Turnaround or Terminate? How to Deal with Problem Employees
Do you struggle with a "problem" employee? If so, join the
crowd! Many of my coaching clients - businesses owners or
managers - tear their hair out over one or more toxic
employees. In our business environment, we tend to recreate
the dynamics of the family we grew up, so no wonder problems
develop. It's amazing often a business owner or manager will endure a
"problem" employee, unable to help the employee make
positive changes and unable to fire them when necessary.
Tolerating a problem employee is like walking around with a
sliver in your foot - highly irritating, but you can kind of
get used to it. Then, when you finally pull it out, you
can't believe the relief! That relief generally comes in one
of two ways: either you and your employee are able to make
some mutual improvements, or you part ways. I recommend a two step approach to this issue. First, you do
whatever can be done to turn the situation around. Very
often, you may have made a few half-hearted attempts to
resolve the situation, but feel lost at sea about what else
can be done. You must address the issues directly, calmly
and clearly with the employee. Expectations must be set,
problems and solutions explored. Check in regularly with the
employee to monitor progress. On a more powerful level, the turnaround can result when you
learn your own and your employee's behavioral style. I like
to use the Platinum Rule assessment, developed by
Dr. Tony Alessandra. It's inexpensive ($30 - $50), easy to
understand and extremely powerful in helping us understand
our own and others' behavior. Your style and this employee's
style probably differ. (For more information on the Platinum
rule, visit: http://www.authentic-
alternatives.com/platinumrule.htm ) The Golden Rule advises you to treat others as you would
like to be treated. The Platinum Rule advances this to the
next level and suggests that you treat others as you would
like to be treated. Your "problem" employee may be - and
probably is - a different style than you. The Platinum Rule
shows us four core behavioral styles (Relater, Socializer,
Thinker and Director) and gives us many concrete tactics of
how we can flex to meet the other person's style. I have
seen near miracles occur - the proverbial light bulbs go off
- when my clients use this assessment to better understand
themselves and their employees and co-workers. The second step of the two-step approach: suppose you've
fully implemented the first step (turnaround) and the
situation remains unacceptable. Now it's firing time, and
because I bet you care about other people, you know that
it's one of the most unwanted and difficult tasks an owner
or manager faces. I encourage my clients to remember that a
business or organization cannot afford to carry an
unproductive and toxic employee. An employee person
unwilling or unable to make the necessary improvements must
be sent to find an employment situation that fits them
better. This does not make you an evil or uncompassionate
human being. So pull out "the sliver" and create a positive, unstoppable
team. The number one key to professional success is the
quality of the people you surround yourself with -
employees, colleagues, spouse, friends. Life speeds by, so
remove the rocks from your river and let it flow forward,
full force. If you can't turn around a problem employee, you
must let them go. It's not your fault and if you want your
business to flourish, and you will at times find you have to
terminate. Anne Alexander is a coach who works with business owners,
executives and professionals as their strategic partner to
grow their business or career, improve their effectiveness
and become powerful managers. For Anne's free, popular 8
part e-course "Maximize Your Professional Success," send a
blank email to mailto:maximize@authentic-alternatives.com or visit http://www.authentic-alternatives.com *** attn Ezine editors / Site owners **
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