Save the Drama for Your Mama

The phrase "Save the drama for your Mama" might help one stay away from negativity and begin to ignore it or strive for solutions to prevent/stop it.  This cliché can definitely be overused, but I think it does have it's place in the workforce.

Drama can come in many forms.  It can be negative feelings that are breeding between coworkers.  It could be struggles at home that are affecting a specific person's ability to come in to work and leave their home life at the door.  It can be feelings of disdain when suggestions are disregarded or when lines of communication seem to dissipate.

Drama in the workplace breeds negativity - towards others and towards your work.  Trust me, your clients can sense whether you like your job and/or your coworkers.  A workplace with no drama is more productive, more efficient, and more pleasant for both workers and clients.  That being said, this isn't easy to achieve.

So how can you, the lowly peon at work, help to limit drama in the workplace?  Truly live that phrase, "Save the drama for your Mama."  If something's going on at home, either take some time off to deal with it, or brace yourself for stepping in the door of the office knowing that you can't be worried about the problem or dealing with it when you're on the job. 

If it's contempt towards your coworkers, don't just let it fester into a bigger problem than it is.  Either let it go (everyone deserves  forgiveness now and again), or talk about it.  I have been in many situations where negative feelings towards a coworker stems from poor perception.  The defect in perception is usually on the part of the person who's angry or upset, not necessarily the one who said something or acted in an "incorrect" manner.  Everyone has different personalities, right?  So maybe the person that did or said something that bothered you was not intentionally trying to upset you.  Maybe they just didn't say or do it the "right" way for YOU. 

Perception goes hand in hand with expectation.  If you expect a certain response or reaction and don't get it, why are YOU the one who is upset?  You've just desired someone to live up to what you think is the correct way to say/do things.  Everyone is different, so everyone has a different approach or response to a situation.  If you open your mind to these differences, and WHY the response or reaction was what it was, you will be enlightened.  Not everyone is out to get you; they just responded or reacted in the way that came natural to them.

My suggestion:  take a moment to think about the personality of the person who "wronged" you and think about why they did or said what they did.  Was it inherent to their identity?  Then you're the one who perceived or expected something that wasn't there.  If it really bothers you, talk to them about it - I bet they'll tell you that's not how they meant it (and mean that!).  Not everything you do or say comes across the way you want it to either, and other people have to deal with their perceptions and expectations of you also.  Bottom line?  "Save the drama for your Mama" and don't take everything so seriously.