Q: I hear a lot of rumors from my co-workers that worry me and make me feel doubtful.  What can I do to ignore the water cooler gossip and focus on my work? 

A: Whether global, local, or personal, fear shakes our confidence, causes stress, and keep us awake at night. Yet as scary as these situations may be, we often over-estimate the negatives and under-estimate our ability to deal with them.
■  Rumors quickly become unspoken truths, which cause you to make decisions based on false data.  Unmask your fears by making a list of worst-case scenarios.
■  Review personal resources and strengths, along with organizational competencies, that could be used as tools to combat the issues.
■  Develop contingency plans based on your list of strengths to help you feel prepared in the chance that your worst-case scenarios come true.