Saturday, May 7, 2016

Anyone Sick Of Their Co-Workers Yet?


Let's face it. America loves violence. So whether you are wearing some sort of gang symbols and a doo-rag, or when Becky and Jane disrupt the office with their compulsive emotional rants; Abuse is the key to many solutions in the U.S. The fight for control, money and power is prevalent.

The ego seems to get the best of people particularly at the workplace. People get rather territorial and seek recognition when successful projects are developed. Everyone wants to be the one who came up with an idea, brought the money into the company, or if nothing else, fights to be seen as a leader.

It is always helpful to be grounded and know who you are before you even enter the workplace. Often times people need the job to define them, resulting in an identity crisis, when the validation they seek from their supervisors and colleagues has failed them. The ego is shattered, resulting in the development of riffs with co-workers turned rivals.

While organizations provide a wealth of training(s) in leadership and team building, there are very few companies who develop education which builds the individuality and uniqueness of its employees. This would be because many organizations have mastered the art (if that's what you wish to call it) of psychologically prepping their employees to become submissive clones who rely on one set of "leaders" who make full decisions in every facet of the organization.





Thereafter, setting a tone in the organization which pits one against the other in a competitive match, with the reward perhaps being a 2% increase in salary. Oh boy! Someone walks away happy that week!





Watch Out For "Groupthink"

Groupthink, a term developed by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment”.  Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups.  A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making.


Janis, Irving L.  (1972).  Victims of Groupthink.  New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Janis, Irving L.  (1982).  Groupthink: Psychological Studies of Policy Decisions and Fiascoes.  Second Edition.  New York: Houghton Mifflin.


Based on Irving's analysis, he has documented eight symptoms of groupthink.

  1. Illusion of invulnerability –Creates excessive optimism that encourages taking extreme risks.
  2. Collective rationalization – Members discount warnings and do not reconsider their assumptions.
  3. Belief in inherent morality – Members believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions.
  4. Stereotyped views of out-groups – Negative views of “enemy” make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary.
  5. Direct pressure on dissenters – Members are under pressure not to express arguments against any of the group’s views.
  6. Self-censorship – Doubts and deviations from the perceived group consensus are not expressed.
  7. Illusion of unanimity – The majority view and judgments are assumed to be unanimous.
  8. Self-appointed ‘mindguards’ – Members protect the group and the leader from information that is problematic or contradictory to the group’s cohesiveness, view, and/or decisions.

Be Mindful...

There are a host of other problematic concerns in the workforce that causes dissension among employees. Often times the distorted perspectives and ideology within organizations is endless. Be mindful of the dynamics described. One can very easily get caught up in the trap of confusion, if time is not taken to build confidence within one's own self and abilities. Most importantly, do not allow your place of employment to define you. When you initially walked into the doors of the organization, you were a unique and talented individual. Stay true to yourself and beware of those colleagues who believe that they will gain at the expense of your demise.

Finally: Leave any toxic environment that aims to stunt your growth on an on-going basis. You are worth more than your bi-weekly paycheck...with a lot of "taxes" snatched from it.

Go Ahead & Enjoy The Video: SKELETONS
(Stevie Wonder)