Save The Drama
For Your Mama!
A Leader's Guide To
Personal Accountability
By: Sheri L. Mackey
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2011-2013 Sheri L. Mackey. All Rights Reserved.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Chapter 1: A Word On Personal Accountability
Chapter 2: Gossip In The Workplace
Chapter 3: The Importance Of Managing Expectations
Chapter 4: The Challenge Of Change
Chapter 5: Managing Change In A Productive Context
***~~~***
Chapter 1
A Word On Personal Accountability
We have all experienced workplace drama in one form or another. It can be unpleasant, irritating, and disruptive - often preventing organizations from effectively meeting their goals. As a leader, you are responsible for maintaining a productive, drama-free workplace. You rely on people to do their jobs in such a way that results are successfully achieved. Because you work with people to get things done, you are likely to experience drama in the workplace. It can sometimes feel like an experience similar to the television show “Super Nanny” – the kids (your organization) are spoiled and/or unruly, and you are the "Nanny" – responsible for teaching the foundational skills that lead to both personal and organizational success. However, in the workplace (just as with dysfunctional families) the gossip, complaining, and backstabbing leads to full blown negativity that will result in increased turnover and absenteeism. How you manage drama within your organization may have a significant impact on your ultimate outcomes.
It may feel personal at times, but as the “Nanny”, it is your job to get the children back in line, ensuring they learn and engage in appropriate behaviors that will create positive results for the organization.
We will explore several ideas – hopefully providing you, the leader, with a toolbox to ensure that you are in a position to eliminate (or at least drastically reduce) disruptive behavior in your area of responsibility. If you successfully manage the drama, you are much more likely to see the positive results you desire.
A key component to getting trouble-makers under control is promoting personal accountability – however, this can be extremely challenging. An indicator of irresponsible thinking, and a lack of accountability, is equal to drama in the workplace. It manifests itself as complaining and excuse making – and probably causes you to spend your time putting out fires unnecessarily. The reason employees participate in blaming, complaining, backstabbing and excuse-making is because it lessens the pain and discomfort that taking responsibility and being accountable for their part in the disruption requires.