How to avoid drama at work? 4

[GalileoG]

Gosh. I'm too exhausted to write up a lengthy post, folks, but I'm up to here with drama at work.

 

[IRstuff]

Drama is what makes going into work interesting. ;-) Particularly if you've got a cooperative customer, or is that a noncooperative one?

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[KENAT]

"How to avoid drama at work?"

Work alone with no customers, no clients and no external factors beyond your direct control.

In some cases drama can be reduced but rarely if ever eliminated completely.

Some people seem to actively seek it out in fact.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

"How to avoid drama at work?"

Stay home!

 

[ctopher]

I avoid those that create the drama. When they bring their home drama to work, I ask them to stop. I have made a few enemies, but they eventually quit. I work at my job, I play at home. Even when I work virtual from home...it's work.
When asked about personal issues, depends on the person, I draw the line how much info I give them.
Usually when I start a new position I'm called the "quiet one". That is because I'm scoping out who are the drama queen's and who can I trust.
Then I make friends. Just stay away from the drama and don't listen to it. I listen to my iPod most of the time.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Jul 13, 2008)

 

[Gymmeh]

Read Dilbert.

 

[SomptingGuy]

Some drama is fun to watch. We currently have a situation where the main players will never actually discuss the core issue and their common line manager has zero ability to deal with either the issue or the players. I am neither in a position to mediate, nor directly affected by it so for me it's pure entertainment. Grown men behaving like prima donnas.

- Steve

 

[Lion06]

I don't know........ I have ZERO drama at work. It's really kind of nice. It makes for an excellent place to learn and grow professionally. Is finding a workplace without drama really that difficult?

 

[TheTick]

Be cordial with all, but intimate with few.

The best thing is to avoid the dramatists. I believe people have a right to enter their workplace without being assailed by coworkers' personal drama. Unfortunately, my view is not widely shared.

A good deterrent is to tell offenders that you don't think what they are saying is appropriate in a professional setting. Especially true with divorce/custody/child support drama.

 

[GregLocock]

I suspect the OP was more concerned with drama queens at work.

Well hello. The fact is that there aren't many people who can force a project forward in the face of 'paralysis by analysis'- so ultimately you (I) just put your foot down and say this is the way to go. With the usual humpbacked profile of age vs seniority that we deal with now, that is going to become more and more necessary (and unpopular) as time goes on.





Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[MadMango]

How to avoid drama at work: be the bigger/mature person.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the be

 

[mechengdude]

Are we talking personal drama like:
"Hey, you can't sleep with my wife..........."

or work drama like
"The IT department requires that everyone stop uses form 3.2.1 and immediately start using form 3.2.2 for the submission of problem tickets; anyone failing to follow this policy will get a written warning" LOL

drama is what makes work fun.

 

[SomptingGuy]

For us it's model-year (MY) politics.

MY1 reckon their product is "the one true product" and the MY2 team are wasting their time.

MY2 reckon the MY1 team are turd-polishing obsolete product.

MY1 & MY2 teams only talk via coded messages in department meetings.

- Steve

 

[HgTX]

I'm usually the cause of the drama because I'm the only one who questions stupid decisions and policies.

They've also learned to beta-test software upgrades on me because if anyone is going to break it, I will.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[SylvestreW]

I've found you can't have drama unless there's both an actor and an audience. Stop being the audience and you'll be surprised how quickly it goes away

-
Syl.

 

[rheim]

I second SomptingGuy's approach.
Look at it as a comedy. Keep in mind that before you had this job, you had to go to the box office and pay for tickets to see a comedy in a theater. Now you get this for free. Just make sure the government doesn't find out you look at it this way, or you will have to pay sin tax.

 

[macmet]

I like the comedy approach as well. I like to think of my office as "The Office" on TV. It really is like a sitcom. We don't have a Pam though, we really need to get one of those.

I find a couple drinks at night also help...

 

[KENAT]

It's fun to watch till it directly affects you. Though I suppose at that point you should move on.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[calguy07]

macmet,

i don't think many engineering offices have a Pam though..or any female for that matter, lol!

 

[SHOchris]

a lot of times the 'drama' can be avoided by smply ignoring it and choosing not to involve yourself....
myself though, i choose to go the 'comedy route' and ultimately have as much fun with it as possible....
or be sooo sarcastic that they catch my drift and leave me alone

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia."
---Charles Schulz
"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
---Benjamin Franklin