|
5 Steps to Standing Out Above the Crowd at Work
Do you feel like one in a million at work – and not in a good way? When you run into your boss in the hallway, do you get the impression she isn’t sure who you are? Are the juicy projects always going to someone else? If you answered “yes” to any...
Auto-Disqualification - When Your Resume Never Reaches the Decision Maker
When applying for a position in today’s market, do you ever wonder, “Is my resume really directed to the decision maker?” Are you concerned that your resume never reaches the true “hiring manger” or decision maker? Worse yet, are you being...
Counter Offers: Do They Merit Consideration?
You are one of the fortunate few who have not been downsized. However, your current job isn’t exactly fulfilling. Perhaps it isn’t what you enjoy doing. Maybe the hours are too long. Perhaps you are having some conflicts with your supervisor. Your...
Distance Learning Degree
You might be at a crossroads in your life. You might realize
that you need your Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree to
land that exciting and high-paying job you have always wanted.
You might realize that you need your Master's degree to...
From Basics To Mastery
For all of us, emotional intelligence encompasses five basic areas of mastery. They are:
- Knowing your feelings and using them to make life decisions you can live with.
- Being able to manage your emotional life without being hijacked by it...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Workplace Melodrama--A Flair For The Dramatic
A flair for the dramatic is a theatrical term used to describe an actress or actor who has a talent for melodrama, characterized by intensely enacted interpersonal conflict and exaggerated emotions. The central figure in a melodrama is the hero, who spins his tale or portrays the justice of his cause in a positive light. Counterparts include the villain and the fool who are ridiculed and portrayed negatively.
Remember Aesop’s Fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf? The story goes like this. A shepherd boy (self-styled hero) who was responsible for a flock of sheep had a habit of bringing out the villagers by screaming, Wolf! Wolf! When the villagers (fools according to the shepherd boy) came to help him, he would laugh at them and display a just-kidding attitude. The boy repeated his prank three or four times.
Unfortunately, one day the wolf (the villain) came and when the shepherd boy screamed in his usual melodramatic fashion that the wolf was killing the sheep, none of the villagers paid any attention to his cries. As a result the entire flock was destroyed.
One of the things that make Aesop’s Fables so unique is that there is always a moral to the story. The moral here is that exaggeration (a form of melodrama) leads to lying, and if one exaggerates or lies too much, no one will believe it even when the person speaks the truth.
Workplace Melodrama
In the workplace, melodrama happens when a minor concern or conflict is embroidered and overstated in such a way that it becomes larger-than-life and blown way out of proportion to the original issue.
Many people often complain about the level of melodrama in their offices. They describe it as follows:
- Incessant whining about things outside the average worker’s ability to influence or change.
- Larger-than-life scenes complete with tears, outbursts and whatever else that will draw attention to the person who is acting-out the part of the hero.
- The depiction of a person or group (usually management) as the villain or fool.
- Making everything a big deal (hyperventilation) to the point of exhaustion. Everything is elevated to crisis
proportions.
- The emergence of a drama king or queen who collects followers with similar proclivities and initially holds court to entertain, but ends in aggravating or alienating the very people he or she needs to impress.
Handling Office Melodrama – The M.O.D.E.L. Method
- Model. When faced with conflict, disagreements or challenges, model the desired non-melodramatic behavior by balancing your reactions and emotions instead of behaving, speaking or acting in a way that is more dramatic, shocking, or highly emotional than the situation demands (mirroring).
- Object to melodramatic activity that slanders or is hurtful to another co-worker. Refrain from participating in gossip and rumor-mongering.
- Decide against becoming a drama king or queen yourself or a member of the royal court! There are always two sides to every story. Wisdom would suggest that you not pre-judge or second-guess; instead, try giving the benefit-of-the-doubt.
- Engage. Be sensitive to ways you may be able to help the drama king or queen put a filter on his or her emotions and reduce the impact on other co-workers.
- Calmly Listen to and watch the dramatic tale unfold instead of feeding the fire by overreacting. Remind yourself to take it all with a grain of salt, since drama kings and queens like to play to an audience.
