Managing Problem People
It’s MONDAY again. And while I’d love to share allllll about my trip to the Bahamas this past weekend, there is work to be done!
Although.... I will definitely be adopting the Bahamian mindset of “levity and chill” into this work week....
Let’s get into it and let's talk about managing your problem people.
As a manager, there is nothing more frustrating than not knowing how to manage your problem children-- I mean -- employees (because let’s be honest, are you managing adults or stubborn pre-teens?)
As a team member, there is nothing more frustrating than pulling other people’s weight on the team because they can’t seem to get their sh*t together.
So how do we deal with the problem people?
I'd advise we take a page out of Nigel Nicholson’s “book” by diving into his article “How to Motivate Your Problem People”.
And since it’s Monday, and Nicholson does a better job dropping some knowledge than I do on this topic, I’m going to leave some quotes below. Take ‘em or leave ‘em but they will help spark some new ideas and techniques when it comes to managing difficult people on your team.
“As it turns out, you can’t motivate these problem people: Only they themselves can. Your job is to create the circumstances in which their inherent motivation – the natural commitment and drive that most people have – is freed and channeled toward achievable goals. That approach requires an entirely different managerial mind-set. Achieving this shift in perspective is anything but easy. But it’s your best hope for getting the most out of your difficult employees. And if you succeed, your task won’t be prodding or coaxing these people; it will be removing barriers – including, quite possibly, your own demotivating management style." (Nicholson, 2003, pg. 3)
"This approach, something I call “tell and sell,” is based on a profound fallacy many of us buy into: Other people have the same thought processes we do, and, consequently, they have to accept the good sense of what we’re saying. But each of us has a unique profile of motivational drivers, values, and biases, and we have different ideas about what is reasonable. This frequent mismatch of perceptions leads to another common problem with managerial attempts at motivation: the futile and prolonged game of tag, with a manager repeatedly trying to slap some motivation onto the problem employee." (Nicholson, 2003, pg. 6)
"As a powerful aid to decentering, you should ask yourself: “What must it be like for someone like that – that is, with that character and perspectives – to have someone like me, with my biases and drives, as a boss, client, sub- ordinate?” The answer can guide your strategy for future encounters." (Nicholson, 2003, pg. 7)
"Everyone has motivational energy. Although many problem employees display a marked lack of drive and commitment in their jobs, these qualities are usually alive and well in other areas of their lives. Certainly, not all people are going to feel the same passion for their work that they do for their hobbies or other outside interests. But it’s a mistake to write off a problem employee as simply unmotivated. Most workers have the potential to engage with their work in a way that furthers managerial goals." (Nicholson, 2003, pg. 7)
I hope some of these quotes sparked some problem-solving thoughts about managing your team internally. And if that’s the case, and you are ready to continue the conversation around problem-solving, let’s connect.
I’d love to listen, discuss, and help with any team-related issues you may be having.
