David G. Schwartz (Ombuds), recently published a post on From the Ombuds, the blog of the ombuds office, about the dangers of speaking poorly of others in the workplace.
As Schwartz discusses, doing so can lead to many undesirable outcomes. While gossping might not be a positive step toward conflict resolution, the activities planned for Ombuds Week (Oct. 11-15) offer a glimpse into several more constructive avenues.