Drama Not Allowed: How to Deal with Conflict at Work

Keeping your work environment as drama free as possible can be harder than it sounds, but ultimately it is up to you! Here are four important rules to follow in order to steer clear of the drama:

Have Patience

Having patience is probably the most important rule of all, and I can't stress that enough. It is easy to get all fired up right away and want to respond to a negative email in just the same way or snap at someone, but if you just take a few minutes to regain control of the situation and think of an appropriate response it will work out much better in the end.

Never Assume

While it is easy to think that you know what the person is intending to say (specially over email), that is not always the case. It is always better to get clarification before responding to what you are "assuming" they meant. Your attitude will also play a big role in how you interpret things, because if you are looking for drama, then that is exactly what you are going to find.

In Person Is Better

This rule ties into our previous ones perfectly; it is usually best to go right to the source. If you are having a problem with someone, or are unclear about how they intended to come across, then the best thing to do is talk to them in private about the situation. Most often it is just a simple case of misunderstanding, one that can be resolved quickly and without getting other people involved.

Stay Away

If there are people in your office that are known to cause or start drama, then just stay away. If you can distance yourself from these people then you will be distancing yourself from the drama, making your workplace environment much better.

When it comes to drama in the workplace the best thing to do is just avoid it if possible and to remember to stop and think before responding. As long as you remember to treat people with respect and to wait before making a snap judgment, your work environment can remain drama free.