Part1- Where I currently work, there is hardly any workplace drama. The people I work with maintain professionalism and avoid drama. In healthcare, there is enough drama. There is no need for us to create anymore for ourselves. While their may not be any drama, there can definitely be negativity. Most of the negativity comes in the form of pessimism. According to White, pessimism is a characteristic of a negative workplace. Negativity does not have a blanket definition. Rather, negativity can manifest itself in different ways in different organizations (2018). Healthcare can be a very rewarding field. In healthcare, you get to help people and watch them progress in their treatment and move on to better stages of life. On the other hand, you can also watch people regress and get worse despite your best efforts and treatments. There was a season last year in which we had several patients regress in their treatment. This led to rampant pessimism in the work environment. The team doubted their clinical abilities and doubted the purpose of their work. Healthcare is already a difficult field. It become even more difficult when the team has no drive to provide the service.

The manager did not have an active role in fueling the pessimism in our workplace. However, the manager did have a passive role. The manager did not do anything to help bring the team back together and help reestablish our optimism. It is possible that the manager was unaware, but the pessimism was so rampant I find it hard to believe that they did not know. Also, if the manager was that disconnected with their team as to be unaware of the pessimism, that is not an excuse either. The team struggled during this time without any clear leadership or optimism in sight. Eventually, the team managed to sift their way through the difficult season and come back stronger than before. To the manager's credit, they are much more in tune now and have prevented future pessimism from seeping in. The manager now checks in with the staff departments bi-weekly and the team holds one joint department check-in every month. This has allowed us to be more transparent with our manager and to be more informed and aware of the other departments.

Other than what has been previously stated, our manager could have contributed to the positive. According to White, contributing to the positive work environment and preventing negativity before it can begin (2018). Another strategy is to focus on adding value. This means to be proactive in problem solving. After allowing people to vent, offer to help them. Comments like "How can I help?" and "What did I do to help" show compassion and a willingness to move forward despite past events (McQuaid 2019). It also helps to encourage people to only focus on what they know. People can often self-impose negative situations on themselves. People can get stuck on bad details that could happen rather than focusing on what is happening (McQuaid 2019). It helps to encourage people to focus on what they know and focus on the reality of the situation. Without an "ego-grip" it is easier to find solutions for problems and roadblocks that occur in an organization (McQuaid 2019). The best defense against negativity is to prevent it from taking root.

References

McQuaid, M. (2019).Is workplace drama wearing you down?Links to an external site. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/functioning-flourishing/201911/is-workplace-drama-wearing-you-down

White, P. (2018).Neutralizing a negative workplace: Understanding and dealing with negativity at the officeLinks to an external site..Personal Excellence Essentials, 23(4), 19-20.

part1 - Respond to two or more of colleagues' post in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a clarifying question about the described situation or the manager's role in it.
• Relate one of your own professional experiences to that of your colleague's. How did your situation impact you and the other employees involved?
• Propose one or more additional recommendations for how the manager in question might have improved their response to the situation, or how they might better support a drama-free, positive work environment in the future.
• avoid ai tools, list please the references you used to answer the questions above

Part2- Wakeman (2018) states that workplace drama often originates from individuals' "ego, self-interest, and lack of emotional maturity." This implies that workplace drama arises from individuals' inability to separate personal feelings and agendas from their professional responsibilities, leading to workplace conflicts, gossip, and negativity. Workplace drama can harm organizational culture, employee morale, and overall productivity. This behavior creates a toxic work environment and hinders collaboration and innovation. Understanding the causes and effects of workplace drama is crucial for leaders and organizations to address and mitigate its impact effectively.

In my 24 years as a nurse, I've encountered so much drama at work. I can proudly say I have not involved myself in any conflicts; however, when I worked as a senior clinical nurse (SCN), I had to step in and help my manager resolve some of them. Dealing with negativity and drama at work is one of the most challenging things I've experienced.

A few years back, my previous manager in my organization, UXU, hired a new dayshift nurse for the Adult Psych Unit. She is a fresh graduate who is enthusiastic and motivated to go above and beyond. Some colleagues saw her matter-of-fact attitude as arrogant and condescending. Gossip started, and people began talking behind her back. Some people, like me, see her as someone highly accountable and want to hold her peers accountable. After a few months, this nurse applied as a unit scheduler when the position opened. She recommended many changes to the scheduling guidelines that upset some team members due to the lack of flexibility and strict enforcement of rules.

At a regular staff meeting, our manager announced the changes in the schedule. Several staff members became upset and verbally targeted the scheduler in front of everyone. I was appalled that no one, not even the manager, tried to stop the confrontation. The scheduler broke into tears and walked out of the staff meeting. After a few weeks, the scheduler resigned. All this was ego-driven and stemmed from a lack of accountability, resistance to change, and entitlement, which, according to McQuaid (2019), can be causes of negativity.

My manager could have done several things to prevent this conflict from happening. He should set clear expectations for professional behavior and reinforce the importance of having a positive work environment. Positive attitudes and positive actions make for a positive workplace culture. (Agarwal, 2018). Addressing the underlying issue by identifying the root cause is important and necessary to prevent escalation and improve employee morale. The manager could have also gathered more information by meeting with all involved individuals to get their perspective on the situation. It is essential to focus on facts rather than assumptions and seek common ground.

References:

Agarwal, P. (2018, August 29).How to create a positive workplace cultureLinks to an external site.. https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/08/29/how-to-create-a-positive-work-place-culture/#c535bb542727

McQuaid, M. (2019).Is workplace drama wearing you down?Links to an external site.Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/functioning-flourishing/201911/is-workplace-drama-wearing-you-down

Wakeman, C. (2018, June 13).Identifying where drama comes from and whyLinks to an external site.[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uX2ZG1SIHk

part 2- Respond to two or more of colleagues' post in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a clarifying question about the described situation or the manager's role in it.
• Relate one of your own professional experiences to that of colleague's. How did situation impact you and the other employees involved?
• Propose one or more additional recommendations for how the manager in question might have improved their response to the situation, or how they might better support a drama-free, positive work environment in the future.
• avoid ai tools, list cited references used at the end please