A reader writes:
I am a manager of a handful of front line managers. One manager, Emily, approached me the other day to say that one of the receptionists, Jane, told her there was a rumor going around the office that Emily was having an affair with a coworker, John, and that she hoped the behavior would stop. The behavior in question? They joke around with each other.
Emily investigated where the rumor was coming from and found it originated with Jane. She went through a rough couple of days when she felt completely blindsided and sick about the whole thing. She is happily married and so is John. I have seen them interact many times and it’s only ever seemed like two colleagues who banter back and forth together. I have never seen or heard anything that would raise concern. Moreover, I have worked with Emily and John for a long time and their character is above reproach. I am not concerned at all that there’s anything to the rumor.
Jane has been at the center of office gossip before. In fact, before she was concerned that Emily and John were having an affair, she felt like another coworker and John were getting “too close.”
I have heard for the last few months that Jane feels she would be a better manager than Emily, and I wonder if this is her way of trying to get rid of Emily. I have never wanted Jane to be a manager. She has never shown that she would be good at it, so she isn’t on my radar when it comes to any kind of succession planning.
I plan on speaking with Jane about unprofessional behavior and the company policy about not gossiping, and I plan on giving her an official warning on this subject. Is there anything else I can do? How should I word my conversation with her? And, should I in this same conversation tell her that she will never be a manager under my downline? Or would that just be piling on?
I answer this question over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them). You can read it here.
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