If You Talk With Them, They Know You Talk About Them
It’s not rocket science and it shouldn’t surprise you. When you say “in confidence,” “this is just between us… whoever you’re talking to knows that you talk to everyone about everything thing.
There aren’t exceptions. You have to know deep down that if you’re talking about someone and they aren’t present. It’s gossip. It’s pretty simple. And it kills your networking. If you’re always willing to chime in about someone think of it as a test. Savvy business people know what they’re doing. Can you be trusted is what they’re trying to find out.
There’s a big difference between talking with your significant other and venting about something. Publicly expressing thoughts about someone else however is quite different and damaging.
In the business of fitness, you may train your friends. Or you may become friends with those you train. It’s wise to determine if that is a more valuable professional connection or a more valuable personal one and behave accordingly. Even to your best friends – if they are customers – you can’t talk business and risk destroying or alienating your colleagues, staff, and employees. You also damage their level of respect of you though you may not realize it. At first, they like it, they’re flattered or feeding off being in the inside loop. It will catch up with you. You won’t be an employee that is shifted laterally or moved in the business. You’re too much a risk.
Make sure you’re loyal to both your friends and your profession. You do that best by keeping things only where they belong.