Whether you’ve been working with a wellness coach for several months or if you’re about to have your first ever coaching session, sometimes it’s challenging to find a topic to talk about.
Working with a wellness coach can certainly be a life changing investment! In order to get the most value during your time with your wellness coach, it’s important to show up prepared and ready to go, and part of that includes having a topic to talk about.
If you’re having trouble answering the question, “What do you want to talk about today?” take a moment to ask yourself some questions before your coaching call to get your mind in gear. Here are some suggestions:
Is there a recent positive experience you’d like to share — maybe something to celebrate?
Is there a recent negative experience that you’d like to reframe?
Did you take the action steps that you talked about during your previous coaching session?
Have any questions come up for you during the past week that you’d like to ask?
Have you had any insights and aha moments?
Hopefully, these five questions will be enough to inspire an animated and productive coaching conversation with your wellness coach, but if not, and you’re still asking yourself, “What am I going to talk about in my next wellness coaching session?”I’ve come up with a list of topics for you to choose from.
Here are some wellness coaching topic ideas:
Rest & Relaxation
“I’d like to sleep better.”
“I’m having trouble coping with stress and I’d like to find better ways to manage stress and relax.”
“I’d like to explore some ways to manage my anxiety.”
“I’d like to add meditation to my morning routine.”
“I’d like to figure out ways to better manage my pain and/or chronic illness.”
“I’d like to go on a vacation soon and I’d like to plan something really special.”
Healthier Lifestyle Choices
“I’d like to make significant changes in my life starting with my health.”
“I’d like to take a break from my digital devices.”
“I’d like to quit smoking cigarettes.”
“I’d like to quit drinking alcohol.”
“I’d like to clear some clutter in my house.”
“I’m feeling stuck in life and I don’t know what to do next.”
Relationships
“I’d like to heal my broken heart.”
“I’d like to have a better relationship with my partner and family.”
“I’ve just moved to Victoria (or another new city) and I’d like to meet some new people and make some new friends.
Aging Gracefully
“I have a big event coming up (like a milestone birthday, class reunion, wedding, etc.,) and I’d like to look and feel my best.”
“I’d like to balance my hormones and manage my PMS, Peri-menopausal or Menopausal symptoms.”
“I’d like to have clear skin on my face and body.”
“I’d like to have a healthy baby.”
“I’ve seen other people suffer in their senior years and I don’t want to be in the same boat. It’s up to me to take charge of my health now so that I can enjoy my life to the fullest and age gracefully.”
Fitness & Nutrition
“I need to make better choices in regards to what I eat.”
“I’d like to add exercise to my daily or weekly schedule.”
“I’d like to lose weight at a healthy pace.”
“I’m planning to run in a 5K charity event or marathon.”
“I’m recovering from a car accident or sports injury and would like to feel better.”
Career
“I’d like to get along better with my co-workers.
“I travel a lot for work and I’d like to maintain a healthy lifestyle even while I’m on the road.”
“I’m giving a presentation at work and would like it to go smoothly.”
“I’m thinking about changing careers or going back to school.”
“I’m thinking about becoming a wellness coach myself.”
“I’d like to start a workplace wellness program at the office.”
Do any of these ideas jump out at you? With coaching, whatever you talk about is up to you, the client.
As a wellness coach and spa therapist, I help my clients relax and have piece of mind and all of these topic ideas relate to managing stress in some way.
If any of these wellness coaching topics resonate with you, I encourage you to explore them in your upcoming coaching conversations and see where they take you. They just might hold some missing pieces to the puzzle you’re working on.
Would you like to have some spiritual guidance on this topic? Consider signing up for a Free Crystal Mapping Session with Spa Therapist and Spiritual Wellness Coach, Maria Koropecky. Email Maria to book your free Crystal Mapping Session today.
If you’ve lived in a city for any length of time, you’ve probably watched a building go up in a space that was once a parking lot or a vacant lot with tumbleweeds. 🙂
It seems one day it’s the same fenced in property that you’ve walked past a thousand times and then the next day, you notice a big square hole in the ground the size of a city block, and a crane, and people wearing yellow construction hats carrying 2×4’s, and big loud trucks pouring cement.
