FROM THE BLEACHERS-755
BY DR. JACK WELCH
No Honor Among Thieves
If you spend enough time around teams, businesses, or organizations, you eventually learn an important truth: not everyone in the room is pulling in the same direction.
Some people spend their time building others up. Others spend their time tearing people down. They smile in the boss’s office and then mock him in the hallway.
The interesting thing about people who gossip and backbite is they often live-in constant paranoia. They assume others are talking about them because they know exactly what they say about others. I have always believed there is no honor among thieves. The person who talks bad about someone behind their back will eventually do the same to you.
I recently witnessed an employee who worked in an office where the boss had just finished speaking to the staff about the direction of the business. After the meeting, several employees gathered in this person’s nearby office. The young lady started poking fun at the boss’s message, mimicking his tone and joking about his ideas while others laughed.
What they didn’t realize was the boss had left the meeting shortly after and was walking down the hallway. As he passed the office, he could clearly hear the conversation. He didn’t stop. He didn’t say a word. He simply kept walking.
What the young lady never knew was that the boss had been considering her for a promotion. She was talented and doing good work. Leaders look for more than talent. They look for character, loyalty, and trust. What do you think about the possible promotion? Good leaders pay attention to how people behave when they think no one is watching. So how do you deal with people who gossip and tear others down?
First, recognize who they are. Not everyone deserves the same level of trust. Second, try to help them if you can. Sometimes people fall into gossip because they want attention or approval. Third, pray for them. People who tear others down often have something broken inside themselves.
Most importantly, be wise enough to understand their character. Great teams are built on trust and people can change. Teammates defend one another, support one another, and speak well of one another. The truth is simple. If someone constantly tears others down behind their back, eventually they will do the same to you.
Remember, there is no honor among thieves.
Thought for the Week, “Character is revealed not by what people say in front of others, but by what they say when others leave the room.” Jack Welch
Dr. Jack Welch serves as President of Fort Scott Community College. With a career spanning professional sports, public education, and rural community development, he brings a servant-leader mindset and a passion for building trust-driven cultures that empower people to thrive in the classroom, on the field, and in life. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching: The Total Coaching Manual.