I think people are the same where ever you go. They come in all varieties, some nice, some mean, some inane, some wise. The best to do is to develop strategies to deal with them. I confess to not having done the best in that area, but have gotten much better of late.

I just let all inane chatter just go straight over my head. All groups of people, everywhere , gossip and backbite.....just let it wash over you. Sometimes it is a good thing to be slightly apart from the group, even when you are part if it. It is a skill I have managed to perfect over the years.

For me, it is less about the gossiping and back stabbing and more about the inane conversations and false cheeriness that leads to no one wanting to hold people accountable. When management hasn’t provided enough options for ambitious people or allowed deadbeats to advance or get by at others’ expense then people will become resentful & resort to the gossiping & stabbing. In some cases where I’ve worked, management would prefer that people just got along rather than discuss how to improve things.

Truth be told, I tried to get a team fired at my last company which probably involved me both gossiping & backstabbing. Everyone knew they were a counterproductive bunch but no one held them to task for over 5 years. They were not open to discuss changes so I gave it a shot. Didn’t work, so boo on me.

I’m probably a horrible employee. Still working though.