If you put a microphone in every coffee station, doorway and stairwell in your organization and listened to people’s conversations – what would you hear? Well, sure, you’d get the latest dirt on who’s sleeping with whom – but that would be a minute percentage of the talk. Most of it would revolve around issues like these: Where is the knowledge in this organization? Who’s reliable - trustworthy? How am I supposed to behave in this situation? Have you ever dealt with this customer – problem – manager before? How did that jerk get promoted? Did “so and so” really retire or was he asked to leave? Why did the stock price take a dive? Have you heard that we may be acquired – get a new CEO – move headquarters?

This is the office grapevine in action - and we couldn't operate without it. But office buzz can also pose a big threat for management and corporate communication professionals.

I just finished a study on the office grapevine and how it compares with more formal channels of information (including speeches from senior management, articles in newsletters, and messages from first-line supervisors) and I think this response from my survey sums it up perfectly: “Formal communication focuses on messages the company wants to deliver, with a scope management feels is appropriate, and at a time management feels is right. The reason the grapevine plays such an important role is that it delivers the information employees care about, provides the details employees think they should know, and is delivered at the time employees are interested.”

To view the article I wrote on this research, go to www.CKG.com and click on the "articles" link.