Having a flair for the dramatic is not always a bad thing. Sharing funny stories or entertaining co-workers with the antics of children or pets can relieve stress and promote stronger interpersonal relationships; but, it is best to steer clear of office melodrama and workplace drama kings and queens who like to cry wolf!
About the Author
Althea DeBrule, entrepreneur & seasoned human resources executive, has helped people achieve their career goals for more than 30 years. She is recognized for her bottom line and practical application of career transition & development strategies in a way that compels action. To discover how Althea can help you take your career to a new level, visit http://www.extreme-career-makeover.com/
|
|
|
|
|
| Time Management from Mind Tools - How to manage time and maximize ... |
| Good personal time management skills are essential for a happy, successful career. This Mind Tools section shows you how to manage your time, ... |
| www.mindtools.com |
|
| Time Management |
| Techniques and strategies for time management and scheduling your work. |
| www.studygs.net |
|
| My daily schedule:: time management |
| Time management, Learner's Day Planner:. Tasks begun well, likely have good finishes Sophocles 496 - 406 BC. Study Guides index in English as home site ... |
| www.studygs.net |
|
| Managing Your Time |
| Many students discover the need to develop or hone their time management skills when they arrive at college. Unlike high school where teachers frequently ... |
| www.dartmouth.edu |
|
| Time management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| Time management for personal use is a type of self-management. In a corporate setting, time management software can satisfy the need to control employees, ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| Personal time management and goal setting guide |
| The definitive guide to personal time management and goal setting skills and techniques. Includes articles, tips, software and other personal development ... |
| www.time-management-guide.com |
|
| A List Apart: Articles: Time Management: The Pickle Jar Theory |
| The pickle jar theory of time management can help you get more done with less stress. |
| alistapart.com |
|
| Time Management Strategies for Improving Academic Performance |
| Virginia Tech. TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. FOR IMPROVING. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. Next Page Next Page. |
| www.ucc.vt.edu |
|
| Time Management for University Students Contents |
| time management icon. 1. Introduction: The Time Management Cycle · 2. Goal Setting · 3. Time Awareness and Time Tracking ... |
| www.yorku.ca |
|
| SCRS - Virtual Pamphlet Collection - Time Management |
| Virtual Pamphlet Collection - Time Management. The ABC Method of Time Management - Texas A&M University; The A-B-C Value Rating - George Washington ... |
| counseling.uchicago.edu |
|
| Time Management Problem Resolution Guide |
| Time management addresses various tasks, habits, and time-wasting perceptions and feelings. The most common tasks, habits, and feelings to deal with are ... |
| members.aol.com |
|
| Time Management--UIUC Counseling Center |
| Before exploring specific time-management techniques, consider several common myths which contribute to poor time management, especially undermining your ... |
| www.couns.uiuc.edu |
|
| Leadership & Time Management |
| Leadership is about managing time and getting things done. |
| www.nwlink.com |
|
| Mind Tools - Time Management Skills |
| How to get the most out of your time. Time Management - how to achieve more with your time · How much is your time worth? ... |
| www.psywww.com |
|
| Time Management Training Skills and Tips |
| Time management training courses and workshops will help delegates increase work effectiveness and productivity, achieve greater control of their daily ... |
| www.tsuccess.dircon.co.uk |
|
| Time Management - University Learning Center |
| Time management is the managing of your time so that time is used to your advantage and it gives you a chance to spend your most valuable resource in the ... |
| www.ulrc.psu.edu |
|
| Time Management: Counseling Services, University at Buffalo |
| There's no such thing as time management! So why should you read the rest of this handout? Because there is such a thing as self management and that's the ... |
| ub-counseling.buffalo.edu |
|
| MIT Online Learning Modules: Time Management and Organization |
| TIME MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION. Students who are pressed for time are often ... There is also a misconception that time management means documenting your ... |
| web.mit.edu |
|
| Time Management by Steve Pavlina |
| Steve Pavlina: Personal development for smart people. |
| www.stevepavlina.com |
|
| Time Management Advice: Small Business Advice - BusinessTown |
| Time is one of the most valuable assets to anyone in business. Learn simple steps how to budget your time to maximize your productivity by organizing your ... |
| www.businesstown.com |
|