This goes on for weeks and weeks with no visible progress to write home about, but at the same time, it’s fascinating to watch! I’m sure having a birds’ eye view of an active construction site with silent cameras zooming in on different trades and jobs would make for a great tv show — just like the burning log at Christmas time. I’m serious!
Then all of a sudden, one day, the fence is gone, the crew is gone, and a huge condo and office complex is standing there proudly, and you say, “Where the bleep did that come from?!”
Leeds Certified, Capital Park, Victoria, BC. 2018
And you also may be thinking, “What does this story have to do with the secret to creating a masterpiece?”
Well, a masterpiece can be anything like a skyscraper, house, painting, sculpture, photograph, novel, poem, song, dance, meal, garden, lecture, business, invention, product, idea, or goal that captures a unique moment in a grande manner. It’s timeless and it’s technically near flawless.
A masterpiece can also be something more ethereal or ineffable like a relationship, or a conversation, or a political movement, or a meaningful life. There’s something breathtaking about its energy.
Would you like to know the secret that leads to creating any of these types of masterpieces? The truth is, they all start with a solid foundation!
Yes, the foundation is the secret!
In a construction site, the foundation sets the tone for the rest of the structure: if the foundation is sound, the whole building will be strong. That’s why they spend such a big chunk of their time, energy, budget, and resources at the foundation stage. That’s why it seems like nothing is happening at the ground level for so many weeks and then the rest of the floors go up in what seems like a matter of days.
Foundations are all about integrity, stability, intention, respect, rules, trust, and vision. If you focus on building a strong foundation first and keep these values in mind as you’re launching your project, you will create a magnum opus!
But if you take short cuts or cheat or skip the foundation all together, you’re building a house of cards on a pile of sand that will topple in a soft breeze. Yikes!
When I was in coaching school, we spent many hours talking about the importance of a strong foundation and establishing our foundations. You might say the idea of the foundation was drilled into us! 🙂
We learned that taking the time to build a solid foundation at the beginning of our coaching conversations would lead to amazing transformational and transcendent breakthroughs for our clients — and it’s true!
Once the foundation is established, the rest of the coaching conversation is fluid and easy and even healing! It just goes up and up and up and it feels amazing!
So, if you want to talk to a spiritual wellness coach who takes the time to establish a strong foundation with you by asking thoughtful questions and listening with reverence as you express your deepest thoughts and feelings, and you also aspire to create your own masterpiece, whatever the looks like for you, please contact me, Maria, to talk. I’m looking forward to meeting you!
Would you like to have some spiritual guidance on this topic? Consider signing up for a Free Crystal Mapping Session with Spa Therapist and Spiritual Wellness Coach, Maria Koropecky. Email Maria and book your free Crystal Mapping Session today.
Did you know the term, “Girl Friday” comes from the movie, His Girl Friday (1940) with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell?
A Girl Friday is:
a ‘go to’ girl;
someone who will help you get things taken care of;
a person you can count on to help you out with your to-do list;
someone you can rely on when you are in need of extra assistance;
an extra pair of hands on a big project; and
someone who acts as a ‘jack of all trades’ and is capable of doing almost anything!
Contact Maria Koropecky today. Services starting @ $22.
Conversations
Life Coaching; English Tutor; Conversational English practice; Visiting; Reading Stories; Interviews (you interview me or I interview you); Speaking at conferences, events, & retreats; Speech Rehearsal.
Writing
Website Content; Blogging; Social Media Posts; Co-Author Books; Biographer; Journalism; Letters; & Resumes.
Creating; Updating; Content Writing; & SEO using HTML, WordPress, & Shopify.
Personal Assistant
Admin Assistant; Virtual Assistant; Event Planning; Organizing Collections; Trade show Booth Set Up & Sales; Shipping & Receiving; Estate Sales; & Personal Shopper.
