Bad business - 7 reasons to stay clear of business gossip

Listen carefully how a person speaks about other people to you. This is how they will speak about you to other people. -www.FB.com/let.think.positive-

We have all been caught up in the world of gossip. Either in our personal or business lives. Gossip is contagious. I see it every day on social media and in our society.  We gossip about work, the people at work, and the people in our personal lives. Business Gossip: when leaders, managers, and owners of businesses gossip about their competition in an open setting. Usually the conversation leads to degrading competition leaders, products, techniques, etc.

I have been guilty of these conversations and I am sure other business owners have had their fair share of laughs at me. I have often found out that the businesses that are being bashed on are typically businesses that have had success and withstood the tests of time.

While our business has been growing, I have met a great number of people. I have engaged in Business Gossip with owners and customers. I have spoken poorly of other companies and their personnel. Gossip is easy to get caught up in and it spreads like wildfire among people in any community.  After a great deal of reflection, I made a commitment to stay out of these trifling conversations for 7 reasons.

7 reasons to stay clear of Business Gossip: 1. While you are busy "Bashing" on other businesses, the minutes are ticking away to be Beautifying yours.

I have seen these conversations go on and on and on. I have been engaged in them for up to an hour. Imagine if we waste an hour each week Business Gossiping. That is 52 hours a year that we lose.  We don't get those hours back. Focus on putting those 52 hours to work to be inventive and creative in your business. Time is precious make it count!

2. Business Gossip will cost your business.

I used to spend quite a bit of money at a couple of establishments, but it was the same establishments I spent my time listening to owners bash on other companies. It finally dawned on me that businesses are ran by PEOPLE. Building relationships with PEOPLE is one of the most important aspects of running a business.  The gossip that takes place in businesses will leak out into the community, and when you need that business favor from your competition, I bet they say no. I stopped doing business with the establishments that are spending their time gossiping about others.

3. Compete don't Condemn.

Competition is a part of life. I am not saying you should not compete in the business world. What I am saying from my experiences is don't condemn. Don't speak about how poorly your competition does something. Don't blast their products. Don't blast their employees. Don't blast their leadership. When people come in to complain about your competition, do NOT join them in the gossip. Turn it into a positive for you. Sympathize with the customer and share with them how you can help them. Be a problem solver!

4. Do NOT bash your former employers

I used to work for a couple of sign companies and now I own my own. I learned a great deal from those people. I learned enough to branch out on my own.  I often get asked about how I feel about competing with my former employers. My usual response, "They are great companies. They must be doing things right because they have been operating in our community for years." I try to compliment my competition for their efforts. I feel this makes business owners appear more professional and mature. Your reputation is everything and the way people view your integrity is extremely important. You never know, your former boss might be sending work your way. I know I have sent work that we can't perform to my former employers. It is easy to bash the competition, but give people credit who deserve the credit.

5. Do NOT bash your former or current employees.

We have all sat with a friend and listened to them complain about their boss or job. I feel like a lot of those complaints fall on leadership. Thank goodness I have never had to fire an employee. We have been blessed with great people who have worked for us over the past few years. If I ever have to fire an employee, I want it to be on the best terms possible. Even fired employees carry your reputation in their hands. They should be let go in an empathetic and understanding way and if possible be given some sort of a severance that will help them sustain life for a couple of weeks. These people did not fit into your company, big deal. They are still people and people have families to care for. I want those who leave me saying, "It didn't work out for me there, but they are a great company that cares about people." Your former employees and current employees are some of the best recruiting tools you have. Let them praise your business and leadership, not degrade it. Try to hire the right people in the first place!

6. Customers.

Business Gossip is extremely unprofessional and customers notice. There is nothing worse than walking into an establishment to see business owners having a good laugh at the expense of another. It is uncomfortable for the customer and that customer is going to share the scene with others. You never know, that customer just might be a relation to the business being bashed. Customers are a business's most important asset!

7. KARMA!

If you treat others poorly, you will be treated poorly by others. That might mean you lose business, money, resources, etc. You never know when you might need your competition for that last second rush order when you are a foot short on materials and you have to have it to meet a deadline. I will go out of my way to help my competitors if possible. I am willing to give advice, feedback, etc. if I am asked.  Although, I am not so generous to those that are business gossiping for 52 hours a year. What goes around comes around!