Ugh We Have an Office gossip...how to Respond?

I'd ignore it to start. That may tell her all she needs to know. If she persists, though, I would be honest.

I think it might be time to remind everyone that there's no such thing as 'private' when communicating on company equipment/networks and people should conduct themselves as if their CEO or grandmother could read/hear every comment they make - because their CEO can if they really want to.

Don't mention the specific comments or incident - it's just that this is the office and it's business - not junior high - and people should behave in a professional manner.

Don't respond. That keeps you out of their mess.

I'd probably respond with a noncommittal, "I dunno, I actually like her, despite her flaws. I'm a little flawed too."

I don't really agree with totally ignoring bullies or biotches. I think subtly putting them in their place and maybe teaching them something is the better way to go.

Go with your instincts. Ignore and don't feed drama.

I would just ignore it, and if she comes back to you for a response, type exactly what you did above.
That will shut the behavior down quickly.

If it were me, I'd ignore it. She will probably know that you got it, but that is all the more reason to IGNORE IT. That sends a message to her that you do not and will not participate in the gossip/sniping game. It's the fastest way to cut this stuff off at the knees, in my opinion.

I would ignore, and if she asked if you got it, say yes, and walk away. I would not engage in the conversation.

Unless there is a pattern of this behavior I'd ignore it. Maybe she was having a bad day.

I think by ignoring it and not responding at all sends a message from you that you do not participate in such immature nonsense at your place of work.

Chances are, she knows you got the message if there was any type of read receipt and now knows that you don't get involved. However, I would have saved the message (screen shot, etc) just in case I needed it in my CYA file someday.

Ugh we have an office gossip...how to respond?

Don't.

Do not respond! Your instinct to ignore it is correct. Any comment will either (a) make the sender all defensive and/or upset, if she sent it in the heat of the moment and now regrets it, or (b) make the sender think you're "on her side," which will only encourage her to start approaching you with her personal comments more and more. Either way you lose. It's very fortunate these women do not report to you nor do you report to them, so this can't blow up into your having to feel you must support a boss or scold a lower-level report.

If the sender does this again, maybe even sends a second message to say, "Did you see my e-mail about X? Seriously, what is this woman doing? Etc." then she's forcing your hand to get you to play on her gossip team. Decline. I would not dignify her second message (IF there is one) with a written e-mail (as it can become an electronic trail involving you in their mess, if there are bigger issues between them later). I would just tell her, next time you see her, "Sally, to answer your question, I did get your messages but prefer to focus on this project we're working on and not on personalities. Do you have that report yet?...." .

I would absolutely try to ignore and not engage at all, but if you must engage at some point later, I'd be cordial but cool and just turn any conversation directly to the work in hand.

Ignore it. If she says anything in person, change the subject.

"Not responding" is NOT the same as ignoring it.
She KNOWS you got it.
Lack of response speaks volumes.
It says "your behavior, which shows your lack of class, will not be acknowledged by me."
Actually, she owes YOU an apology or explanation or elaboration....
I wouldn't say a thing.
And...now you know...she's a gossip and a snake. So watch your back.

I'd ignore it and assume she was having a bad day.

I would ignore it as a one-off if you haven't seen this kind of thing before. If it shows up as a pattern of behavior, then re-assess and deal with it. We can all have a bad day, but personal attacks aren't appropriate in the workplace.

If you're not HR, and it shows to be a pattern, I'd let HR know and perhaps there's a workplace presentation they can do to address it in a non-specific way.

I'd let it go but that's not the same as pretending you didn't see it. You don't have to bring it up, but that's not the same as denying you saw it. So ignore it, unless you are asked about it, in which case you might say, "I don't get involved in stuff like that at work" or "I think sometimes people forget how public the computer is and how permanent their comments are." If you're really pressed to get involved or offer an opinion, you might say gently to the writer, "I'm not sure it helps your public image to make comments that are beneath you. I'm sure you were just having a bad moment, but usually that sort of thing comes back to hurt the person who wrote it, not the subject of the email no matter how egregious her behavior might have been. Perhaps it's best to keep charity work and personal stuff off the work computers."

If there's an HR department, you can report future flagrant emails that are part of a pattern.

I wouldn't respond to something like that, especially at work!!! Ignore it.

I agree totally with B. You could even wait a few more days so she does not feel so singled out.

I'd not mention it and play dumb if asked about it.

I'd also watch my own back very closely.

well, good for you for not indulging or over-reacting.
i think ignoring it while making the generous assumption that she was having a bad day is a great choice. if she was hoping to get you on her 'side' your silence will certainly give her pause, and she's unlikely to try and enlist you again.
i don't think that's passiveness, i think it's professionalism.
khairete
S.

There is nothing worse than wolf pack mentality in adult women.

Be the bigger person and stand alone if you have to and not take sides.

Ignore it all.