Pastors

Gossip indicates poor health.

We had huge gossip issues ten years ago, but we don't today.

We had created an environment where people felt powerless to dissent. Most church business we kept secret among the top leaders. Gossip was an ungodly response to powerlessness.

We decided if information is going to be distributed freely, we want to be the ones to distribute it. So now we share widely whatever is appropriate. We try to create an environment where people can be heard. If people are informed and empowered, then when they hear gossip, they will stop it, because they know it's not true.

In a multi-cultural environment, it's important to know whether the person is from a directive or non-directive society. Asian and Latin cultures communicate indirectly. It may not be appropriate to speak directly to a superior. Someone might say something to my wife, hoping to open a discussion with me. That's not gossip. Their motivation is pure. They can have a conversation about me without attacking my ...

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