On Keeping My Mouth Shut

I don't always keep my mouth shut when I should.

I never pass on information, I will say that. If you tell me a secret, I won't be the one to pass it on. I don't tell my sisters, either. Just so you all know. There have been too many times when someone has assumed I will know something because they told my sister. Or assumed she would know something because they told me.

Later, when they find out that I have not told her, they are surprised.

"But didn't you tell me not to tell anyone?" I will answer. A confidence is a confidence. You just don't share it with others.

But sometimes I am too free with my opinions about someone or something and I wish I would have just not said anything at all. Just yesterday I did that. I wish I would shut up before I let that stuff leak out of my mouth.

I heard a great show about this on CBC today. I do always love Definitely Not the Opera, but today was downright inspiring. It was all about gossip. How it hurts others, how people have been hurt by gossip. If you click on my little link, you can hear the whole thing, I do believe. It's funny and interesting and challenging all at once.

I love the idea of a no-gossip zone.

This book, The No-Gossip Zone is all about creating a no-gossip environment in your workplace.  The author was (is?) the CEO of a company and while he had an open door policy, he noticed that a lot of doors were being shut. He discovered he was being gossiped about and (to make a long story short) he met with employees to create a workplace that was free of gossip. When people slip, they are supposed to leave the person to whom they are talking, and go to the person they said something about.

It's been revolutionary. Employees are reporting more satisfaction at work than ever before and their business has doubled every year since implementing this. New hires know about the no-gossip policy before they come on board and have to agree to abide by it as well.

Imagine!

On the one hand, the concept is old as the hills, or if you are a bible-reader, as old as the bible. Jesus said our gifts to God don't amount to much if we have a grievance with a brother or sister. We're told to leave our offering and go talk to them first. This no-gossip zone thing sounds suspiciously similar.

Imagine how your life would change if we all implemented a no gossip rule? Imagine, (for those of us who are part of church communities) what your church would look like if it were a no gossip zone.

I am inspired to try again. And to keep trying. And to get just a little bit better at confronting right when I should and not let it fester.