Need Peace

[Wendy_Ann]

Please, Can anyone tell me how to bring peace to a negative office environment where gossip runs free. I work with a group of women who can not seem to get along. Two women come to me with complaints about the others, I am just a coworker not a supervisor. My supervisors can not seem to make this stop. I just want to be able to work in a peaceful environment. What can I do without making the situation worse?

Thank You,

Wendy Ann

 

[WoundedIcon]

Well, you can tell them politely that you don’t think it’s your business, or you can actually intervene and help resolve the problems they’re having with each other. The latter is harder however. Or you can offer advice to twist the gossip’s arm into something positive.

 

[IrishRush]

Please, Can anyone tell me how to bring peace to a negative office environment where gossip runs free. I work with a group of women who can not seem to get along. Two women come to me with complaints about the others, I am just a coworker not a supervisor. My supervisors can not seem to make this stop. I just want to be able to work in a peaceful environment. What can I do without making the situation worse?

Thank You,

Wendy Ann

I think the most obvious answer here is to pray for your coworkers of course. But besides that, I’ll tell you what I did in a similar situation. I had a coworker that used to come to me with all kinds of gossip about one individual in particular that she didn’t like. So one day, being thoroughly sick of listening to this, I told her that the next time she came to me with gossip like that I was going to repeat it to the person about whom she was gossiping. Of course she didn’t believe me and did it again. So I did what I said I was going to do. It was hard, and my friend was initially FURIOUS with me, but she stopped coming to me with gossip. I really felt like I was out of options so I did what I had to do. Naturally, the subject of the gossip was aware that she was being talked about and wasn’t at all surprised at what I told her.
Good luck to you!

 

[marlap2]

I know that I’m going to sound a little sweet and sappy here, but here goes anyway.

I love the little flower. Therése of Lisieux. Her book, Story of a Soul helped me in many ways to change how I dealt with people and difficult situations. I was working in a toxic environment as well, with some people getting so angry at each other and sullen that they wouldn’t talk to each other. There was gossip as well. It was very difficult. Like you, I was at my wit’s end to try to “solve” things.

I looked to the Little Flower, and this is how things changed. I saw that all the antagonistic attititudes and anger and gossip was a spiritual battle. So, in the morning, I would go to work much earlier than the “angry” people. I would go to each desk, and ask our Lord to Bless that person. Whatever needs that person had to become forgiving, etc. Each person I would pray for. I would buy a rose, and lay it on the desk of one person. And then a few days later, buy a rose and lay it at another person’s desk. And so on and so forth. No one ever knew who the roses came from. There was more conversation about the roses than about anything else.

But the best part is that God hears prayers, and in many cases, hearts became softer. Not all the time of course, but God knows, it’s been many years and maybe things are better for some of those people.

It was actually fun to pray and to cause positive vibes without having anyone know. It’s like you are God’s secret agent. Don’t forget to put a rose on your own desk!

Blessings
Marla

 

[Dorothy]

I know that I’m going to sound a little sweet and sappy here, but here goes anyway.

I love the little flower. Therése of Lisieux. Her book, Story of a Soul helped me in many ways to change how I dealt with people and difficult situations. I was working in a toxic environment as well, with some people getting so angry at each other and sullen that they wouldn’t talk to each other. There was gossip as well. It was very difficult. Like you, I was at my wit’s end to try to “solve” things.

I looked to the Little Flower, and this is how things changed. I saw that all the antagonistic attititudes and anger and gossip was a spiritual battle. So, in the morning, I would go to work much earlier than the “angry” people. I would go to each desk, and ask our Lord to Bless that person. Whatever needs that person had to become forgiving, etc. Each person I would pray for. I would buy a rose, and lay it on the desk of one person. And then a few days later, buy a rose and lay it at another person’s desk. And so on and so forth. No one ever knew who the roses came from. There was more conversation about the roses than about anything else.

But the best part is that God hears prayers, and in many cases, hearts became softer. Not all the time of course, but God knows, it’s been many years and maybe things are better for some of those people.

It was actually fun to pray and to cause positive vibes without having anyone know. It’s like you are God’s secret agent. Don’t forget to put a rose on your own desk!

Blessings
Marla

Thank you for sharing that! God’s grace conquers all!