Office Drama

Have you ever noticed that the people responsible for creating office drama never seem to get ahead in their career? Do you think that is a coincidence? The truth is people that run companies don’t like drama – or the people who create it. Gossip creates bad morale and ultimately inhibits productivity. Managers appreciate people that stay focused, work hard, and don’t make waves.

The problem is, sometimes it’s hard not to get sucked into the drama. We feel obligated to listen to what our colleagues have to say. Most of us want to get along with the people with whom we work. We can spend as much time with our business colleagues as we do with our family, so it is important to have a good working relationship.

So what’s the solution? There’s an old adage for financial advisors: if a client continues to call you and take up a lot of your time, ask them to buy something. If you do it a few times, they stop calling. The point I’m trying to make is simple. Don’t feed into the drama. When they get negative (which is what they ultimately do), you go positive. As they complain about a coworker, give that coworker the benefit of the doubt. Try to get them to see the other point of view. The odds are that you won’t be successful, but there is a high probability that they won’t include you in their drama next time. This technique should also help you maintain your working relationship.

Give it a try on your next day at work. Send me a response and let me know how it went.