As human beings, it’s normal for us to get frustrated over things that we cannot control or when people behave in ways that do not align with our expectations. “Frustration” is one of the common feelings that we experience daily.
In a corporate context, most of the time, we depend on someone else to deliver what we have been assigned. However, if the terminology of “I don’t know,” “I’m not aware,” “It’s not my job,” “I’m too busy,” and “it’s your fault” is something that is frequently used or observed, this is where frustration can creep in.
If you are someone who puts your heart into your work and strives to perform at your best, you may find yourself going beyond your assigned tasks to cover for colleagues who are not meeting expectations. When others are not fulfilling their responsibilities, your boss might rely on your support to get things done on time, even if it’s beyond your scope. It can be frustrating to see people using excuses like “I don’t know,” “I’m not aware,” “It’s not my job,” “I’m too busy,” and “it’s your fault” to avoid work while you are required to deliver more.
I found the movie clip ‘Rage on a Plane’ (2003) HD, quite interesting as it illustrates how things can snowball, even in a corporate setting, leading to greater frustration.
How do you identify Frustration around you?
When individuals are frustrated over the behaviors of others in a corporate environment (not only in a corporate environment. Just wanted to narrow down the focus), they may exhibit a range of actions or behaviors, some of which can be detrimental to the workplace.
Here are common actions people might take when they are frustrated with the behaviors of their colleagues or superiors:
1. Undermining or Sabotage: In extreme cases, individuals may deliberately undermine the efforts or projects of those they are frustrated with.
2. Complaining: Frustrated individuals may frequently vent their frustrations to coworkers.
3. Information Withholding: Frustrated employees may withhold information, feedback, or resources from colleagues as a form of passive resistance, hindering progress.
4. Disengagement: Frustration can lead to disengagement and reduced enthusiasm for one’s work.
5. Excessive Criticism: Frustrated individuals may excessively criticize or find fault with the work of those they are frustrated with.
6. Avoidance: Some individuals may choose to avoid working with or interacting with the person or people they are frustrated with.
7. Gossiping: Frustration can lead to gossip and rumors about the individuals or behaviors causing the frustration.
8. Escalating Conflict: Frustration can escalate into open conflict, with individuals confronting or arguing with the person whose behavior is causing their frustration.
If you are a leader who can bring about a positive change in your work environment and have identified anyone/few in your team who can relate to the above labels, here are some tips for you:
- Write down some real-life examples of those behaviors by those individuals.
- Arrange one-on-one catchups to connect with your team and understand their side of the story.
- Share your perspectives and your expectations.
- If the above is something new for you, consider upskilling yourself on how to give effective feedback, listening skills, coaching as a leadership skill (especially how to use coaching inquiries to push the conversation forward) ,empathy etc., as it might give you an added advantage.
You might not succeed overnight, but I can guarantee that you may be able to bring about some positive change in your team!
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Charitha Bandara is an HR Professional with more than 23+ years of corporate exposure, specializes & passionate in the areas of Service Excellence/Life Skills, Leadership, Management, Team, People Development/Coaching/Culture etc.
As a trainer & a consultant, he has conducted 1,000+ corporate training sessions during last 15 years and trained over 66,000+ participants.
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