Spa Therapy
Chair Massage; Relaxation Massage; Facials.
Spiritual
Prayer Requests.
Food Prep & Catering Support
Menu Planning; Party Prep; Cooking Food; Serving Food; & Hosting.
Pets
Cat-sitting; House-sitting; & Dog Walking.
Driving
Pick up/drop off; Errands; Long Distance; & Car Washes.
Travel
Travel Companion; Tour Guide; Location Scouting; Packing; Photographer.
Seasonal
Fruit Picking; Weeding; Snow Shoveling; Gift Wrapping; & Home Staging.
Not available for:
Electrical, plumbing or any construction trades; Car maintenance; Nursing; Childcare services; Outdoor or high window washing; Exterior painting; Carpet cleaning; Hoarders’ trash removal, & obviously anything illegal.
Having a successful workplace wellness program, corporate wellness program, or employee wellness program in your organization will help:
reduce absenteeism
reduce workplace accidents
reduce stress levels
reduce long-term stress leave requests
reduce chronic disease that is driven by unhealthy lifestyle choices and stress
increase morale
increase productivity
increase employee retention and
increase profits!
Healthy employees are easier to get along with and are more productive than unhealthy ones, so it stands to reason to implement a workplace wellness program and create a corporate culture that encourages health and wellness.
But what does it take for a workplace wellness program to go from ho hum to a humdinger?
If incentive gifts are part of your Workplace Wellness Program, you’re in good company. Many employers offer all kinds of perks that range from $0 to over $1000 – with $521 being the average per person – to motivate their employees and clients to stay the course and meet their health and fitness goals.
As a Wellness Coach and the owner of CruisingIntoWellness.com, I believe that providing incentives to your wellness program participants can really boost engagement.
People love free stuff – I’ve seen co-workers sell 19 copies of a cookbook just to get theirs free!
There are all kinds of ways employers and coordinators can add colourful sparkle to workplace wellness programs including having healthy snacks in the vending machines, offering group coaching, and using the latest fitness apps. Today, I’m just going to recommend giving merchandise.
At CruisingIntoWellness.com, I’m not talking about the all-too-familiar water bottles, pens, t-shirts, keychains, coffee mugs, or mouse pads. Instead, I’ve curated an assortment of fun, unique, and healthy products that I think your co-workers, employees, and customers would really use and enjoy, with the bonus of helping them stay on track with their wellness goals.
Here’s how incentive gifts work:
Colourful incentives for your workplace wellness program.
When your employees sign up to participate in your wellness program, give them a swag bag full of treats and goodies to help them start off on the right foot.
When your employees show they’re making progress towards their wellness goals, CELEBRATE and offer them their choice of an incentive gift within a low to medium budget range. Repeat often.
When/if your employees start showing signs of wavering and there’s a lull in enthusiasm, draw for prizes to boost their spirits again.
And when your employees reach their big milestones, CELEBRATE and offer them their choice of an incentive gift that they’ve been working towards all along, (keep a list of their preferences on file) within a medium to high budget range.
Here are 19 Popular Incentive Gifts For Your Wellness Program Participants from our Incentives Collection @ CruisingIntoWellness.
