What to say to Stop Gossip
In this short instructional video, Shanli Liu, CPA, CTP, presents three concise, actionable responses for interrupting gossip in personal or workplace settings. The first phrase, “I don’t have an opinion on it,” signals disengagement and can be reinforced by inserting the target’s name to break the flow. The second response, “Do you want to talk with them about it?” offers to facilitate direct communication, turning the gossip into a problem‑solving opportunity and often causing the gossiper to back off. The third, a personal favorite, “Huh, that doesn’t sound right,” casts doubt on the story’s credibility, removing the fun of gossip and prompting the speaker to look elsewhere. The video emphasizes using these lines to call out gossip, provide a constructive alternative, and ultimately stop the spread of unverified information.
