Forget the Scuttlebutt
- Advoco
- May 28, 2021
- 2 min read
Recently, I was listening to something where they discussed the origins of the phrase “scuttlebutt.” I was shocked to learn that it was a water fountain on a ship.
From Wikipedia: Scuttlebutt in slang usage means rumor or gossip, deriving from the nautical term for the cask used to serve water. The term corresponds to the colloquial concept of a water cooler in an office setting, which at times becomes the focus of congregation and casual discussion.
How many times have you heard someone ask, “What’s the scuttlebutt?” The conversation then turns to the office news, and more often than not, degrades into the latest office gossip.
Nothing about gossip is good for our organizations. It does not build culture or camaraderie. It’s often just tearing someone down or creating discord among the team. This is a recipe for disaster for the culture at your organization!
This compounds the idea in a previous aMintue by Dale, that you are the culture of your organization. What you do each day is what furthers and builds the culture, or what breaks it down.
Maybe next time instead of engaging, just have a drink of water instead.
Until next time…we are Advooc, make every minute count.
About Michelle: It’s hard to find someone that doesn’t like Michelle – she’s easy to talk to, she’s a wealth of knowledge about EAM, she’s relatable, and to top it all off, she’s fun to be around! Her Infor EAM life started at a university that used the product to manage facilities. She has since built up and manages our Post Implementation Consulting team. When Michelle isn’t helping our customers, you can find her in her garden preparing vegetables for canning or touring the Upstate on her motorcycle! Have a question for Michelle? Send her an email!
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