We’ve all seen it, felt it, been in the middle of it, dealt with it, and dread it. Drama. Oh, the drama! It’s different from conflict. Conflict can be healthy and lead to growth and understanding; drama is sixth-grade BS. It may rear its ugly head in the form of gossip, rumors, or tension. No workplace is completely free of it, and as a Leader, you must know how to mitigate it as much as possible and to control it when it happens. Because it will happen. Drama happens.
How to prevent it
Among your many roles, one of your responsibilities is to foster a drama-free environment. While human nature dictates that you’ll never be able to eradicate it completely, you can take steps to minimize the spectacle of it all.
Communicate clearly and transparently. Your team and your colleagues will appreciate your honesty, and open communication puts everyone on the same page. In addition, if you foster an environment that encourages open communication, your team members will come to you with concerns before they escalate into unsolvable circumstances. Use consistent feedback, coaching, and mentoring to develop a culture of safe communication.
Set explicit expectations and define roles and responsibilities. Often, drama arises when your employees feel unsure of your requirements or of their position for a particular task. This can lead to jealousy or confusion or, in worst case scenarios, sabotage. Be specific and upfront about each person’s contributions to the product or project.
Hold everyone accountable. Once you’ve established clear positions, hold each person to the same standard. You must adapt your leadership style to each employee’s needs, and at the same time, maintain accountability for all. Treat everyone equally with respect and integrity.
How to handle it
As much as you do to prevent drama, it will happen. Given the human condition, it’s inevitable. People are vulnerable, and they fall prey to pettiness regardless of the safeguards you put into place. When it does happen, you need to know how to manage the situation.
Address it while it’s small. As soon as you hear of or observe any type of nit-picking or snide comments, call it out. Let your team know that you are aware of the behind-the-scenes and that you will not tolerate subversive behavior. Encourage your employees to come to you with concerns, and approach them appropriately.
Make it clear that open forums are not bitch sessions. Sometimes, you want to allow your team to vent in a safe space, and sometimes, those conversations can be extremely productive. Give your employees the opportunity to constructively express their concerns, and do not provide enough room for that situation to turn into a full-out gripe session. Listen, acknowledge, and discuss what your team brings up in a positive, productive manner.
Stop the gossip. That’s it. Full stop. Do not allow gossip to perpetuate. When you notice that outside, undermining comments or exchanges are happening, get to the guts of it immediately. Talk directly to the people involved, and make it clear that rumors or assumptions will not be tolerated.
Be aware of tone. Remind your team that written words can be easily misinterpreted. Ask them to be mindful of what they write or type. Choose words meaningfully, and don’t use all caps, ever. You can’t hear voice inflection or see body language through a text, chat message, or email. Which leads into . . .
Talk it out. Have a face to face conversation with the person or people involved. Acknowledge that the conversation may be difficult and uncomfortable, and do it anyway. Allow each person to share their perspective without interruption, and address baseless accusations straightaway. Reframe and reset by recognizing the assumptions that have been made or the fabricated stories that have been told. Give specific takeaways, action points, and deadlines, and then hold anyone involved accountable.
In any workplace, you will have conflict. It’s inevitable. Conflict doesn’t have to lead to drama, regardless of whether or not your employees like each other. They don’t have to. They don’t even have to respect each other, but for any individual or any team to be successful, they must be able to work together in a cordial, constructive environment.
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