Rose Gold Heavenly Scent Colour Therapy Diffuser $129.99
White Heavenly Scent Colour Therapy Diffuser $129.99
SpaScent Diffuser $41.99
CarScent Diffuser $17.99
AromaSens Nebulizer $67.99
9. MEDITATION CD’S
Through the Rainbow CD $19.99
Crystal Light CD $19.99
Through the Chakras: A Guided Colour Journey CD $19.99
10. NATURAL DISINFECTANT SPRAYS
Medieval Thymes Spray $5.99/$12.99
Yoga Mat Spray $5.99/$12.99
11. BEESWAX CANDLES
2 Violet Beeswax Candles $9.99
2 Indigo Beeswax Candles $9.99
2 Blue Beeswax Candles $9.99
2 Green Beeswax Candles $9.99
2 Yellow Beeswax Candles $9.99
2 Orange Beeswax Candles $9.99
2 Red Beeswax Candles $9.99
12. ESSENTIAL OIL ROLL-ONS
Rainbow Power 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
White Light 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
A-U-M 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Yoga 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Soul Purpose 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Relax & Renew 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Sweet Serenity 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Metamorphosis 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Love is in the Air 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Forest Fantasy 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Smarty Pants 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Garden of Eden 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Get Up and Go 10ml Roll-On Blend $12.99
Guardian Angel Essence Roll-On $2.49/$19.99
Medieval Thymes Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
First Aid Blend Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
Happy Hormones Blend Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
Booster Blend Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
Topical Skin Blend Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
Muscle Magic Blend Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
Peace & Harmony Blend Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
Joy to the World Blend Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
Chi-Energy Blend Roll-On $1.99/$12.99
13. FLORAL WATER SPRAYS
Lavender Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Myrtle Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Peppermint Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Spearmint Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Blue Roman Chamomile Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Ravensara Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Helichrysum Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Rose Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Lemongrass Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Orange Blossom Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Sandalwood Floral Water and Aromatherapy Spray $4.99/$11.99
Guardian Angel Essence Spray $5.99/$19.99
14. DR.’S REMEDY NAIL POLISHES
Dr.’s Remedy Playful Pink Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Altruistic Auburn Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Amity Amethyst Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Brave Berry Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Pleasing Peach Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Rescue Red Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Loveable Lavender Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Bountiful Blue Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Positive Pink Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Glee Gold Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Peaceful Pink Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Revive Ruby Red Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Wisdom White Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Passion Purple Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Noble Navy Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Promising Pink Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Remedy Red Nail Polish $19.99
Dr.’s Remedy Nail Polish Remover $12.99
15. GEMSTONES & CRYSTALS
Crystal Gemstone Kit $15.99
Clear Quartz Crystal Single Gemstone $1.59
Amethyst Single Gemstone $1.59
Sodalite Single Gemstone $1.59
Amazonite Single Gemstone $1.59
Pink Quartz Single Gemstone $1.59
Green Aventurine Single Gemstone $1.59
Yellow Citrine Single Gemstone $1.59
Orange Carnelian Single Gemstone $1.59
Hematite Single Gemstone $1.59
Red Tiger’s Eye Single Gemstone $1.59
16. INCENSE
Violet Sahasrara Chakra Incense $5.99
Indigo Vishuddhi Chakra Incense $5.99
Blue Ajneya Chakra Incense $5.99
Green Anahata Chakra Incense $5.99
Yellow Manipura Chakra Incense $5.99
Orange Swadhishtana Chakra Incense $5.99
Red Mooladhara Chakra Incense $5.99
17. SILK EYE PILLOWS
Violet 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
Indigo 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
Blue 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
Turquoise 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
Green 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
Yellow 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
Orange 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
Red 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
Pink 100% Silk Eye/Body Pillow $23.99
18. HEALING SALTS
Dead Sea Salt 1Kg $20.99
Epsom Salt 1Kg $15.99
Himalayan Salt 1Kg $24.99
19. COLOUR BATHS
Violet Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Indigo Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Blue Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Turquoise Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Green Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Yellow Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Orange Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Red Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Pink Colour Bath Bottle $19.99
Have a look through the Incentives Collection and see if there’s anything there you like.
Please contact me, Maria, if you’re interested in talking about adding incentive gifts for your wellness program participants from Ammolite Wellness Coaching.
I coach Green Leaders on living the life that lights them up!
You may be wondering what I mean by Green Leaders. Well, to me Green Leaders have heart and interestingly enough, the colour associated with the Heart Chakra, is Emerald Green!
Our Green Intelligence is about our compassion and heart-felt feelings. Green balances our spirit world with our physical world so we can relate to others with unconditional love and kindness. Green is also the colour of nature, healing, and new beginnings.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to do work that allows you to share from your heart, to be of joyful service, to contribute in a meaningful way, to make the world an even better place, and to inspire others to do the same?
