I often catch my exhibit staffers gossiping about our customers with other customers. I know you can’t stop gossip any more than you can stop the sun coming up, but are there ways I can minimize this behavior?

Gossip may be “nature’s telephone,” as the Russian writer Sholom Aleichem said, but the tough part is hanging up on it. A study by the American Society for Training and Development concluded that 21 percent of workers “frequently” gossip, while another 64 percent gossiped “sometimes.”

Because it’s so prevalent, the best approach is a proactive one. Emphasize in pre-show communications that you consider gossiping a negative behavior no different than ignoring visitors or eating while on booth duty. Explain to staff that when they gossip, they don’t just put their credibility on the line — they put the company’s credibility at risk, too. Without credibility, clients won’t give you their trust — or their business.

Just like coaches use pre-game talks with their teams to focus on their games’ objectives, arrange a pre-show huddle with your staff right before the booth opens to focus on your show’s objectives. Discuss the dangers of sharing inside information about customers and thereby feeding the rumor mill. Remind staffers that a good rule of thumb for conversations with customers is “do no harm,” because gossip, like a boomerang, can always come flying back in your direction with painful results. e