitches and disruptors; what legacy is coined in your name? We may not paint you on the wall of shame but your ‘soul of shame’ is never at peace.

Other tips on handling office/ work place gossip/snitches

• Do not confront the person attributed with the gossip

• Keep it to yourself

• Do not show emotion towards the alleged gossiper

• Show him/her compassion instead

• If the offender makes it a habit on you or other people, let another senior officer handle for example an admin or Human Resource Manager

• Tolerate some beneficial kinds and discourage personal ones. Also do not take back the information to the one gossiped about in a way that will reveal the source.

• Pray about it