What is Disruptive Behavior in the Workplace?
Disruptive behavior is an enduring pattern of conduct that disturbs the professional’s day-to-day interpersonal surroundings. The disruptive professional employs certain types of behaviors (conscious and unconscious) as a means to use their position of power for personal gain and/or to avoid blame or responsibility. Often times, disruptive behavior is byproduct of professional burnout rather than exclusively anchored in a personality disorder or formal psychiatric problem. It is always important to diagnostically discriminate to what degree the individual’s difficulties stem from professional burnout (which is typically an adjustment disorder), significant psychiatric stressors (atypical depression, an anxiety disorder such as untreated PTSD), and/or personality disorder dynamics. Disruptive behavior is almost always justified in the name of patient care. Although the physician may have legitimate concerns about questionable care, there is a gross logical error embedded in the assumpti