When a New Policy Feels Like It Might Offend Everyone

A CEO named Curtis called in with a question that sounds simple but isn't: he wanted to implement a no-gossip policy at his security company without infringing on employees' freedom of speech or creating a culture of fear. Dave Ramsey's response cut straight to the misconception. "You do not have a freedom of speech without consequences," he said. "All of us have consequences for our freedom of speech." Saying something negative about your employer can get you fired. That is not a First Amendment issue. The real question was not about legal rights. It was about how to set a standard without making people feel like they are being muzzled.

The mechanism: hand negatives up, hand positives down

Ramsey Solutions has had a no-gossip policy for many years, and the core mechanism is simple. When you have a problem, a question, or a gripe—and you will have those things—you take it to someone who can do something about it. That means leadership. Sitting in the lunchroom and talking negatively to everyone around you is gossip. That is handing negatives down. The rule is: hand negatives up, hand positives down.