The Only Sensible Policy for Commenting on Rumors

Founder takeaway

Set a consistent company-wide policy for responding to rumors before one arises, then apply it uniformly. Selectively denying false claims can teach observers that silence signals confirmation.

Why it matters

An improvised response creates unintended signals and makes future communications harder to interpret consistently. A pre-agreed policy helps employees and leaders respond without turning each rumor into a strategic exception.

Relevant guides

Put it to work

Write a one-sentence rumor-response policy today, then ask: Would we follow this exact policy whether a rumor were true, false, favorable, or harmful?