We all go through difficult times and situations. These include financial difficulties, health issues, hard problems to deal with, and working with a few hostile employees.
Do we approach all problems the same way? Do we need to tailor a solution for each situation?
One major difficulty that received much attention is dealing with difficult employees who come in different colors.
- Avoidance Responsibility- employees who do not accept responsibility and push it to other employees.
- Star Employees- who in reality are not. They report late to work and meetings because they are self-inflated. They do what they do well but see themselves above others.
- Bad Attitudes- employees who are very negative to teammates or work. They spread negativity.
- Encyclopedia Employees- who think they know everything and so they need not learn or collaborate with other employees.
- The Sick Employee- to avoid taking responsibility these employees use sick days to abstain from work.
- The Excuse Maker- refers to employees who are excellent at one thing and that is finding excuses for not doing their work.
- The Displeased Employees- who show a constant pattern of complaining and criticizing work and workers.
The above shows some examples of difficulties we meet with some employees. How best to deal with them?
Any plausible solution for a problem, in general, is gaining the wisdom of understanding it. Assumptions only make the problem harder to solve.
A leader needs to understand the root causes of the problem.
- Is it due to the work environment?
- Is it because the employee works on a job that he has no ability and desire to engage?
- Is it a health issue?
- Is it the fear of experiencing what the employee experienced before?
- Is it due to other undeclared reasons?
Understanding why is crucial. The where and when questions are less relevant because people tend to repeat what they do anywhere everywhere and whenever possible.
I recall my experience with a very difficult employee. He was very aggressive to his colleagues and even threatened them sometimes. He was very creative but agonizing to work with.
I called him to my office to understand why he was behaving the way he did. It turned out that it resulted from home. His parents gave much more attention to his elder brother and younger sister. He received little encouragement and had the feeling of isolation and abandonment.
I gave him assignments to expose himself. Examples included speaking at conferences and meetings. He shined. Gradually he changed his behavior and became an indispensable member of the teams he worked with. He needed some spotlight and that was enough to remove his negative feelings.
How do you deal with difficult people or situations? You are welcome to share your thoughts.
We are not talking about toxic people or situations such as harassment and the like that require particular attention and expertise.
More generally, the characters you have listed, to which I would also add someone who, despite having remarkable talents, does not highlight them and slips away, certainly represent a timely and significant intervention. Unfortunately, the need to have methods for managing critical collaborators is a necessity for anyone managing resources to balance their human tendency to avoid negative feedback and settle for mediocre results to avoid conflicts and tiring discussions.
Without a doubt, for a manager to manage situations of this type can sometimes be unpleasant, very demanding and tiring, but no less necessary for this, on the contrary. When this happens, the manager or executive must intervene by implementing behaviors and actions aimed at confrontation and dialogue with the employee in question, in order to minimize misunderstandings, difficulties and problems of all kinds.
In my view, the fundamental step that a manager must take to understand how to manage a difficult collaborator is to talk to the latter and first of all understand the perception he has of the behavior he assumes. If he is aware of the difficulties he generates. Only by sharing this information and being willing to listen, it is possible to arrive at a solution. In fact, as a manager or employer it is very useful to make the collaborator feel your closeness and willingness to understand what his needs are and what are the causes that generate a behavior of that type. Furthermore, it is very important that this meeting takes place in private so that the employee feels comfortable with him.
Completely endorse your comment, Aldo and your suggestions and highlighting the talented difficult employees.
I also agree fully with you that understanding the problem first by listening with empathy is a must if we are not to work on wrong assumptions.
Also finding after understanding the problem its root causes to deal effectively with it.
I endorse your lovely comment.
Brother Ali
Such a good article addressing a difficult topic.
I especially like your premise that understanding the root cause of the problem is the beginning of solving why the person is “difficult.”
I imagine that some managers found me “difficult” as I developed a “bad attitude” toward anyone who treated me or others with a lack of respect.
As such, was I better at dealing with other “Bad attitude” staff. Sometimes.
Great piece
Alan
I am elevated reading your comment Brother Alan
Thank you for your understanding, encouragement and great support