GRAPEVINE: Grapevine means the complex network of communication in an organisation which conveys rumours and comments under the

pretence of secrecy. The grapevine network is secret and confidential. Effective managers make the best of the grapevine. Transparency in decision making processes can help avoid adverse grapevine. Frequent dialogues with employees at all levels will give them the sense of involvement and belonging to the organization. They will desist from circulating harmful rumours. Teamwork and widely shared responsibilities can promote unity and harmony which often work against questionable rumours and reports. Effective listening at managerial levels can defuse problems before they go out of hand and this can check rumours. Tactful managers often succeed in identifying rumour mongers and character assassins and in dealing with them appropriately in order to win their confidence. Good managers are discrete to identify areas of discontent among employees and remove them before they become a problem. Good public relations, both internal and external, can generate public opinion for the organization. It can offset the damages done by bad rumours. An efficient network of trusted colleagues can work through the cluster grapevine to drop hints, or even leak out favourable information, as a strategy to counter the harmful grapevine. A secret network may help to obtain feedback about an impending problem or crisis and thereby avert it.