Stop Complainers and Energy Drainers: How to Negotiate Work Drama to Get More Done

Turn Constant Complainers into Productive Contributors "Got some people at work making you crazy with their inappropriate behavior? Don't give up. Swindling provides ideas and solutions that will make your workplace and life better." —Mark Sanborn , bestselling author of The Fred Factor and You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader "With over two decades of experience on the topic, Linda Swindling simplifies the troubling trend towards more complaining and less doing. Turns out, you shouldn't just walk away or tell Complainers to 'put a cork in it.' Great book and fantastic solutions for leaders and coworkers alike." —Vince Poscente , author of New York Times bestseller The Age of Speed "Swindling serves up a very practical tool to keep your cool around constant Complainers. Specifics on how to spot them, stop them, and avoid supporting their habit. Love this book!" —Dianna Booher , author of Communicate with Confidence and Creating Personal Presence: Look, Talk, Think, and Act Like a Leader "Linda Swindling offers a flight plan to take you from a culture of negativity and turbulence to one of responsibility and contribution." —Howard Putnam , former CEO of Southwest Airlines; author of The Winds of Turbulence "This is a reference book every manager needs to own and use." —Jim Eckelberger , Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.); Chairman of the Board, Southwest Power Pool Persistent Complainers are expensive. They take up your time, resources, and mental bandwidth. When you change a culture of complaining to one of contributing, you boost morale, increase productivity, and promote effective communication. In short, you get more done with less drama. Stop Complainers and Energy Drainers shows you how to negotiate the toughest situations in the workplace. With these proven communication strategies, you'll end unproductive conversations and behavior at work and accomplish more with your teams.

Work Drama 101 1 Introduction: How to Use This Book with No Complaints 11 1 Whiners 25 2 Complicators 39 3 Prima Donnas 55 4 Controllers 71 5 Toxics 85 6 What to Do If You’re the Complainer 103 7 Energy Drains 131 8 How to Negotiate Work Drama 151 9 Go Ahead, Complain 171 Resources 185 Complain–a–Gram to Complainer 186 Complain–a–Gram to Company Leader 187 Complainer Type Road Signs and Slogans 188 Conversation Strategies per Complainer Type 189 Related Communication Styles 190 Negotiating Work Drama Checklists 194 Notes 197 References 201 Acknowledgments 205 About the Author 209

LINDA SWINDLING is a workplace communication expert. She began negotiating work drama first as a successful attorney and mediator and later as a keynote speaker, executive coach, and strategic consultant. A Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and president of Journey On, she is the author of the popular Passports to Success series, which offers thirteen titles on workplace and communication issues. Visit her at www.StopComplainers.com.