The ward that you are interviewing for has a history of gossip on the unit. How do you deal with gossip?
The interviewers ask this question to gain insight into your communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills. Gossip is generally defined as communication between two or more people about an absent third party. Most employers will not tolerate it as it can be construed as bullying or harassment. However, some managers believe gossip can be helpful and seen as a reflection of problems 'behind the scenes.' If this is the case, leaders can use this gossip to determine where issues lie and develop a strategy to deal with it. Since all leaders are different, your way of dealing with it may be handled differently than others. Describe your method and approach to managing workplace gossip as a leader.
"How I deal with gossip depends on the situation. When starting a new job, I pay attention to the gossip to determine if the unit has underlying issues that need to be addressed. Once I determine the issue, I will speak with the person who is the source of the gossip and use my critical-thinking skills to develop a plan of action to resolve the issue. If the source of gossip is mean-spirited and harassing, I will quickly pull aside the people who are gossiping and ask to hear what they have to say about the situation. I will then follow my company's policies and procedures to document and report the harassment. When first starting a job in a leadership position, I like to let my team know that while I am a fair and understanding person, I will not tolerate bullying or harassment of any nature. That way, my team knows where I stand from the beginning."
