Contemporary managers are facing the external pressures of a rapidly changing workplace. As the pace picks up, they are expected to keep on top of everything. Should performance and productivity fall off, the higher-ups assume someone must be doing something wrong. A typical reaction is to bring in a consultant to identify the problem(s) and get things back on track.

Invariably, the consultant recommends a training program guaranteed to “fix” the problem. Those who wish to keep their jobs reluctantly attend the sessions and learn the new “buzz words.” The result? Nothing changes. In most instances the problem gets worse. Why? Because the underlying problem is managerial, but the solution lies outside the scope of mainstream methods.

The tools and techniques promoted by traditional management methods are designed for use in a functional environment. While the experts tout teamwork and collaboration, managers are running up against situations where these methods don’t work.

Instead, they find themselves trying to influence people who display what behavioral science calls “dysfunctional” behavior; characterized by unstable relationships, harmful habits, poor organization, lack of confidence, and the inability to make good choices. Quick to declare, “That’s not my job,” these folks do only what they have to do to get by.

Psychotherapists and mental health counselors have all voiced concern about the negative changes in the social-behavioral patterns of the modern family. Upwards of 90 percent of those receiving therapy spent their formative years in a dysfunctional situation.

Guess what? These individuals don’t leave their dysfunctions at home when they come to work. They share them. Hampered by limited social skills and poor problem solving abilities, they cannot function successfully in the workplace without help.

Quite simply, you can expect to find dysfunction in the workplace becoming increasingly more commonplace and more difficult to handle. This accounts for the rapid growth of behavioral counseling and substance abuse programs. Meanwhile, the gap between functional and dysfunctional employees is widening. The rising pressure to “do more with less” will widen it even further in the coming years. Closing that gap is your responsibility.

Closing the gap

Mainstream management methods are primarily coping mechanisms. They only bridge the gap between functional and dysfunctional employees. Bridging provides a temporary link—it doesn’t teach employees how to overcome dysfunction. To close the gap you need to provide a safe environment where self-responsibility can be practiced. One way to do this is to establish a forum where learning and understanding are promoted, judgment is suspended, and agreement is not deliberately sought.

Acceptance is a critical factor. Dysfunctional employees are more likely to acknowledge the views of others if they are not pressured to change as a condition of belonging. These forum guidelines will help create a mutually supportive atmosphere:

– Talk about one issue at a time.

– Share only what you know first hand.

– Ask for examples of how things might work better.

– Encourage silent members to provide input.

– Avoid side comments and conversations.

As you use the forum, you’ll discover it greatly enhances the acceptance and implementation of team building, joint decision-making, group problem solving, and collaborative conflict resolution between and among functional and dysfunctional employees.

The biggest payoff comes when dysfunctional employees, having practiced self-disclosure in the security of the forum, finally become self-directed problem-solvers who can think for themselves. Imagine how much time you’ll save once they stop running to you with every problem. You might get more work done.