How a reputation is lost…

There are a few things a hospice chaplain must hold near and dear to his heart: respect, pastoral care skills, and relational skills.  Respect given and received will keep the chaplain in good stead with the IDT.  Lose it and you find yourself in a hole you dug for yourself.  The one sure way to lose respect of your co-workers is to be the source of rumors.  Rumor-mongering in the workplace is never good.  It creates a toxic environment.  For the Chaplain, of all people, to be the source of rumors is totally incongruous to what a Chaplain is to stand for.  As I researched the concept of rumor mongering in the workplace, I came upon Bull’sEyeCareers.com.  This site’s mission statement caught my eye: “Career advice for those who seek to enhance their lives through meaningful work, professional development and education.”  And, then, came the article titled, “A Bad Workplace Habit to Nip in the Bud this Year.”  Here is a small portion of the article you will find instructive:  “when the rumors get personal and fellow employees begin to discuss other employees or bosses negatively, it is really time to step away. There are toxic people in organizations who would love nothing more than to drag you into their own web as a partner in crime. You know these people. They are always happy to say what they heard or saw and they are not afraid to drop names about who else knows and what someone else said. They are always happy to be the one who lets you in on the “secret” everyone else knows but you. Make no mistake about it, your name will be the first on his/her lips as they share the story with the next willing listener. They may even embellish what you said or didn’t say.
“Here are my five "Be's" for the new year as it relates to workplace rumor mongering:
1. Be careful...about your sources and what you repeat.
2. Be elusive...and avoid being alone with people who always want to snare others into their, "Did you hear about..." trap.
3. Be selective...about what you believe.
4. Be honest...and let people know that you would really prefer to just not talk about other people.
5. Be adept...at changing the conversation.”

I urge my Chaplain Colleagues to guard your reputation as your most valuable possession.  We are reminded in Proverbs 22:1: “A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold.” (Darby)  What 3 things can you do to enhance your reputation?  What 1 behavior will you not do to prevent your reputation from being soiled?