To me, that’s what being a Green Leader is all about and I invite you to give yourself a chance and to throw your hat into the ring!
Green Leaders have heart!
Here are 25 signs you’re an up & coming Green Leader:
You have a big heart and you care about people, animals, and our planet.
You have a creative and nurturing spirit.
You’ve been asking yourself questions like, “What’s my life’s purpose?” and you feel like there’s something really big out there waiting for you but you can’t seem to claim it just yet.
Your new ideas for change have not always been well-received or understood and people have bullied, criticized, and harassed you for being different, but you’re still determined to keep going.
You want to take on more leadership responsibilities at work but you don’t know how to communicate your intentions to the higher ups.
You care about environmental stewardship, and you’ve volunteered on a clean up crew like the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup with the intention of doing that kind of work more often, or even starting your own similar group.
You’ve been on a Green Committee at work or school and enjoyed discussing ideas on how to improve your organization’s Reduce, Reuse, and Recycling efforts.
You’re what they call a “Green Consumer” and are mindful of the environment when you make your purchases, taking into consideration things like how the products are made, what the products are made from, and how far they’ve travelled to get to you.
You’ve thought about voting Green in past elections but there weren’t any Green candidates on the ballot or you were afraid you’d split the vote.
You look for ways to save money and stick to your budget and it bothers you when you notice things like money and resources being wasted.
You can’t stand watching incompetent leaders be in charge and feel like you can do a better job.
You’re opening your own business.
You’ve been the first in your family, neighbourhood, class, or office to do something new and positive, paving the way for others to follow suit.
You’d prefer your personal space to be neat, tidy, and organized but you’re still surrounded by clutter because it’s hard for you to throw things out.
Although you have access to a car, you’re starting to choose to walk, ride a bike, take the bus, or join a carpool more often.
You’re looking to optimize your health and wellness, and practice self-care, but you find yourself over-indulging in unhealthy behaviours from time to time.
You’re interested in eating fresh, healthy, and organic food every day but you still order highly-packaged take-out dinners a few times a week for the convenience.
Spirituality is becoming more important to you and you may be drawn to yoga classes, learning how to meditate, the personal growth movement, reading self-help, leadership, and spiritual books, attending workshops and seminars, distance running in charity events, going to church, praying, etc.
You’re noticing moments of synchronicity, the interconnectedness of events that aren’t planned or repeatable, and it’s really cool!
You’re an advocate for social justice and believe that all humans have a fundamental right to health, wellbeing, education, clean water, nourishing food, safe shelter, and freedom.
You’ve been known to speak for those who have no voice.
You’re grateful for the diversity in the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms of the world.
You marvel at nature’s beauty and enjoy camping, and nature hikes, and spending time outside in all kinds of weather.
You’ve witnessed an environmental disaster first hand and are now motivated more than ever to find solutions and create changes that will lead to a healthy future on a global scale.
Deep down, you’re optimistic about the future.
As you can see after reading this list, I’ve not painted the portrait of a perfect person or somebody who is better than everyone else even though they’re a leader because perfect is boring and more than that, perfect doesn’t exist, other than as a mathematical absolute. We’re all a work in progress and there’s always room to grow.
So, if you resonate with many of these qualities and you’d like to grow into your potential as a Green Leader and help make the world an even better place, please contact me, Maria. As a Wellness Coach, I can help!
Wellness Coaching Can Help You:
discover what lights you up so you can do more of it;
get clear about your life purpose and what you want to do as a Green Leader;
remind yourself about what’s already working;
uncover the hidden obstacles in your path;
figure out ways to blast through the obstacles as they come up;
Gossip is a negative, malicious, and damaging conversation about someone else behind their back.
Gossip is not friendly banter, idle chit-chat, or a productive discussion about work-related issues.
To illustrate my opinion, let me tell you a little story about Cytisus scoparius. Chances are you’ve seen these stunning yellow flowers, otherwise known as Scotch Broom, in the spring, in open meadows and along roadsides, in British Columbia.
Charlie the black cat near Scotch Broom.
