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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.

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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.

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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. 🙂

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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.

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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!

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The art of consequences defines a leader! You must be willing to administer consequences for people’s bad behavior. If you’re not, you need to do the honorable thing and step down. Immediately. Nothing demoralizes good workers or ruins cultures more quickly than not holding people accountable. Lazy or dysfunctional employees poison the well so that no good water flows from it. It is impossible to have an authentically  healthy workplace when people are allowed to not produce, or to act in disruptive ways. Choices have consequences. Stop feeling sorry for the people who are facing consequences, and start feeling sorry for the person who would really appreciate the job and do it well. Nothing is more dangerous for the problem individual than to be allowed to get away with unacceptable behavior. You have the opportunity to help someone gain control of themselves and succeed. If you don’t exercise this responsibility, you are setting them up for a much harder fall sometime in the future. When you allow or encourage them to act up, you are feeding their dysfunction. You’re also hurting the team you’re tasked with protecting. If you are the reason the problem isn’t being fixed, then ultimately you will be held accountable for it. Just because you have evaded responsibility so far, does not mean you always will. Your choices will catch up with you someday. It’s far better to fix the mess in whatever state it is in right now, than to let it fester until it erupts one day and destroys everything in its path. You will not escaped unharmed from such a scenario. I’ve witnessed that time and again when bad leaders thought they were above the rules and the law. The clock of accountability is ticking.

Until next time I’ll be praying for you to man up and face whatever is broken and then get to the business of fixing it!

Ownership Worksheet

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Leaders you must hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone else on your team. Whatever areas of immaturity you have are going to be exposed. Whatever secret sins you have will ensnare you. Whatever liberties you are taking with your position will come to light. I have known far too many leaders who had no moral compass and no shame. Some of the gems from those misguided souls were:

“I like to take people out and get them drunk, get as much dirt as I can, and then use it against them later.”

“I sell a little bit of my soul everyday. I find it really helps.”

“If you don’t do anything about the problems, they will fix themselves.”

“I don’t ever want anything to be looked into, because I don’t ever want anything to be found.”

“I like to destroy relationships between people. Then I can do what I want with them.”

“Dumb it down, you’re making us look bad.”

As was inevitable, the deficient strategists who uttered the nonsense above are no longer in their leadership positions. When you sell your soul, the devil eventually shows up to collect.

Leaders you MUST have your own robust self-development program to avoid the temptation (or for some the seductive siren call) of abusing your position for personal gain. If Jesus came to serve and not to be served, what makes you think you are entitled to anything different than that? Work to fix your own dysfunction, pray to have any blind spots revealed to you, and take your responsibility to protect your team extremely seriously because it is, in fact, that important. Do NOT be the leader who refuses to address any issues, because their hidden transgressions are greater than the entire rest of the team put together. If dirty backroom deals are your specialty, be prepared for the day the light gets shined on your mess. You might as well get yourself together now while it’s still voluntary. Get your self-respect back.

When you have the courage to immerse yourself and your team in an environment of growth, it builds esprit de corps and momentum. People show up every day excited to be working on their goals, rather than dreading or resenting coming in. They are focused, and get their regular responsibilities taken care of so they can get to the fun stuff. Pretty soon they encourage, support, and correct each other as they pursue their goals, and what that happens it is a thing of beauty. The best environments I have ever been a part of are all about doing the main job well, while aspiring to greater heights. Together.

Until next time, I’m praying that you’ll go take a good long look in the mirror and face the truth about what changes you need to make. You already know. It’s time to grow a set and get on with it!

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Strategically developing others sometimes means helping someone rehabilitate their career. It is your job to lead the way in assisting those who have messed up with regaining their equilibrium and restoring good relationships with the team. If termination is not possible or appropriate, then it falls to you to help make the situation right. You need to teach and practice forgiveness. Mercy is required. This is a non-negotiable aspect of a healthy environment. It doesn’t mean that you condone bad behavior or allow it to continue. It doesn’t mean that everyone will like or trust each other. It does mean that once the offense has been dealt with, people don’t hang onto it so they can move forward. If someone has really messed up and hurt the team, let people voice the impact the transgressions had on them. Making them stuff their thoughts and feelings will only serve to further entrench the problem. It’s also part of taking full accountability for the offender to realize the impact of their behavior on other people. Quite frankly, the offended need to be heard, and the offender needs to hush up, listen, and work to make things right.

Don’t settle for a fake peace. Do not allow undercurrents of bitterness, resentment, or animosity to exist on your watch. You’re the leader, this is part of the job. Do the hard work necessary to help offenders mend fences. Do the hard work necessary to help the offended process and move past the problem. Your goal is a team who works professionally together. If someone has breached trust, it is going to take some time to build a new normal together, but it can be done. Reconciliation is possible for a manager with the backbone to face the issues head on and lead the team through the mess. There are a lot of incredibly valuable life lessons inherent in the process, and it will serve your team well in their professional and personal lives, for the rest of their lives. We are only human. Mess ups are inevitable. Moving past them is often not done, and is rarely done well.

Until next time, I will pray for discernment as you detect undercurrents and deal with offenses.

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When you are seeking to develop others, leverage your power and connections for their good. If you have the ability to help someone get ahead, do it. Introduce people, set up mentoring relationships, assign staff to special projects together, and use your influence to open doors. Power was made to be used for good, not evil!! For the sake of the whole, not for self-serving motives. Delegate power as much as you possibly can. Put people in charge of initiatives and events. Give them the chance to see what you do all day, or let them shadow someone else who does what they aspire to do someday. Give people as much special responsibility as makes sense for them and for you, then help them succeed in their new role. When you share your power and connections, you do not diminish them. You exponentially expand them. It is a grace filled way to lead.

Another key skill to include in your team’s development plan is stress resilience. First, you have to model it! Get your own stress under control and then teach others how to handle their stress by your example. Life moves at an increasingly fast pace with ever widening global implications. Stress management is essential regardless of the field of endeavor. On a daily basis our brains are bombarded with information and our emotions have to navigate a maze of experiences that can leave us exhausted, frazzled, and weary. Learning how to deal effectively with stress is a critical skill for all life stages. All of us have a frustration tolerance beyond which we cannot cope. We are having a lot more serious health problems at younger ages because our bodies just cannot keep up with the demands stress places on them. Stress resilience can be trained, and everyone benefits from learning it. You will have a good start down the road of building a healthy work culture if everyone is working on handling their own stress well.

Until next time, I’ll be praying that you find a stress resilience plan that works for you and your team!