Dealing With Office Drama Queens

Every office has a drama queen, the woman (or man) who ends up being at the center of every single firestorm. Most of us end up trying to avoid these lightning rods, but what if we can't?

CareerBuilder.com offers some advice from CNN:

• “Get support from the top. Tell your boss about the problem child. If he or she sides with the troublemaker, make it clear that the situation is affecting morale, customer service and the financial bottom line.

• Clarify everyone's role. If your drama queen is going off on her own, have a meeting to explain everyone's role -- and if necessary, have all employees sign a document that they understand their role at work.

• Initiate a conversation. Take responsibility by saying something like, "I let this slide for too long ... I was trying to keep the peace." After that, you are free to state the problem and ask for the needed change.

• Set boundaries. Make sure the drama queen knows the consequence of continuing to make trouble. If it's really bad, be willing to say, "If this happens again, I will have to write you up or suspend you."

• Be willing to discipline. Marlene Chism, author of Stop Workplace Drama, says, "If your drama queen employee decides to test you, you cannot afford to ignore the situation, even if doing so will make you the bad guy."”

What’s some other advice you have?