Management of Gossip and Rumor as Informal Communication Tools in Educational Organizations

The main aim of this study is to examine the opinions and experiences of school principals, who work at schools in Eskisehir, about the management of rumor and gossip in schools. The study was designed by using phenomenological method, one of the qualitative study methods. The participants of study consisted of 15 school principals and vice principals. Data, collected with semi-structured interviews, were analyzed with content-analysis method. The results showed that important reasons of rumor and gossip in schools are jealousy, individual differences, interpersonal problems, information gaps, organizational and managerial reasons. The most preferred attitudes and behaviors by participants to deal with rumor and gossip are open communication, giving explanations and ignoring the rumor. The methods mentioned by participants to utilize rumor and gossip effectively are using it as a self-control mechanism, to recognize the characteristics of staff, to increase performance by increasing competition.