A Plea for a Drama-Free Workplace

“Dramalism: a consistent pattern of unfiltered, self-centered absurd

behavior acted out on a daily basis in work settings across a range of

organizations for the express purpose of disrupting productivity and

creating chaos on a moment’s notice.”

As the curtain rises on another day in the work setting, and computer timed strobe lights illuminate the areas in which employees meander toward their cubicles to turn on their computers, the stage is set for the emergence of the most tolerated employee to ever grace the corporate water tanks. Some colleagues are repealed by its appearance and find corners in their cubicles to hide. Others are attracted to its unpredictability and, like moths circling a light bulb, fly unknowingly to certain destruction. Everybody knows it coming! It’s only a question of when and to whom it will be directed.

Somewhere, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment in which to unleash a series of exaggerated behavioral gestures, or express a half truth an octave higher than it was originally heard, is the corporate thespian known as the Dramatist. This individual has the unique distinction of being able to extrapolate the most extreme interpretations from the most subtle forms of behavior. In turn, their self-expression of events that transpire in the work setting is where the true drama begins to unfold. How often have we watched as this person glides from cubicle to cubicle in search of conversation and information by masking their intent in the guise of working? When was the last time you were able to finish a sentence without being interrupted by digressions, tangents,’ by-the-ways’ and ‘but-did-you-know?’ Have you ever wondered how is it that they manage to keep stuff going without experiencing some overt form of organizational retribution?

What makes a Dramatist and their form of Dramalism so fascinating is the fact that they are able to engage in such conduct within the business setting where professionalism overrules all the other ‘isms’. The exception here may be due to the fact that Dramalism, while personality-based, is connected to some form of power that emanates from status, position, social standing or personal affiliation. What gets witnessed is the abuse of that power in order to fulfill a strong need to be the center of attention. A good innuendo goes a long to keeping a person at center stage. Meanwhile, the work setting, where we spend most of our daylight hours, becomes an off-Broadway theatrical production where unwilling ticket holders are cubed hostages to a live one person stage show with many acts.

So, before profits, productivity and patience begin to wane as a result of the ongoing drama, conduct an assessment on your Dramatist by exploring a few questions:

What if the Dramatist lacks self-awareness about their behavior? Raise the self-awareness by giving feedback and pointing out examples of the behavior, not the personality.

What if the Dramatist is aware of their behavior and chooses to do it anyway? Nothing kills a show quicker than the absence of an audience. Don’t respond, don’t acknowledge and don’t condone. The behavior will either stop or seek another setting.

What if the Dramatist can handle being ignored? It is the manager’s responsibility to remind this person that the organization has its own script and designates players for particular roles.

Ironically, the dramalism that flows from the larger culture is not due to corporate design, but is the result of organizational default. It is very easy to overlook the behavior of the Dramatist because in a busy, fast-paced setting, it rarely has time to fester in any one particular cubicle. By the time the drama is confronted, it’s over. However, it is the lingering side effects that produce the most interference.