OVERVIEW
Interpersonal communicating is challenging in workplace environments for many reasons, many of which have to do with what is called the people problem. Doing your job is top priority when you go to work. Everything you do centers around it and, your very job situation depends on it. We often forget that we have more to do than just our jobs. In order to complete many tasks, we have to interact with people. True success at work depends on our ability to do this well. We have to communicate with other departments, customers, bosses, co-workers, etc. However, human nature brings about difficult situations that can often make our "job" of this very difficult.
Gossip can often get in the way of relationships we have built, or more importantly, relationships we need to build. We have to be very conscious about the gossip we choose to involve ourselves in because, after all, not all gossip is negative. Spreading the word about important contributions or successes has positive effects on the ever-important work relationship.
Even when we are not meaning to talk about others, gossip sneaks into shop talk and what was once a productive conversation has become a destructive monster. And while shop talk seems to be on-task conversation, it is important to remember that task, and actual job, at hand. Talking and relationships cannot interfere with your employment.
Communication, both positive and negative is a two-way street, composed of speakers and listeners, the latter being possibly the more important of the two. Speakers must communicate in such a way that the listener is able to pick up on e important ideas and the listener must be able to be informed enough to ...