Companies don’t need to compete with each other. Most companies, most likely including yours, compete with themselves.
We fight wars between departments and sling gossip among cliques.
Wait a minute. Aren’t we on the same team?
Nobody is focused on treating team members well. Nobody cares about serving the customer. Nobody remembers share-holders. Nobody even notices the quality of the products. And nobody remembers how fiercely the competitors are fighting for market share.
Why?
Because we’re too busy pointing out the flaws of another department. We’re too busy making ourselves look good and justifying our actions. We’re spending our time and energy proving how right we are and how wrong they are. We’re discussing internal problems with everyone — except for the people who can solve them.
Who needs competition when you have gossip?
For that matter, who needs economic crisis, or low profits, or quality issues, or vendor supply shortages, or internal reorganization, or even cutbacks?
You can get the same effects on morale with a hint of gossip.
All for the sake of drama.
It’s preventing our companies from thriving. From providing fulfillment from working hard at a great company doing something valuable. From being a fun place to work. From maturing.
From growing, not just in numbers.
The enemy needs to be outside the building. Never forget this.
There’s important work to do.
How much better would your company be if instead of gossip, there was trust and respect for every person and department?