From Difficult to Disturbed: Understanding and Managing Dysfunctional Employees

Chapter 2. Shrinkers and Clingers: Avoidant and Dependent Employees

Most of us prize our ability to socialize and relate to people in a pleasant and constructive way. That is because most of us possess the basic self-confidence and social poise required to negotiate interpersonal encounters smoothly. For some people, communication is a natural skill—they just seem to have been born with a gift for connecting with people and use it buoyantly and enthusiastically. Others have to work at it, but they are still able to master the art of communication sufficiently to navigate their social worlds.

But there are those who regard the prospect of interacting with others as a gut-twisting challenge. The thought of speaking up at a meeting or discussing a ...