Working the Grapevine 

Business > Further than Figures

Learn how to harness the power of the company rumour mill.

FROM: JUL-AUG 2007 ISSUE | BY MERGE GUPTA-SUNDERJI

The company grapevine is quite possibly the most efficient form of communication in any organization. Paradoxically, it’s also the bane of managers and supervisors. Whether the scuttlebutt starts at the loading dock, the water cooler, or the lunchroom, the rumour mill can cause grief for many managers, and that’s why some leaders go out of their way to distance themselves from it. But avoiding the grape-vine, or, even worse, pretending it doesn’t exist, is the worst possible thing you can do.

A Common Misconception

Consider this: if used appropriately, the company grapevine can be a very effective method of communication and a powerful tool with which to disseminate information. But in order to achieve these benefits, you might have to drastically change your view of this well-used communication pipeline.

First, you have to accept that there are two irrefutable truths about communication in organizations. One, if there is no information readily available, people will make it up. Two, no matter how hard you try, it is impossible to eliminate the organization’s rumour mill. These facts can be used to your advantage if you understand how to harness their power.

This is better understood if we look at what often happens in organizations. Let’s say the company’s management is working on a confidential initiative, something of significant interest to employees. But because the managers haven’t yet nailed down the details, they are reluctant to share information with their people. Logically, and with good intentions, they reason, “There’s no point in telling everybody about it just yet; far better to wait until we have all the particulars worked out and we can give our staff exact answers to their questions.”

In reality, of course, there is no such thing as confidential in any company of any size. If there is more than one person involved in the process, there is no such thing as a secret. Sooner, rather than later, the rumour mill kicks into high gear. When there is a lack of information, human nature leads people to assume the worst. Before you know it, pure speculation takes on a life of its own and the worst possible scenarios are played out at the water cooler and in the lunchroom. And once the snowball begins to roll, it’s difficult to slow it down to mitigate the damage.

A Radical Approach

But leaders can make two irrefutable truths about communication work for them.

1. By sharing what they know – even preliminary or partial information – managers can substantially improve the quality of the information circulating through the company grapevine. Information accompanied by the caveat “not yet final” is better than no information at all. The vast majority of employees can accept that preliminary information is subject to change, and will readily accept amendments later.
2. By strategically feeding information to selected people in the company grapevine, smart leaders can actually harness the power of the gossip machine. Think of the company grapevine as a network called the Grapevine Transmission System (GTS). In every organization there are certain individuals who can expedite the transmission of information through the network. Most managers view these employees with some level of frustration, and occasionally with contempt. But what if you were to deliberately share your information with these power GTS members? Not only would you get more truth into the system, you would also ensure faster circulation through the network.

Remember that if people do not have any information, they make it up, so you might as well give them some facts. You can’t get rid of the grapevine, so doesn’t it make sense to use it to your advantage?

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