Privacy on our island is hard won. All of us have stories about how quickly information travels from one end of the island to the next. There are some particular challenges that befall business owners on Orcas Island: finances, personnel issues, spreading of second hand information.

Rachel Newcombe will guide the Orcas Chamber’s next Business Essentials workshop called “The Fuzzy Line between Gossip and Conversation” on Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the Eastsound Fire Station. This session will focus on how to uphold confidentiality in the workplace. They will take an in-depth look at the nature of why we talk about other people and how to differentiate between gossip and conversation. This session will provide an opportunity for participants to talk about their own experiences of being on both ends of a gossip mill – the talked about and the one who talks. RSVP to info@orcasislandchamber.com or call 376-2273.