On the one hand, this tough and pretty plant improves soil, is a good erosion-control plant, and it can be used to make brooms, hence the name.
On the other hand, Broom is invasive, it prevents other nearby plants from thriving, it’s a fire hazard, it’s toxic to livestock, and its pollen is considered an allergen to some.
Did you know that this species is not native to North America? It was imported here in 1850 with the help of a Captain who planted it at his Sooke farm, just outside Victoria, B.C., to remind him of home.
Little did the Captain know, once established, Scotch Broom is stubborn and difficult to remove. On top of that, it’s an aggressive, invasive species that is well-adapted to spreading: a single plant can produce 18,000 seeds per year! It’s also drought resistant and is able to survive in harsh conditions. Since the 1850’s, with the help of human hands, Scotch Broom has spread across British Columbia and beyond and has caused considerable damage along the way.
You may be thinking, “What a jerk! That Captain had some nerve bringing Scotch Broom to North America! Now, I have allergies!
You may also be thinking, “What does Scotch Broom have to do with gossip?”
Well, ironically, to make my point about gossip, I’ve just told you a story that maligned the character of a person who isn’t here to defend himself. It just goes to show how easily gossip can find its way into any conversation. I know the Captain was not malicious in his intent when he brought these flowers across the pond and I don’t want you cursing his name every time you see Scotch Broom on the side of a road. Instead, what I want you to think of, is gossip!
I told you this story because I really want to illustrate how gossip is just as invasive and destructive in the workplace, as the Scotch Broom is on the North American landscape.
Although gossiping may seem innocuous and harmless at first whisper, it plants the seeds of disrepute and negativity in the workplace.
No organization is immune from it but tolerating gossip in the workplace leads to a stressful work environment.
One little, not-so-innocent story about some unsuspecting person can travel quickly from person to person and group to group. That little story can hang on for years and can seriously damage the reputation and livelihood of the victim.
I don’t know if you can think of anyone who has missed out on promotions or has lost a job because of gossip, but I do. Me. I know gossip was a factor (among others) in the decision to let me go from a government job I had years ago. Aside from the on-going office politics, one of my co-workers belittled me behind my back, to anyone who would listen, and that gossip changed the climate in the office and my manager’s opinion of me.
Gossip in the workplace can also create productivity issues. It’s a huge time waster. If employees are talking about each other and are running to the supervisor to settle their differences, nobody is getting any work done. If gossip is running your office, you can almost guarantee that productivity is suffering also.
Gossip also breeds distrust among co-workers, staff, and managers. People will start to second-guess each other and strained relationships don’t make for good teams. The distrust will lead to low morale which will then lead to staff turnover issues. Your employees – the ones you have invested in – especially the top performers who don’t have time for this nonsense – will find jobs elsewhere. Who wants to work in a place where everyone is unhappy and doesn’t get along?
10 TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR A GOSSIP-FREE WORKPLACE
Keeping gossip to a minimum is one huge way to reduce the tension and negativity among your employees.
Whether you’re a business owner, manager, supervisor, co-worker, or the reigning office gossip, here are some tips and strategies for a gossip-free workplace:
Tip # 1. DON’T PARTICIPATE IN GOSSIP – EVEN AS A BYSTANDER.
By participating in negative conversations, you perpetuate gossip and you also discredit and dishonour yourself by association. Any participation in gossip will be viewed in a poor light and may cost you a promotion down the line. It also shows that you’re not a “team-player” like you said on your resume.
Tip # 2. HOW TO RESPOND TO GOSSIP.
If you’re constantly hearing gossip from one of your co-workers and you really don’t want to hear the on-going saga, here are some things you can say to get off the hook, out of the conversation, and stop the gossip in its tracks:
I feel uncomfortable talking about “so-n-so” in this way.
I don’t think it’s appropriate to discuss “so-n-so” while s/he’s not around.
Hearing you talk about “so-n-so” makes me wonder if you tell any stories about me like this when I’m not here.
If you don’t have anything nice to say about someone, don’t say anything at all.
