Blog: Betty Jackson, SPHR, HPI

"You're kidding, right?" "I can't believe it!" "Whaaaaaaat!"...And the list goes on. These are typical responses to topics too hot for the workplace water cooler. So where is this so-called water cooler and what could possibly be wrong with getting the latest updates from the "411 operator" of the office; aka the Office Gossip?

The present day water cooler takes on many forms. Most water cooler conversations happen in places where employees feel casual and safe. Designated smoking areas, restrooms, elevators, e-mails, text messages and seemingly deserted corridors are the unassuming planks from which many a career has been tossed to the sharks. The more informal the environment, people tend to erroneously presume an increased sense of security. Countless professionals from preachers to politicians will remorsefully attest to the fact that the microphone is ALWAYS ON. Emails should be written with the knowledge that all electronic communications are just a point and click away from the front page of every media source in the world.  Be aware that as long as you are in the workplace, there are policies, procedures and laws that govern employee communication. Even if you work from home, be conscientious of the nature of your work-related e-mails and telephone conversations.

While being open to communication is essential to being perceived as a team player, many employees blur the boundaries between their personal and workplace appropriate conversations, often resulting in situations that create issues with morale, confidentiality and integrity. It is also important to understand that organizational leaders have a duty to act when issues that may constitute a violation of civil rights or that constitute a potentially hostile work environment are exposed in the workplace. So even though you are just casually "sharing" with your supervisor (who is also your personal friend) regarding another co-worker's reluctant affair with her manager, your supervisor may have a duty to act upon the information you casually shared. The result could be several careers overboard.

So what are the guidelines for positive and productive workplace communications? Here are five simple tips to keep you from going overboard at the water cooler.

• Establish personal ground rules for workplace communication that address issues which may not already be covered in your organizational code of conduct. Issues such as religion, personal finance, race and ethnicity, physical features such as hair, baldness, birthmarks and skin tone; gender based lifestyle and personal romantic relationships. Discussion of these and other sensitive issues may cause co-workers to feel uncomfortable and may be factors in contributing to a hostile work environment. Remember that everyone may not share your level of comfort on highly personal topics and no employer wants to defend against allegations of a hostile work environment.
• Understand that the workplace is never as casual as it might seem. Those who bring gossip to you about other co-workers usually maintain their low standard of confidentiality when your personal information is available for dissemination to the masses. Yes, simply put they gossip about you too! Still, it is important to be social and not to alienate co-workers. A great way to manage the gossip and remain engaged as a trusted team member is to simply change the subject to the job or task that should be the gossip's primary focus at the time. Some people simply respond to the gossip, "That's T.M.I." (too much information). Gossips usually get the message and ship off to more lucrative dumping grounds.
• Beware of over-sharing your personal matters with workplace confidants. In this time of economic uncertainty it can be tempting to divulge personal information that would usually be relegated to the confines of the family table. After all, we sometimes spend more waking hours with our co-workers than we do with our own family members. Information on topics such as bankruptcy, foreclosure, marital or extra-marital problems and sensitive health care issues can pose potential damage to a person's career. Be very careful of placing your career at risk by exposing the details of private matters in the workplace. Hot potatoes are hard to hold onto and in the end you will have to consider how you contributed to the story of your life being placed on Front Street.
• Respected professional reputations are built on trust. You must decide whether the  momentary adrenaline rush of broadcasting the latest tidbit of gossip throughout the workplace is truly worth being branded as the leak that is sinking the Titanic.
• Before you take the plunge at the water cooler, count up the cost and remember the Golden Rule.

  During the Great Depression of the 1930s, America endured massive economic upheaval and food shortages brought on my World War I and World War II.  Ordinary citizens were encouraged to demonstrate their patriotism and cope with food rationings by planting war gardens, later known as victory gardens.  Throughout the United States , people were asked to cultivate their own backyards and any available public space into war gardens to provide their own fruits and vegetables and contribute to the war effort.

  The concept of a war garden is a proactive approach to dealing with the economic uncertainty which can be applied to the individual pursuit of career security.

  The first step is to dedicate a plot of land to your particular field of dreams and weed out anything that could stifle growth.  Procrastination, failure to plan, reluctance to self-promote, and operating in a professional silo are crop-killers that are sure to thwart the best intents of any career gardener.  It would be haphazard to plant a garden without consideration of key factors like the quality of the soil, the geographic challenges of the location and the type of harvest one hopes to reap.  Likewise a failure to take personal responsibility for developing a plan to indentify and cultivate your competitive advantage is like planting your war garden in a field of thorns.

  Once you have determined the desired outcome, the first seed to plant is a current resume.  A stale resume in a moment of opportunity could render your quest for career security ineffective.  Resumes require continual attention as skills are increased and professional certifications are acquired.  Remember that volunteer experience and community involvement can boost your marketability to organizations that are increasingly concerned with social responsibility.

  Since the 1800s, the Farmer’s Almanac served as a rich source of information on everything from weather prediction to astronomy for the casual gardener as well as industrial farmer.  In today’s rapidly changing labor landscape, active involvement in professional associations helps career gardeners to stay abreast of the trends and changes in their industry.  Investing time and talent in a local chapter plants seeds of networking that often yield an amazing harvest of opportunities when you least expect it.  Many associations provide a platform for professionals to showcase their expertise by sharing best practices with others in the industry.  Such associations can also help to water your career garden with educational opportunities which may be offered as live workshops and conferences or web-casts, pod-casts and various online educational resources. 

  Sometimes it is difficult for a novice to differentiate between the tenderly growing seedlings and the weeds.  Every war garden stands a better chance of becoming a victory garden under the wise guidance and support of a seasoned farmer.  According to a survey by Business Finance Magazine in 2000, seventy-seven percent (77%) of U.S. companies surveyed said that mentoring improved both retention and performance of employees.

  As the seeds of an up-to-date resume, networking, continuing education and active involvement in professional associations begin to sprout; one of the most effective strategies to assure a bumper crop of success is to acquire a mentor.  Mentors can give objective input and guidance while helping protégées to develop the business acumen necessary to thrive in a changing economic environment.  There are both formal and informal mentorship programs.  When formal for mentorship are not available through your employer, seek out members of your professional community whom you admire and request an informal interview.  Research their career progression and enlist their support in providing honest feedback about your career path.

  The war gardens planted just prior to World War I in 1917 alone, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, (nearly 5.3 million of them) produced an estimated $350 million worth of fruits and vegetables.  The canning their harvest amounted to more than 500 million quarts.  By 1918, that number soared to nearly 1.5 trillion quarts, valued at $525 million.  Thirty years later, during World War II, war gardens became victory gardens and the harvest was just amazing.

  Creating one own career success may indeed be as simple as looking in your own backyard.  A passionate commitment to managing your own career through proactively planting the seeds of success today will continue to yield a surprisingly abundant harvest of growth and opportunity even after this current economic tidal wave has receded.