People battle one another.

That’s happened for millennia. 

So, we should not be too surprised to see interpersonal battles in today’s workplaces.

However, it seems to me situations of in-your-face employee-employee and boss-subordinate conflicts are increasingly more common.

That’s a Problem.

[In the old days…say the 1980’s] When I started my career, overt dysfunction was not that common. Sure, ‘the boss’ was regularly the subject of behind-the-scenes discussion...covert dysfunction existed  but it did not permeate the workplace atmosphere. Sure, ‘the boss’ regularly made it clear that ‘he who carries the gold makes the rules’. Bosses favoured some folks over others. And, some people simply could not get along with others. However, a bar was set … ensuring a level of civility, respect, and order in the workplace.

What would have been grounds for dismissal in the old days thrives with impunity today.

In other words – too many people are getting away with too-bad behavior: 

• too many people wearing their home-hearts on their work-sleeves,
• too much employee-to-employee incivility,
• too many people refusing to follow bosses’ instructions,
• too many people refusing to treat co-workers with respect,
• too many people sabotaging other’s work, &
• all of this eats away at people`s energy and company`s profits & ability to compete.

Too many people are getting away with too-bad behavior: they are gnawing up energy and profits…and they are getting away with it.

If you disagree, if you believe these things are not a problem at the workplaces you see then your organization and your colleagues must be operating better than some of the folks I see in action:

• Why? Why is that the case?
• How? How are you and your colleagues drawing the lines, making sure people are playing fair at work?
• What? What specific actions did you take? (at the time of hiring?, in conjunction with performance reviews? other actions?)

If you agree, if you believe the balance between personal interests/problems and workplace needs has gotten out of whack then:

• Do you intend to take action?
• Why? Why do you think it is necessary to take action?
• How? How do you plan to take action?
• What? What specific actions will you take?

How do you recommend drawing the lines on workplace conflicts? 

The bottom line...

Draw lines on workplace conflict