by April-Lynn Logan

Created on: May 22, 2009

We have all done it. You get a piece of juicy gossip and you can not help but turn it to the next ear. Some of us are innocent about it, trying to root through the garbage to get to the truth and then there are the others. These people take pride in their knowledge of other people's business. They enjoy being in the center of the going's on of all that they come into contact with. They spread ruthless lies and hurtful truths through out the workplace causing their victims to wither in the shame of the whisper.

Now when posed with the question of the more annoying co-worker the gossip and the tattle-tale it really made me think. Although I really dislike those people that run and tell the moment they hear you vent about the boss, they really had no effect on my worklife. as long as you keep your nose clean, a tattle-tale has no tale to tattle. The gossip on the other hand , well there is no real way to protect yourself from their filthy habit. They do not know if what they are telling is the truth or lie and usually do not screen their audiences. This turns them into a secretive tattle tale. Eventually their gossip makes it to the boss.

Most of the time these people will not even acknowledge the fact that it was their story that inevitably made the boss aware of the activities of the subordinates, even though it was them that told the right hand man. They do damage everyday and think that it is okay because they just told people what they had heard. They will add details to the stories to make sure that people think they have the best stuff, even though they are only assumptions that they are presenting as facts.

The damage from the others is immence and takes months out of people's lives trying to straighten up the mess that they have created. Sometimes they do spout out the truth and this can be worse, but most of the time they only have half of the facts or even worse none. For most of us, promotions and job recognition is based on reputation. Seriously, if there was a rumour that so and so did not like to bathe regularly, would you want to put him a position to be meeting you customers daily?

My vote is definately for the gossip, they ruin lives, marriages, employment opportunities, and they will never own up to their part in it. They will tell you that they did not do anything other than telling people what they know to be true. They will say things about perception and reality, that the way you act will automatically draw out rumors. I say to the gossip, perception is reality. When you misconstrue someone's perception of a person it becomes the reality the person must live with, whether it is true or not.

Learn more about this author, April-Lynn Logan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.