Is it possible to be a manager who avoids workplace drama and doesn’t recruit it either?

[ThisAgileHedgehog]

I’ve worked in a few teams now where the drama was constant - gossip, cliques, weird power plays and people who seem to thrive off creating tension. In almost every case, management either turned a blind eye or actively contributed to it.

It’s made me wonder whether it’s actually possible to be a manager who stays out of drama and better yet, doesn’t recruit people who bring it in? Or does dealing with other people’s nonsense just come with the territory?

If you’re a manager (or have a good one), what helped keep things sane?

I am in a company where the last time bullying was happening, the bullies left. I was told that they are firmly against it ( not because I was bully , but witnessed people being bullied) so was happy to see that what I was told, actually is being upheld so far by the managers. It is the very first company in my life where I feel completely at peace knowing I am protected.

Obviously, humans are random and many colleagues do or say random shit but that just makes the place more hilarious - just random stories or random acts but not insults or that sort of thing

In my experience, the bullies are often also Management. In my current job, our line Manager does not understand that choosing to holiday with 2 out of 5 of her team indicates favouritism.

Well, obviously random people holidaying with other random people or socialising with whomever they want, that happens in my place too. Or extended family employed and getting tons of benefits and complete relax in behaviour. But that does not bother me because I am in and out and have 0 time to socialise with strangers from a workplace. I got friends from there and that is that.

The best way to stay out of drama is to keep a professional distance, including not being part of your team's social media.

Avoiding recruiting it, not so easy, as within the framework of an interview you can't always tell - also, sometimes people get foisted on you in restructures.