Obstinate behaviour @ Workplace

I recently answered a question on obstinate behaviour at workplace.

I am putting it up here for your views....

Thanks to Sandeep Sood who brought to fore a common behaviour trait, one that we encounter and look the other way.

Obstinate behaviour at work place? Have you ever faced an obstinate boss or are you an obstinate boss yourself?

"Yes i have had occasions to deal with obstinate bosses / peers and subordinates as well throughout. But it really depends on how we view obstinate.. Obstinate can be defined as someone who is fixed, determined and persistent, I found some of the people in the know of things. knew the outcome they desired and the standards the

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y expected. Therefore they shared that drive and desire and instilled in their teams the same passion for Superior execution; and ensured that all worked towards that outcome. They were FIXED in their standards of expectations but FLEXIBLE in their terms of engagement.

In obstinate, dogged subordinates i have found my greatest source of alternate ways of doing things and challengers of status-quo and I have nurtured them to a fault!!

However, when it came to dealing with obstinate people, where obstinate was defined as Pig Headed, Adamant, Unmoved, Inflexible, I found myself getting increasingly de-energised and resolved to keep the interactions to the minimum. The key difference between the former obstinate and latter was that in the former case we could argue about ideas, processes, etc and come away richer from the argument. In the latter case however, a conflict of ideas or approach would invariably lead to personality clashes and leave the process, relationship and the organisation in a lose, lose situation.

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Robert Stuttton who is a professor at Stanford and has

written a book titled The No As@#$%*&le rule, where he lists the latter type of behaviours.. it's an interesting read and gives great insight into why there are so many of them 'infesting' the workplace. In fact bad behaviour beyond just plain OBSTINATE is fairly common at work place as found in a study conducted by Robert Stutton with McKinsey: reports that one firm found the Total cost of a Jerk (TCJ) to be US $ 160,000 annually. (http://www.thebizofcoding.com/2007/05/no-jerks-at-workplace/). Unwarranted unabated Obstinate behaviour causes disengaged and de-energised workplace and can cause talent erosion.

Most of these 'bullying' type behaviours are encountered in a boss subordinate type relationship at workplace and hence it may be good enough to be able to have 'coping' mechanisms around these. Humour, Having a support group of colleagues, powerful mentors to help you manage the situations may be some of the coping tactics.

However on a long term basis it has to be a top down influence that

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will clamp down such behaviour. If the company has robust HR practices then such behaviour becomes easier to identify and capture. Post which the concerned manager needs to be coached and monitored on an on going basis to improve the non value adding traits.”