Or, say something positive about “so-n-so” to turn the tables.
Tip #3. ASSESS THE CONTEXT
If you by chance catch wind of some gossip circulating around the office, assess the context. The gossip may be pointing to a weakness in the workplace that may need attention. Maybe employees are worried about a big change coming down the pike, for example. If that’s the case, having open communication, where everyone is in the loop, is the best way to handle the situation.
Tip #4. IF YOU HAVE AN OFFICE GOSSIP ON YOUR PAYROLL, talk to them in a closed-door meeting to find out what’s going on with them. Give them some attention and listen to what they have to say, so they feel heard. Forcing gossipers to explain themselves may shed some light on the situation. Once you hear their side, let them know that you will follow-up with anyone else involved, especially the person they are talking about. That alone may curb the gossip to a certain extent. Be sure to make it clear that at this point, the gossip must stop and that it is not tolerated at work.
Tip #5. DON’T LET YOURSELF BE THE SUBJECT OF GOSSIP.
Stay professional at all times, especially during office holiday parties because you never know who might be listening or watching. Keep your personal business to yourself and don’t confide in just anyone.
Tip #6. COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY.
If you have an issue with someone at work, tell them directly in a professional way rather than talking about them behind their back.
Tip #7. IF YOU’RE THE OFFICE GOSSIP.
If memories of past conversations in the office are floating in your head right now and if it’s occurring to you that you may indeed be the office gossip, think about why you feel compelled to talk smack about other people.
Are you trying to make yourself look better?
Are you trying to vent some frustration to feel better about yourself?
Do you enjoy the attention you get when you tell your stories?
Do you feel insecure about your own job?
Do you think you’re doing someone a service by exposing a flaw?
I’m hoping that once the gossiper sees how hurtful their behaviour is to others around them, they’ll change their tune to a more positive and supportive one in the world.
Tip #8. HAVE AN OFFICIAL NO GOSSIP POLICY TO DISCOURAGE GOSSIP.
Brief new employees on your no gossip policy when they are first hired and include “gossip” as a topic for discussion in a staff meeting. Let your employees know that gossip is not tolerated in this place of business and consequences of gossiping may include a written warning in their personnel file, a demotion, or they may even lose their job entirely.
I first came across a no gossip policy when I went back to school at the Aveda Institute and I must say, I was really impressed by their pro-active stance. I really felt respected by the school’s administration, like they had my back, and I really made a point of not engaging in gossip from then on.
Tip #9. FOSTER A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION.
“Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas,”~ Mary Curie
Ideas drive business. You’ve opened your business to solve a specific problem in the world and hired your staff to come up with ingenious ideas to deliver on that promise. Getting caught up in petty gossip prevents your staff from flourishing and from coming up with those amazing, out-of-the-box solutions that will put your business on the map. Let your employees feel safe to be creative, do their jobs, and wow your clients instead!
Tip #10. HIRE A LIFE COACH FOR YOUR STAFF.
A good life coach provides a safe place for people to express themselves. Instead of taking the passive-aggressive route of gossiping, employees can voice their concerns to a neutral professional who will help them work through their challenges in a constructive way.
Also, gossiping may demonstrate a talent for communication that has been mis-directed up-until-now and this person may in fact have the potential to be a great leader. Working with a life coach can really help staff members develop their communication skills in positive ways.
Allowing mean-spirited gossip to run rampant in the workplace can lead to a culture of distrust which will negatively impact productivity, morale, and loyalty. Managers should act quickly and not let gossip get out of hand. Pervasive gossip can be like Scotch Broom, and as it spreads, it will wreak havoc throughout a department, then the whole company, and will ultimately affect profits.
I’m sure you don’t want your company to be taken down by gossip, so make sure you nip it in the bud and refuse to tolerate it from here on out.
When I was in coaching school, we spent many hours talking about the importance of a strong foundation and establishing our foundations. You might say the idea of the foundation was drilled into us! 🙂
A Girl Friday is:
