[leokun]

Eh, if someone is being a problem and is creating negativity, as manager you should be able to pick up on it. It shouldn't be that hard, that's most of your job as a manager is to be able to read the people that work for you and evaluate them. You don't need proof of passive aggressive behavior to fire anyone. Just fire them and wish them the best on their next venture.

[001sky]

Right, but your trivializing the problem. Only a clown "inserts negativity", because inserting <ambiguity> equally if nor moreso effective at undermining your authority as a manager.

Firing someone for <creating> "an ambiguous situation" might in fact be the simple, correct action.

But if you fired someone evertime you were just <in> an ambiguous situation? Not so much. Good luck with that, because your boss might probably fire you next=D.

Its also why you'll find a "good leader" is never surrounded by this crap. If you think about the "broken windows" theory of policing, where low-level crime creates an atmoshere conducive to "real crime", there is probably a decent analogy. Good leaders are adept at working through <uncertainty>, but distinguish this from <ambiguity> for this reason. IMHO.