Re: The "Problem co-worker" thread

Subject: Re: The "Problem co-worker" thread
From: Ned Bedinger <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>
To: "Downing, David" <DavidDowning -at- Users -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 01 May 2007 12:38:15 -0700

Downing, David wrote:
> I have to confess
> I don't like the idea of deliberately refusing to respond to her,
> because I've had people do that to me and it always leaves me feeling
> that I got cheated. Our whole profession has to do with understanding
>

I agree, but see:

http://classics.mit.edu/Aesop/fab.1.1.html

The fourth fable from the bottom of the page: The Shepherd's Boy and the
Wolf

IIRC from psychology, the technical term for what happens is 'extinction
of behavior' -- when the receptive co-workers respond, repeatedly over
time, and their response is repeatedly ignored, their receptive behavior
goes extinct. Elsewhere, I have heard this called 'compassion burn-out.'
When it happens in the workplace, it is tempting to attribute it to
living in the rat race where we're packed in tight together, but as told
by Aesop, it happens even in pastoral settings. The consequences for
Aesop's protagonist were dire, but bringing any consequences to bear on
the one in the office is a bit more fiddly. The silent treatment may
seem heavy handed, but it can be done , and sounds to me like it could
be effective when other options are limited.

Make time for it.

Ned Bedinger
doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com
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