Positive Gossip

Start turning around a destructive pattern of negative gossip

Structuring Invitation

• You are asked to share something positive or “positive gossip” about the behavior or contributions of other people in your life and working group

How Space Is Arranged & Materials Needed

• Unlimited number of people, face-to-face in pairs

Sequence of Steps and Time Allocation

1. Find one other person and stand directly across from them, face to face.
2. Invite each person to share something positive about any other person in the group based on their recent behaviour or contributions (1 minute for each person).
3. Find another person to stand directly across from and share positive gossip about a person who has guided or supported you (personally or professionally).
   
4. Go find another person to talk with and stand directly across from them… don’t reveal the following question until the new pairs have formed.
   
5. Share something positive about the behaviour or contribution of your partner (the person in front of you). Either person in the pair can go first.
   
6. Debrief. Ask, in groups of four,

• What? What happened? What did you notice?
• So What? Does what happened make a difference?
• Now What? Based on what happened and the difference it makes, what action makes sense for you now?

WHY? Purposes

• Start turning around a destructive pattern of negative gossip
• Learn, practice and have fun with a more positive behaviour
• Work toward a daily practice or habit that can help eliminate the need for reward and recognition programs
• Start shifting a climate of generalised malaise toward a culture of “things may get better around here”

Tips and Traps

• Keep the direct exchange question # 5 “secret” until the pair has formed
• Maintain the short time frames: 1 minute for each person in the pair
• Make the switch between sharing and listening clear with a bell
• You can do multiple rounds, depending on group size and the need to practice this new behaviour
• Make it a routine exercise in your group until a new pattern takes hold

Riff and Variations

• Invite gossip about different people who are often only the target of negative gossip
• Encourage exaggeration and embroidering (mimicking the patterns of negative gossip)
• Switch the order of questions 1 and 2

Examples

• Part of the closing of any meeting with 10 or more people present
• Part of a celebration or launch of a new activity

https://www.liberatingstructures.com/positive-gossip/ To provide feedback on this tool and help with its development, go to: https://www.liberatingstructures.com/ls-discussion/

This is part of the Liberating Structures body of work, currently "in development" (as of 2026). Adapted from the Stozzi Institute by Keith McCandless with Neil McCarthy and Tracy Rekart