Episode #43 Kiss Gossip Goodbye
There is incredible power in the words we speak – power to unite and power to divide. This week, Dr. Michael Brown and Russell Catania challenge us to choose words that invigorate and inspire those around us.
Show Notes
Over time, I’m hoping people will trust me because they will know Michael Brown is not going to engage in gossip. He is not going to engage in those kinds of back-room conversations. He is going to call it out.Dr. Michael Brown
Three Problems
- It is easier to tell others about our conflicts than it is to lean into difficult conversations to address those conflicts.
- Engaging in gossip breeds distrust because it causes others to wonder whether we gossip about them too.
- Everyone who participates in gossip is in that moment hoping that nobody is gossiping about them.
Three Principles
- There is nothing that shapes our character and our reputation so much as the words that we speak.
- We are most likely to gossip about those of whom we are jealous.
- The three root causes of gossip are the pursuit of community, the trap of comparison, and the existence of cowardice.
Three Practices
- When you find yourself engaging in gossip, ask yourself, “What is my motivation in saying this?”
- Whenever you lower your voice to share a detail about another person, take it step further and stop talking right then and there.
- When you are on the receiving end of gossip, ask the question, “Have you talked to them about this yet?”
In This Episode
Related Dimensions
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