This may be one of the hardest rules to follow. Someone might casually ask, “Yaar, what do you think about him?” It can feel harmless to share your honest opinion, particularly if you believe the conversation is private.
Warikoo’s advice is blunt: praise the person. Why? Because whatever you say negatively about someone has a way of travelling. Office conversations rarely remain as private as they initially appear. A criticism shared with one colleague can eventually reach the person being discussed- often without the original context.
This doesn’t mean employees should become fake or compliment everyone they meet. It simply means there is a difference between giving constructive feedback in the right setting and participating in informal gossip.
If genuine feedback is required, give it professionally, factually and to the person who actually needs to hear it.