Comments for SOMC Leadership Blog

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Acknowledge the Problem by Kendall L. Stewart

Kendall L. Stewart — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:39:55 +0000

McKinnoJ, thank you for pointing out how difficult it can be to stand up to bullies.
There is definitely a large gray zone.
I usually advise those who are uncertain to consult trusted colleagues in the workplace.
These people can provide wisdom, insight and needed support.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Acknowledge the Problem by Joe McKinnon

Joe McKinnon — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:20:30 +0000

I think of “bullying” as occurring when an aggressive person verbally or physically intimidates a non-aggressive person. This usually involves yelling, cursing, threatening, shoving, striking, and other similar behaviors. There is another type that occurs when a person “in power” uses that position to exercise dominance over someone who reports to them in a way that is beyond any intended scope of employment. Examples include: asking someone to do special personal favors that are not work related; behaving inappropriately after being told the behavior was out of place and unwanted; and routinely ignoring specific requests for assistance. When these behaviors occur in the workplace, a “hostile work environment” can be created that can leave the recipient confused and fearful of losing employment if they do not comply or if they do complain. Reporting this, and similar behaviors, can be the most difficult step an employee can take because, in their mind, they are gambling their livelihood on their perception of a complaint and how it will be perceived by others. A person going through this is torn between, “I can’t take this anymore,” and, “Is this as bad as it feels to me or am I exaggerating this whole thing?”, and, “Will I lose my job if I complain about my supervisor, just because he is a supervisor and I am not?” Any type of bullying should not be acceptable in the workplace.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Design and Deploy a Process by Kendall L. Stewart

Kendall L. Stewart — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:32:00 +0000

Joe, your focus on training as a preventative measure against disruptive behavior is excellent.
Your process for managing complaints creates accountability.
That word gets around in the workplace.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Design and Deploy a Process by Vicki Noel

Vicki Noel — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:50:33 +0000

My simple process is that I nag:-) Ha! Actually, that is true, although I hate the negative connotation of “nag”. The way I reframe “nag” is providing the support to the leader to do the right thing. I don’t mind being the “bad guy” if it helps the right thing happen for the good of the organization. As leaders we all want to do what is right…yet sometimes we need a bit of help taking the steps to make it happen. That’s my job.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Design and Deploy a Process by Joe McKinnon

Joe McKinnon — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:18:37 +0000

I have had the opportunity to deal with complaints of disruptive behavior made against employees I manage. I have found the best process starts by collecting as much information as I can before I make any kind of a decision.
Complaints of disruptive behavior often involve one person not understanding what is happening to him (Why are you doing this to me?) and a second person not understanding how his actions are being perceived (What am I doing to you?). I think that by gathering as much information about the event as I can, I can arrive at answers to both of those questions which will allow me to develop the most appropriate resolution.
The answer to the first question involves a conversation with the complainant. At this meeting, I make it clear that I want to hear his side of the story, that I have to talk with the officer involved before deciding anything, that we will conduct a thorough investigation of his complaint, and that we have policies to deal with this type of investigation. Finally, I apologize for how this experience made him feel.
As the person ultimately responsible for the work behaviors of the employees I manage, I will spend much more time with the employee trying to answer the second question. After telling him the details of the complaint, I try to get the answers to four more questions: (1) What happened (his side of the story); (2) What procedures, policies, rules or practices are involved (does he know what he should have done, or did he do everything he was supposed to do); (3) What could he have done differently to prevent this complaint; and (4) Does he understand why the person made the complaint.
Fortunately, the number of complaints against security officers has gone down in the last few years. I like to think that has happened in part due to this process. I also like to think it has come from constantly reminding officers that it is in the nature of security work to have to deliver negative messages. The response of people to those messages is more often determined by how we deliver them than by the actual content of the messages themselves.
I am more interested in preventing disruptive behaviors than reacting to them. I believe this process brings the issues more into the light and helps officers understand their role in controlling, and ultimately preventing, complaints of this type.
I am not sure how to improve the process, but I would be open to suggestions.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Acknowledge the Problem by Kendall L. Stewart

Kendall L. Stewart — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:10:10 +0000

Pbcusc, your careful documentation is one of the keys to success.
This attaches real consequences to the disruptive behavior.
Many leaders ignore this important step because, “it is too much trouble.”
Thanks for sharing your perspective.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Acknowledge the Problem by pbcusc

pbcusc — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:07:30 +0000

My experiences have been mainly in the classroom which is not all that different from the workplace except that the participants (students) come and go each term and do not stay on for long periods of time. However, classroom management of distruptive behavior is similar to other areas. I hope this example from a different perspective will be helpful. Note: Most of my graduate students are not young. They are adults, many with families and jobs, so the disruptive behavior is not just “acting out” by teens.

Distruptive behavior distracts students from learning and creates an environment of wasting time. In my experience, many of the students who are disruptive have a basic hostility or insecurity to “having to take this course.” Research and statistics are considered to be difficult for many students. In other words, they don’t want to be there and fear failure.

In the group environment where I am trying to conduct class, I will often stop talking and look at the disruptive person(s). Silence follows and then I proceed. My next move is to ask the problem student during a break and aside from others, to talk to me privately after class. I acknowledge the behavior–excessive talking, laughing, eye rolling, etc. and express that it is inappropriate and interferes with student learning. Most of the time this will help to modify the behavior. If it does not, I have another conference and tell the student that if the behavior continues, I will report it to the Dean for further action.

I am careful to document every conference–time, place, communication, etc. If the disruption stops, I “forget it” and don’t put a record in the student’s file. If it does not stop, I follow through and report it and put documentation in the file.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Provide Some Real Examples by Vicki Noel

Vicki Noel — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:45:07 +0000

Real stories are very powerful.
The stories make even greater impact when preceeded by real actions.
When we become aware of bullying behavior, we need to investigate promptly, take action appropriately, and share the story.
As leaders we should consider the alternative story board we are creating if we turn our head while this behavior is occurring.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Provide Some Real Examples by Kendall L. Stewart

Kendall L. Stewart — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:32:06 +0000

Andrea, you make an important point.
Bullies always take silence as evidence of consent.
When a silent bystander quietly makes the point the bully should “not take my silence as evidence of my approval of what you are doing,” it is an unpleasant consequence that makes the bully uncomfortable and discourages future outbursts.

Comment on Disruptive Behavior: Provide Some Real Examples by Andrea Zaph

Andrea Zaph — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:19:38 +0000

Staff sometimes uses silent “agreement” as a means of limiting the duration of a bully’s tirade. A bully often takes their coworkers’ silence as proof of their agreement or approval of inappropriate remarks or behaviors. A bully sometimes even appoints himself or herself a mouthpiece for an entire group. Providing specific examples of these disruptive behaviors and details of how they affect everyone in the environment is a great tool to help the bully realize that everyone does not share their opinions or approve of their behavior.