As an accounting manager, should I tell my company's officials about rumours?

I am an accounting manager with a company. Recently, one of our client heard rumours about poor performance of our company which happens to be true. Should I tell my company's officials regarding this?

You should inform your supervisor and be sure to explain that it appears to be a rumor. The person making the statement may not have any facts. It is possible that upper management already is aware of the rumor. They are surely aware of the factual situation. As a manger, you should make certain that you do not spread the rumor. Eventually the news will come out, and the rumor will be verified.

One reason for reporting the rumor is to protect yourself from suspicion that you started it. In any case, if you talk with the client you should neither deny nor affirm the rumor. Be aware that rumors are not always bad for the business. Upper management may know the rumor is circulating and they may not be concerned about it.

If you believe the rumor came from a credible source, then yes, tell your immediate supervisor - but don't broadcast it through your entire company, and do not repeat it outside the company. Usually, a good management team will want to know the buzz (whether it's true or not), and then can elect how to respond to it, if at all.

You do state that the rumor happens to be true so it sounds like something happened within the company rumors of it have gotten out, the rumors have come back to you; and you want to know if you should tell your bosses that there are rumors out there for something that actually did happen - is that correct?

If that is, then of course tell your bosses, why wouldn't you. I mean of course tell them that this is something that did happen (and explain how it happened) and then tell them the rumor is out there so they can be ready for any fallout.

If your bosses don't know about this thing and they probably will hear the rumor themselves; then you'd really better tell them (much better to hear it from you than them hearing the rumor on their own).