Rumours & CTs in the Workplace (Because Reasons 5)

EPISODE 45 | Rumours & CTs in the Workplace (Because Reasons 5)

Guest: Andrew Brown, co-founder of the Academy of Business Communications

Watercooler talk has moved online, so the speed and spread of rumours and conspiracy theories is growing every day, and it's not just inter-office gossip. How do such things take root in a work environment and what can organizations do to address them? 

Andrew Brown walks us through the conditions that create fertile ground for rumors, the very human and social reasons behind them, and some real-world stories and advice for how organizations should and should not try to manage rumors in the workplace. 

And while we're looking at an organizational context, these insights apply equally to any grouping of humans - a touch football team, a WhatsApp chat group or, with the holidays coming up, a family gathering.

**This interview was originally conducted for another podcast, Digital Signage Done Right. You can listen to it and see a transcript here. You can also listen to an earlier interview with Andrew Brown and his fellow co-founder Elizabeth Williams about employee surveys here.**

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SECTIONS

1. 02:34 - ABC: Helping communications suck less
2. 03:41 - Three levels where rumours take hold 
3. 09:52 - Three conditions that allow rumours to rise & spread now
4. 15:13 - Maslow's Needs Hierarchy 
5. 18:09 - Four common but ineffective tactics
6. 20:40 - These tactics ain't gonna cut it anymore
7. 24:51 - Tips & models for combatting rumours & negative behaviours
8. 30:16 - Traps organizations fall into
9. 32:52 - What about when the leader is crazy? Are surveys useful?
10. 36:08 - People want to be heard
11. 39:52 - Belief is not knowing; change is scary

• Music by Fanette Ronjat

MORE INFO:

• The Academy of Business Communications
• Transcript of this episode on Digital Signage Done Right
• Visix communications resources
• The Swear Jar podcast
• The Fearless Communicator's Bullsh*t Barometer
• An IdeaPACK for Fearless Communicators
• Suspicion in the workplace: Organizational conspiracy theories and work-related outcomes
• Conspiracy theories: Why we align with them & how to manage them at work at Human Resources Director
• European Union article and infographic on identifying conspiracy theories
• Leadership Steps to Stop Spread of Conspiracy Theories on RockDove Solutions
• Conspiracy Theories: A Public Health Concern and How to Address It in Frontiers in Psychology
• Are Conspiracy Theories Harmless? in The Spanish Journal of Psychology
• The Illusory Truth Effect: Why We Believe Fake News, Conspiracy Theories and Propaganda

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Other Podcasts by Derek DeWitt

• DIGITAL SIGNAGE DONE RIGHT - Winner of the 2021 AVA Digital Award Gold, 2021 Silver Davey Award & 2020 Communicator Award of Excellence, and on numerous top 10 podcast lists. 
• PRAGUE TIMES - A city is more than just a location - it’s a kaleidoscope of history, places, people and trends. This podcast looks at Prague, in the center of Europe, from a number of perspectives, including what it is now, what is has been and where it’s going. It’s Prague THEN, Prague NOW, Prague LATER.