Drama-Free Workplace
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Here’s an excerpt shared by Monte Pedersen about “Workplace Drama”.
It's a rare day when we don't experience some kind of drama at work.
Rumors, gossip, back-stabbing comments, and even sabotage. Workplace drama takes many forms, all detrimental to employee health and threatening organizational success.?
Drama in the workplace happens daily and at almost any time in most organizations. If you've ever held a job, you've likely seen drama or experienced it firsthand. When it happens, you cannot take it personally.
Here's why it happens.
Bad behavior at work often occurs as a LEARNED practice. It is largely understood to be part of a company's culture when it happens continuously. The hard truth of workplace drama is that when we tolerate it, we incur damage commensurate with the time it takes to resolve it.
Businesses that regularly experience "workplace drama" suffer from a cultural deficit related to having no established "core behaviors." Core Behaviors are defined as the “minimum behavioral standards for everyone on the team."?
They are the boundaries that keep the team honest, aligned, and collaborative. They are the ante to play. You must abide by them or you're taken off the team.
When cultural deficits appear, they allow negative behaviors to take root. Behaviors that range from petty gossip and backstabbing to major work disruptions that are sizeable enough to upset departments and derail entire workdays.?
Leaders must always work quickly at eradicating toxicity from the workplace. When leadership doesn't tolerate bad behavior, neither does anyone else.?
Like so many other things in leadership, it starts and stops at the top. Be careful when dealing with workplace drama, but never let it persist.?
Another insight from Powrsuit about “How Transparent Should You Really Be?”.
"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" - Maya Angelou
Leaders have to navigate the fine line between honesty and transparency.? For empathetic leaders, authenticity is paramount. We lead with vulnerability, and it can be challenging (and uncomfortable) to ‘pretend’ everything is ok when it really might not be.
A leader's job is to motivate, inspire and encourage, it’s not to transpose our fears onto our teams.
When under pressure, no one gets it right all the time, but you can harness the power of self-awareness and storytelling to bring people along the journey, without overburdening them.
1. Acknowledge Uncertainty, Avoid Fear
Like it or not, you will be navigating change and uncertainty throughout your career. A transparent (and unhelpful) response would be to openly express your emotions as they bubble. As a leader facing into the unknown, honesty is the best policy. Acknowledge that the path ahead looks rocky and that you don’t have all the answers yet. These things are both true, but another thing is that you will work together to come up with solutions.?
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2.? Focus On What You Can Control
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the things outside your control, but much more useful to identify what you can. While it can take time to determine the best course of action, don’t confuse a lack of immediate answers with an inability to find them. Now is the time to embrace and encourage a problem, then a solution mindset. Break big mountains down into small steps, identify and celebrate wins and clearly and consistently reinforce the steps you’re taking to get from here to where you need to be.?
?3. Find Your People
Taking on more responsibility often means transitioning from being part of the team to leading one. It’s really important to find your people - those you can safely share your fears, concerns and stress with so ensure you have the right support for what you’re facing right now.
4. Bring Your Whole Best Self To Work
Your role as a leader is to create the best environment for your team's success. With a solid support system and a strong understanding of the difference between honesty and transparency, you can bring your best self to work and lead authentically.
Here’s another gem shared by Harvard Business Review on how to “Overcome Defensive Reactions to Constructive Criticism”. This tip is adapted from “When Your Actions Surprise People—and Provoke Blowback,” by Timothy O’Brien.
When you raise a concern at work, you may encounter defensiveness instead of a productive conversation. Colleagues might shift the focus from the issue at hand to you—specifically, your attitude, role, or personality. This can feel frustrating and disheartening, but understanding these dynamics will help you handle them more effectively.?
Here’s how to approach these situations:
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1. Depersonalize the reaction.?
When people feel implicated or criticized, they often become defensive. Recognize that their reaction is about self-preservation and isn’t necessarily a reflection of your message. Don’t take their response personally.
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2. Refocus on the issue.?
When the conversation shifts toward you, calmly guide it back to the problem you’re trying to address. Keep the focus on solutions, rather than defending yourself.
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3. Be aware of expectations.?
Understand that both your formal and informal roles influence how your colleagues perceive you. If you step outside these roles, some may react negatively. Anticipate this, but don’t let it stop you from raising important concerns.
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4. Draw strength from other roles.?
Remember, your work identity is just one part of who you are. Draw confidence from your other roles and experiences to stay grounded and focused on what truly matters.
Free Resource Pack for Leaders
Enjoy your FREE RESOURCE PACK with tools and strategies for self-improvement or to share with your teams.?
You can download the pack here.
That’s a wrap on this week.
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