Reimagining the Rumor Mill to Benefit from “True Rumors”

Using peer-to-peer communications to reinforce company culture

Leaders often lament the so-called “rumor mill” within their organizations.

Misinformation and half-truths can spread quickly via word of mouth, and this is especially applicable in many healthcare settings — where cafeterias, break rooms, and nurses’ stations function as informal hubs for peer-to-peer communications within and across departments.

Unchecked rumors and leaks can undermine operations and culture, but it’s important to recognize that word of mouth communication among employees is perfectly natural and largely unavoidable. That’s why attempts to quash the rumor mill typically fail and sometimes backfire: for example, by driving employees into secret Facebook groups or text chains where the loudest voices nearly always tend to be detractors.

The challenge for leaders is to reimagine the rumor mill as a communications channel, shifting from a threat lens to an opportunity mindset.

Although informal and interpersonal, peer-to-peer communications can be just as effective as other channels for sharing messages and reinforcing organizational culture. Patrick Lencioni, the influential author and management theorist, has advanced the concept of “true rumors” — urging leaders to harness the rumor mill to spread accurate and positive information via existing social networks within the organization.

Socially-shared information is particularly important where employees are experiencing email overload, and in settings where frontline employees spend significant time away from their inboxes, engaged in patient care and core functions like charting.

How can leaders operationalize true rumors?

Context matters, as each organization is different and important messages require thoughtful consideration on how and when to disseminate. That said, there are tried-and-true tactics and best practices that can serve as a starting point:

• Walk the halls. Employees crave information from executive leaders and appreciate opportunities for direct interaction. In addition to large, formal events like town halls, C-level leaders should make a habit of “rounding” or walking the halls to informally connect with staff. It’s a powerful symbolic gesture, and a great opportunity to seed true rumors and activate word of mouth networks within the workplace. “Did you hear that the CEO stopped by today?”
• Equip and empower managers. Where possible, bring frontline managers into the fold well in advance of organizational announcements, policy changes, or new initiatives. Use the opportunity to pressure-test and anticipate likely questions, and equip them with talking points to take back to their departments ahead of formal rollout. Outside of highly sensitive situations — where avoiding leaks is the top priority — there is value in allowing managers to set the table within their own ranks before issuing enterprise-wide communications. This can also help to avoid situations where managers are put on the spot to defend or explain important messages that they’re still digesting even as employees are coming to them for additional information or clarification.
• Start verbally, then reinforce and clarify in writing. While there are instances in which it is necessary to communicate in writing and then engage verbally, this needn’t be the default for all communications. Spreading messages via word of mouth first can help to activate peer-to-peer networks and ensure that the overarching message isn’t lost in details of an email. Nuance can be communicated via written follow-up to clarify department-specific implications and fill any gaps that might otherwise fuel inaccurate interpretations or rumors.
• ID and engage your natural leaders. Union organizers often undertake rigorous workplace mapping to understand employee social dynamics. A primary goal is to identify “natural leaders,” or non-managers who are highly respected and interconnected with their peers — de facto network nodes who are capable of rallying and moving others. These employees can be powerful allies and culture drivers if they’re engaged proactively and respected as leaders in their own right, regardless of formal management authority. Often, these employees are also best-positioned to quickly refute untrue rumors and secure voluntary participation or buy-in from their colleagues.

The rumor mill can be challenging, but active peer-to-peer communication isn’t inherently negative. In fact, it can signal social health and connectivity within the ranks of the organization! Problems arise when the rumor mill is left to spin on its own, without accurate information or engagement from leaders. Accepting the existence of the rumor mill is the first step toward re-conceptualizing it as a durable and important channel in the internal communications mix.

The challenge for leaders is to reimagine the rumor mill as a communications channel, shifting from a threat lens to an opportunity mindset.