Office Drama : How to DEAL with it!

Office Drama: How to DEAL with it! Brought to you by “Do-OverDave” alias Dave Sauter sauterdm@MiamiOH.edu 513.529.8781 University Registrar, Miami University Great Lakes ACRAO November 2013

Introduction • “The drama of a full-blown workplace conflict can rival the best made-for-television movie. All eyes are glued to the episode of the day, instead of the work at hand. • Does the staffer next to you arrive ready to pounce on the first piece of gossip, or start laying blame on others? What can YOU do about the ongoing whiner that derails office productivity? “ • Welcome to this interactive session – recognize the realities of the workplace, learn from each other. Relax, and…

Welcome to the FIRST DAY of a future of drama… ENJOY the Production! What brought YOU here?

Do-Over Dave’s Journey • Miami Middletown Aug 1984-Aug 91: • 5 staff in admission, records and registration, and financial aid • Xavier University Aug 1991-Jan 1999: • 11 staff in records and registration • Wright State University Jan 1999-Jan 2006: • 18 staff in records and registration…and 5 in VA • Miami University Jan 2006-retirement  • From 29 staff to 19 staff with added tasks

Today’s Production • Act One: Definitions • Act Two: Parental Drama • Act Three: Causes of Office Drama • Act Four: Drama Attributes • Act Five: 6 People you Might Hire • Act Six: Success Without Drama • Act Seven: Rumor Control • Act Eight: Whining at Work • Act Nine: Your Turn!

Staff Workday Realities • Laws, i.e., FMLA, FERPA, HIPAA, • Coping with emergencies • Union environments/non-union also • Sick/Vacation Accrual Flex time • 85% Staffed on an average day - do the math…52 weeks minus vacation/sick/holiday…then meetings, conferences – Balance? • Salaried vs. Hourly…or ONE TEAM? • Other?

Act One: Definitions • Drama: designed for theatrical performance • Relationship: quality of two or more things together • Conflict: emotional tension • Paradigm: pattern • Diversity: to increase the variety • Understanding: to grasp, to accept as fact

Act Two: Drama from Parents WORTHY of a SPECIAL MENTION! • “In your words” Letter to the Editor, Miami University, Miamian, an alternate look at “Helicopter Parents” who might add drama to our workplace…but is it well-founded drama, or ill-founded drama? Generation of caring? Who pays the bills for 18-22’s? • Do family members of students bring drama to our workplace? • Your stories!

Act Three: Causes of Office Drama • Physical Proximity • Reporting lines • Age • Gender • Personality differences • Differences in values • Jealousy • …and more

MORE Causes of Office Drama • The Unknown • Change • Insecurity • Home Issues • All of the above? • Other?

Act Four: Drama Attributes…Confession Time, Audience Participation! Evil Eileen… Jerry Jokester… Chris Cross… Brenda Brown-noser… Letch Leonard… Silo Sam… Obsessive Omar… Militant Margaret… (Over) Enthusiastic Eli… Complaining Carolyn… Sensitive Sally… Tense Ted… Negative Nancy… Mouthy Mark…more:

…more participation! Waffling Willie… Pushover Paul… Lazy Larry… Rumor Rita… Gossiping Gloria… Perfect (?) Priscilla… Know-it-all-Ned… Messy Mary… Curt Cathy… Quiet Quinn… Alice Angst… Always Right Allie… Debbie Downer… Naughty Nancy… (too) Jolly Joe… Water cooler Wendy… Loud Lily… Lucy Late… Snarky Suzie… Cynical Cindy… Chatty Cathy… Needy Norm…more:

…and more participation! Greta Grouch… Shelly web Surfer… Sarge Marge • With all these negative attributes, what are we to do???????? • Be PART of the solution, to keep staff from being APART

Act Five:6 Hire’s you may Encounter! • The Loafer…fast out of the gate and then sputters to a stop! • The Weasel…back-stabber! • The Bridegroom…wants to be you but will not help make decisions! • The Psycho Killer…too many adversaries! • The Workaholic…no other life! • The Future CEO…too much “I” focus!

Act Six: “What Defines Success?”…without (so much) drama! • Ambition • Strive for respect first • Mental and physical fitness • Intuition/Common Sense • Edit your ideas before sharing (blurting?) • Think big but grow slowly, carefully • Focus • Be a detective, drill into issues • Let one solution lead to another one • Your ideas?

Act Seven: “Responding to Rumors” • Avoid conversing about personal details…all you say will be repeated at least once • Ignore the speculation…don’t let it fester • Ignore gossipers…don’t give them attention – at times “more to the story”

More Responses to Rumors • Do not badmouth…person might be your boss someday !! • Take responsibility…if you hurt someone, be honest and apologize • Do NOT be a victim, do NOT get swept into the production • Your thoughts?

Act Eight: “Whining at Work” • Whining is a coping mechanism, “complain like a child”. • Workplace changes make us whine. (Your thoughts?) • Hierarchies are flattening, so do new workers have less fear of managers, or with “right-sizing” loss of job?. • Honest praise up, whining cranks down. • Whining releases tension in today’s demanding environment.

Whining at Work, continued • Whine and Wine…try it! (have a DD) • What is in it for ME!!! • So little salary raise, reduced benefits, more expected? • How do YOU handle it?

Act Nine:Your turn…but NO WHINING! • Your examples of Office Drama “in the next office!”

In Conclusion…Drama  vs. DRAAAMA!! • A “Human Condition” we all need to acknowledge and master, to not let it control us or our office • Good and Bad Drama… life with NO drama may be boring; SOME drAma adds some spice, TOO MUCHDRAAAMA is destructive • Drama vs. Dramatic… be dramatic w/o so much drama! Balance, balance, balance

Office Drama : How to DEAL with it!