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🛡️ Understanding Protective Behaviors in the Workplace

LIP #159
Jul 16, 2025

Most people think protective behaviors are obvious - like being hostile to feedback, getting emotional when criticized, or using humor to avoid serious topics. These visible behaviors are called RABs (Red Arrow Behaviors), but they only represent 5% of how people actually protect themselves at work.

The remaining 95% of protective behavior is silence. Just like poker players who stay still to avoid giving away their hand, most people in professional settings choose to say nothing rather than risk being judged.

This silence prevents real collaboration and slows down decision-making because people are too afraid to share their actual thoughts and opinions.

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