Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Dealing with Toxic Employees, Notes

Two forces drive the workplace: fear and desire.

Fear is loss-averse, desire is risk-seeking.

When you face a problem (specifically people problem) follow the fear. How is it working on you, the others you interact with? ...what is it costing the organization?

Fight or flight---fear has pretty much disconnected the executive functions in the prefrontal cortex. The limbic system has taken over. You can run like hell, but you can't do much else until the fears subside.

Relax.

Observe.

Face the fear.

Access your observational and planning functions.

Isolate, depersonalize and distance yourself from the fear.

How does desire play? Who has it, what is it they seek?

Now access your subcortical regions (play).

Acknowledge loss aversion.

Calculate the risk.

Speak to desire.