We identify a key factor that influences whether or not and whom people ask for advice: a potential advisor’s reputation for gossip. Across 5 studies, we demonstrate that an individual’s reputation for gossip reduces others’ willingness to ask them for advice, even when the potential advisor is highly competent and easily accessible. We show that people are concerned that gossips will judgmentally tell others about their advice seeking. We also show that, in addition to avoiding advisors who gossip, people seek out advisors with reputations for discretion. Our results advance our understanding of the advice seeking process by considering advice within a broad social context. Our findings also highlight an important cost of gossip for both individuals and their organizations.
