"Have you heard about...."

[Eamonn]

I don't belong to a lot of other organizations, those that I do seem to dwell on the things that are going well and the successes that the organization has had and that the members of the organization have had.

Sad to say this is happening less and less in our area. Parking lot meetings that used to be where the real planning of events got done, have become a meeting where there is gossip and worse at times back stabbing. We seem to spend less and less time looking for the good that is done by our members and more time putting people down.

I know that I'm guilty of letting people know what I really think. But I like to think that I'm man enough to say it to their face. If there is something that I'm not sure about I will find out what the facts are.

All this gossiping and spreading of half truths and at times outright lies does untold harm. Worse still is now when I hear it and say that I don't want to hear it people think that I am defending something or somebody that might be wrong. This is not the case. I just want to have the facts before I open my mouth. Or in a lot of cases whatever "It" is. Is none of my business to start with.

This does go against how I see the Scout Law. I just wish it would stop.

Eamonn

[Fuzzy Bear]

I believe will you find general agreement that gossip is wrong. Stopping it can only be achieved one person at a time and with good examples set as you say you are doing.

 

My secondary thoughts on this subject are to define gossip as a way to commend someone by putting another person down. Lack of recognition, lack of acceptance, lack of engaging others in planning may engender the type of gossip that you speak of. The rational approach would be to survey the last two District Dinners to find if only a few or many are being recognized and for what actions.

 

By spreading the recognition/power/positions/leadership around is one way to insure that there are too many to speak of during the parking lot visitations. It wont stop it but it will redirect efforts to more worthy pursuits.

 

FB