What causes people to engage in various types of performance blocking behaviours?
 
The main causes of Defensive-Aggressivebehaviour are:
 

 
The main causes of Conflict Avoidancebehaviour are:
 

 
The main causes of Responsibility Avoidancebehaviour are:
 

What can you do to avoid this behaviour?
 
First, when you discover yourself engaging in performance blocking behaviour, try to identify your current emotions. Are you feeling frustrated, anxious, nervous, threatened, powerless, helpless, slighted, unappreciated, angry, etc?
 
Then ask yourself what's causing you to feel this way. Performance blocking behaviours are reactions to external situations, actions or pressures. They are normal and natural. But they need to be controlled, and identifying the cause is a critical step in managing them. If you understand what's causing you to react this way, and you can deal with the cause, the behaviour will disappear.
 
If you feel threatened, ask by what? If you're feeling frustrated, why is this? What is it that you want to do but cannot do? Is there a way around the blockage? Are the things causing your negative behaviour within your power to change? If they are, then concentrate on dealing with them. If they aren't then you have to change the way you react to them. It is useful to think of a prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to distinguish one from the other."
 
When you're taking an action ask yourself the question, "Whose needs am I serving by doing this?" Performance blocking behaviours tend to serve one's own needs, and seldom serve the needs of others. The objective of management is to add value and to accelerate and sustain momentum and performance in the organization. That implies doing things which serve not just your needs but the needs of your team and your organization.
 
Seek out and get feedback on your behaviour. One can only change if one knows what one is doing. Objective feedback is essential. Get a close colleague or a friend to tell you whenever he or she sees you engaging in performance blocking behaviour. And when they point it out to you, take it like a mature adult. Listen and don't get defensive. And make an effort not to repeat the behaviour.
 
We change our behaviour when its consequences are painful to us. Set up a penalty payment that you make whenever you find yourself showing bad behaviour. The penalty could be an amount you put aside and give to charity.
 
We maintain our behaviour when it is rewarding to us. When you stop yourself from engaging in performance blocking behaviour, and instead do something constructive, reward yourself - even if only by congratulating yourself. Don't wait for congratulations or reward from others. Organisational life being what it is, it could take a long time to come.
 
Feedback is the key to dealing with performance blocking behaviour. If you have people working for you who do these things, talk to them about it. Learn how to give feedback. If it is your boss who is exhibiting the behaviour, it can be more difficult, but if you feel you are able to give him or her feedback, do so supportively and loyally. The same thing can be said in many ways - the proper way is the way that the other person can accept.
 
Performance blocking behaviour is not a necessary part of any job. It is a natural emotional reaction to external factors. But when things are frustrating, when you feel threatened, when you feel demeaned, or when you feel anxious and irritated, it is definitely possible to avoid letting these emotions get on top of you and expressing themselves in negative behaviour. If you can contain your reaction, can step back and identify its cause and then can deal with the cause, you will transform the energy wasted on your blocking behaviour into behaviour that improves your performance.