Awesome Leaders: Getting Back to Business
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The last key to effectively putting a stop to bad behavior, is that once you’ve implemented your plan and are monitoring compliance, it’s time to get back to leading the rest of the team. This sends the problem child the strong and accurate message that when they act up they get a swift consequence and then life moves on. Don’t unwittingly allow someone to become a star in a protracted battle with you. Once you’ve handled the issues, give your attention right back to the rest of the team. There are no doubt plenty of ruffled feathers to smooth out, especially with your high performers, and especially if it took you a lengthy period of time to be willing to handle the situation. Assure the rest of the team that you have dealt with the problem and won’t allow it to recur. This is generally all that they need to know, in order to move past whatever happened. If it was a serious incident, then they deserve a candid conversation with you to talk about what took place. They also deserve resources for coping with the impact the incident had on them. It may be as simple as a private conversation to clear the air, or as intensive as a trauma response team brought in to assist with highly complex situations. If possible, allow people to have a voice in what you choose to do to help everyone move forward in a healthy fashion.
Now that we have thoroughly covered leadership of the self and leadership of the team, next time we will turn our attention to leadership of the organization. Until then, be well, lead wisely, and get ready to take a look at your team in the context of the bigger picture.
Awesome Leaders: Follow-Through is Critical
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Once you have implemented the solution, monitor the individual’s adherence to whatever parameters you imposed on them. Good employees who run afoul of the rules will be mortified to have messed up and will police themselves so that you don’t have to. Dysfunctional people may decide that acting up just isn’t worth the hassle anymore, and start making better choices. Or they may ratchet it up and try to escalate the situation to once again be to their liking (i.e. they are in control while you are sucking your thumb in your office wondering what to do). Hold the boundary line you set. Once people see that you mean business and that their shenanigans will no longer be tolerated, if they have any capacity for self-control at all, they’ll promptly knock it off. Those with genuine mental or psychological problems might not be able to control themselves, and will require active recalibration of the work environment as well as extensive coaching to try and fix the issues. But chances are these types of folks are not the ones causing all the drama anyway. Drama is usually instigated by people who to some degree deliberately choose it to fulfill their own agenda. Drama is not typically utilized as a tactic by people who struggle just to keep up with the demands of daily life.
Until next time, I’ll be praying for your fierce follow-through on the changes necessary to create or restore a healthy working environment for your entire team.
Awesome Leaders: Implementation of Solutions
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Once you’ve decided what you believe will be the most humane, effective course of action for resolving the problem, the next step is to implement the solution. Sit the person down and explain exactly what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what is expected from this point forward. Dysfunctional people will try all sorts of craziness at this point to get you to back down. Favorite manipulative tactics include temper tantrums, crying fake tears, denying ever having done anything wrong in their entire life, blaming childhood circumstances for their misdeeds, or my personal favorite, claiming the devil made them do it. In the face of such theatrics, you must stay grounded, calm, and strong. People use manipulative tactics because they work. Sometimes the problem individual has been catered to by people who are afraid of confrontation, who buckle under the pressure of the slightest pushback. Nope, the drama stops with you. You are the one to stand up and demand better out of them. In doing so, you are teaching them a healthier, more effective way to live. Hold your ground and let them know that whether they like it or not, you are going to get better out of them, or there will consequences that swiftly follow. Make it crystal clear to them that regardless of what they think or feel, they are responsible for following the new rules. They will be held accountable for themselves, and their impact on the team. Expect them to promptly test your resolve, to see whether you are serious about fixing the problem or not.
Until next time, I’ll be praying that you call up every morsel of strength you possess to change in the ways you need to, so that you can help others change in the ways that they need to. Such is the gritty blessing of a leadership position. 🙂
Awesome Leaders: Getting to the Root of the Issue
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When you’re aiming to correct behavior, the first thing you need to do is precisely determine the scope of the problem. It starts by facing the truth that trouble has been brewing for a long time on your watch, and you’ve been ignoring, minimizing, or dismissing it. Low grade nonsense goes on everyday, and dysfunctional people use those instances as reconnaissance missions to see what they can get away with. Don’t ignore the rude remarks, the emotional volatility, the shirking of duties, or any secretive / deceptive behavior. You’re being tested. Stop flunking the pop quiz and deal with things in real time. Dysfunctional people need to know that their usual modus operandi won’t work with you, and the good people need to see that you are protecting them and the sanctity of the work environment. Therefore, you gain a reputation as a problem solver instead of a wimp.
The next thing you need to do is mindfully consider alternative strategies for correcting the problem. You goal is to fix the behavior, not crush the person. You can be firm and respectful. The fix needs to be fair and reasonable. It needs to directly relate to the problem, and it needs to require a new and better action on the offending person’s part. Don’t be ruled by your emotions, or your dislike of the person. Everyone deserves equitable treatment. If it was your best employee that pulled the same boneheaded move, how would you be handling it? Remember that if you abuse the corrective action process by going too far with it, then you become the problem and the consequences shift to you.
Until next, I am praying for your wise discernment about how to take the necessary actions in a compassionate, effective manner.
Awesome Leaders: Sending the Right Message
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Leaders it’s time to get in touch with your inner warrior and get real about solving problems. When you send the message that the environment will be healthy and productive, respect will reign. If you earned a reputation as a weakling, that perception will happily vanish. Better yet, you’ll will win back your high performers because immature people will stop pushing the boundaries and grow up. Dysfunctional people will think twice before pulling the same old nonsense. They might even get help for their issues. The good people will be dancing up and down the hall because you finally cowboyed up and addressed the problems! That radical shift in the work culture is enough to dislodge all manner of toxicity, resentment, and slumping sales or results.
Your goal in solving problems is deceptively simple: correct the behavior. If someone is being lazy, they need to work. You are not running a daycare center. You are leading a team of adults who are being paid to achieve particular outcomes. If someone is volatile, they need to stop having outbursts. Temper tantrums should never be allowed, they are not only disruptive, they are corrosive to team cohesion. If someone is acting crazy, they need to gain control of themselves. For every problem you face, at it’s core it’s a simple one to resolve. Note that I did not say easy. Simple. Don’t overcomplicate it, agonize over it, or run from it. Sometimes people just plain need to knock off their foolishness. They are capable of acting better, and they would choose to act better if only you would make them. Barring organic or cognitive issues that prevent a person from fully engaging with reality, most troublesome individuals know that their behavior is a problem. It’s caused bad results for themselves and others for a long time and it will not stop until someone bellows out ENOUGH! These people have to be held tightly accountable, otherwise they will continue on with the same dysfunctional ways of dealing with the world. Your organization, your team, your own peace of mind, and the problem child themselves deserve better than that. You wouldn’t allow a toddler throwing a temper tantrum to drive the company car or go negotiate a deal. So why are you letting emotional toddlers in adult bodies do just that?! Banish your own excuses for not correcting the situation, and demand better. Much better! Have enough respect for the problem individual to require acceptable behavior. You know they can do better, and so do they.
Until next time, I am sending power thoughts your way to find the courage to deal with the individuals you are thinking about right now!