Paranoia exists on a continuum from deluded thinking and pathological behaviour at one end, to reasonable vigilance at the other. Within businesses, paranoia at the destructive extreme among influential personnel can create a climate of fear and blame in an organisation, while those who have a healthy dose of suspicion can help to anticipate potential threats to a company. The deciding factor in placing oneself centrally in the continuum is how much one is able to keep a foot in reality and to manage anxiety and uncertainty. [...] Naomi Landau, director of Mental Health and Management Training Services in London, describes how paranoia can become epidemic when people’s vulnerabilities are not properly managed in work environments. [...] Given the highly competitive nature of business, top executives may be right to think that some people in their organisations are out to unseat them. But if they become hijacked by paranoid thoughts, and act on them rather than thinking them through, they are in danger of creating a culture of blame and distrust which can seriously limit the staff’s creative performance. [...] The feeling of being disliked or rejected is intolerable for most people. Attempting to get rid of these emotions by seeking reassurance, projecting feelings of inadequacy on to others, or by micromanaging staff, often makes matters worse. ft/cms/s/2/32d9fa32-0c3e-11e4-9080-00144feabdc0.html
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 10:59:33 +0000
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