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Manage the Rumors

Guest post by: Robert Whipple

Article Overview: Rumors are a daunting challenge for any organization. Wherever there are people, there is an issue of reality. One of the largest schisms between management and workers is the issue of accurate information. Rumors deflect energy from the vision and values. This paper discusses the origin of rumors and some antidotes to this common problem.

Manage the Rumors

Leaders become frustrated as rumors ripple through the organization, becoming more menacing as they go. Significant effort is spent on rumor control in groups with low trust. In areas of high trust, people question any discontinuity immediately, so rumors are extinguished before they sap productivity.

The origins of rumors make an interesting study. How do they get started? There are a host of mechanisms, from disgruntled employees trying to stir up trouble to honest mistakes in understanding. Most are the result of idle gossip and curiosity.

I got some insight once when following up after a communication session. I was addressing concerns in my organization during a difficult time. We had been outsourcing work to another plant, and people were unnerved about losing their jobs. I used a "town meeting" format to allay fears and give an opportunity for questions. About half of the people attended the meeting.

After the session, I immediately went to the shop floor to test reactions. When I asked an operator what he thought of the session, he said, "Well, actually I didn't attend but I heard you told everyone we were going to be shut down." I was taken aback because my message was exactly the opposite. The outsourcing effort was completed, and there were no further plans to move volume out. How could someone get the exact opposite message so quickly after the meeting?

This person was not pulling my leg. Through the grapevine, he had gotten the wrong message. Confirmation with several others who got the right message reaffirmed that most people heard my communication correctly. They said the message was crystal clear: no more volume would be leaving the plant.

In an atmosphere of high trust, this kind of misunderstanding is rare, yet it did occur in this instance. This person had no compunction about leveling with me. He was not fearful of any backlash and had been quick to point out issues in the past. Yet he had gotten the wrong information. There was a fascinating phenomenon happening here.

Some people hear what they think you are going to say, even if you say something else. Their predisposition leaves them incapable of absorbing the actual words and meaning. It reminds me of the old Archie Bunker quote, when he says to his wife, Edith, "The reason you don't understand me, is because I'm talking in English and you're listening in Dingbat!"

If people you are trying to reach are worried about some draconian action, it may color their thinking enough to render them effectively deaf. That is why communicating strictly at the head level is dangerous. Test for understanding often, repeat the key points several times, and make sure everyone understands at the gut level. Use visuals to emphasize key points that might be misunderstood.

Imagine the problems in areas where trust levels are low to begin with, and people are afraid to say anything. It is easy to see how rumors germinate. Once started, they tend to multiply and change direction as misinformation zaps around like laser beams in a hall of mirrors. Before long, you are blinded with problems coming from every direction. It can be a huge problem.

When people believe something, it is real for them, even though it may not be factual. Once a rumor reaches a critical mass, management is forced to do damage control as if the dreaded consequence imagined was actually happening. The rumor creates a significant distraction. Handling entrenched rumors requires lots of communication and a return to the fundamental principles of the business. If things are really out of control, get everyone together and discuss the issues openly. It will be a difficult meeting, but it may help clear the air.

In areas of low trust, denials by management only pour kerosene on the fire. It becomes a vicious cycle until it passes or some other rumor moves in to take its place. Often rumors have a date associated with them. You hear statements like, "I got it from a reliable source that there will be a 25% layoff announced this Friday." Once Friday has passed, the rumor dies immediately. Rumors without a date are more difficult to kill.

The best way to deal with rumors is never let them start. That is not easy, but it is a good goal. Having the entire organization grounded in the values, vision, and mission is good preventive medicine because it enables people to see potential disconnects more clearly. This allows them to be dealt with immediately before the laser beams of misinformation start reflecting.

The way to mitigate existing rumors is to squelch them as early as possible. The best defense is to place a high value on open dialog. Reinforce people who bring forth issues or problems. Let the trust grow as a result of that reinforcement. If people know it is safe and rewarding to bring up scary stuff, they will have less need to spread rumors.

Be credible at all times. If you can't give a frank answer because you are sworn to secrecy, then say so. Being cagey will backfire. People will know, and your reputation will suffer. Not being upfront with people creates a huge trust withdrawal. If you can't give an answer, admit it and let the person know why. Covey put it this way:

"When individuals are duplicitous, when they say one thing but practice another, or when they bad-talk people behind their backs but sweet-talk them to their face, there is a subtle but eloquent communication that undermines trust and, inevitably, leads to win-lose agreements and arrangements requiring external supervision, control and evaluation."

Finally, remember the lesson outlined above. Make sure your communications are not ambiguous. Test for understanding often. Be redundant with the key points - perhaps reinforcing your words with an overhead slide or even a handout. Even though the information in my "town meeting" was technically correct, I had failed to communicate with precision. There were probably other times I failed the same way but never knew because it was not tested.

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Article Tags: Communication, information, Leadership, Manage, Rumors, Trust



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