Is laughter harmful?
All of us want to be happy and in the pursuit of that happiness we try to find our laughter buddies. These are the people whom we can laugh with and spend some stress- free time. Who is not ready to grab 5 minutes from the work schedule and go to cafeteria for a quick bite or a cup of tea? But that’s not just tea, many a times people get involved in informal round of talks which is formally known as GOSSIP.
How can it be harmful?
As you are there for a short break you tend to forget that people around you can quote you for their benefit. It can come back to you after visiting every desk in the office. You will only realize it much later. One of my client was very upset as she was not getting promoted even after accomplishing all the targets. She had nocue why she is not in the list for last 2 years. Her immediate boss decided to move on to start his own venture and they all decided to arrange a farewell for him. Evening was great and everyone was enjoying. My client went to her boss to congratulate him and say goodbye, but to her surprise he asked her to be selective in talking to people around about the boss’s way of dressing! She felt too embarrassed and could understand what went wrong. Their usual laughter sessions about him were shared with him by someone. It took her seconds to realize what went wrong. She could not sleep that night thinking how and what he must be thinking about her.
She is fortunate that she got a hint and improved on her behavior but there are people who never get a slightest hint of what went wrong in their professional life.
Take Care –
- Do not be judgmental about your colleagues and refrain from making personal comments.
- Remember, laughing with someone and laughing on someone are two different things, choose the former.
- You are always being watched for your behavior and loyalty towards the organization.
- You are amongst a group of professionals and not friends, do not cross the limits in conversation.
- Maintain decorum, you are in a formal environment.
- Refrain from sharing your personal life in the office.
- Do not spend time with people who are always gossiping. Keep your curiosity at rest. You will gain nothing even if you know all about other people’s lives.
- Break the chain and do not share the unauthorized information further to prevent the formation of grapewine.
Office gossip is the mother of office politics and the consequent drama which can affect your image and harm it. Sometimes you can also become a target and it will be very troublesome to handle. Whether you are new in the corporate world or an old player, tempetation to fall into the gossip trap will always be there. So you have to draw a line and train yourself not to get involved by contributing anything. Stay clear and you will be happy at work. We all are on our own journey and we really do not know what other people’s journey is all about. So keep your cool and focus on relevant tasks which generate positive impact in your life. And if you feel that you are stuck in futile habits and can not change the pattern feel free to get in touch with us at www.soulsymphony.in to get unstuck and feel free.
