The sporting arena and the workplace often draw some similar parallels. The draw between the two top AFL teams, Collingwood and St Kilda, at the weekend left followers and players with a lack of closure. Not only did nobody win, but the two teams are left frustrated and with an unresolved agenda which will be front of mind for the remainder of this week.
Do you suffer from the “too nice” factor which is protecting and not correcting?
Are you experiencing any of these individual behaviours in your workplace but are ignoring them because that staff member is good at their job?
- An unwillingness to work as part of a team
- Continual bad moods or grumpy behaviour that you are having to accommodate and work around
- A lack of flexibility
- The use of mobile phones or the internet for personal reasons during working hours
Here are some suggested actions you could take to tackle some of these issues:
1.) Clearly state to the individual what the issue is, for example, “You are doing what I have asked you to do however, you are doing it at the expense of not helping your fellow team members”.
2.) Clearly state what needs to happen for their behaviour to change and if not, what the consequences will be, for example, “If you choose to continue with this behaviour, I will have no choice but to provide you with an official warning. I cannot continue to justify your actions to the rest of the staff just because you are good at your job”.
3.) The challenge is to put yourself out of your comfort zone and do what is right for everyone in your business to uphold its culture. Remember, it’s the behaviour you’re dealing with, not the individual. Sit down with them and map out what your expectations are from this point forward. (The focus must be from now onwards because what has happened in the past can not be changed.)
Decisions should be made for the long term benefit of the business and not to protect your staff or yourself from the discomfort of the correction process.
A common excuse for not being open and honest about what is really happening in your business is the fear that by addressing one issue, a whole heap of other issues will arise. If these issues remain unresolved, both you and your employees will continue to have to manage, constantly finding excuses, which in turn affects productivity and effectiveness.
Don’t let your staff issues go on for another week. Take control and resolve any issues today, it’s in the best interests of all your staff and the growth of your business.
Like the game on the weekend, if you choose to ignore the problem, nobody wins, and you will constantly be going back to square one and never be able to move forward.
You may find that these tactics can also be used in your home environment with your spouse and/or children!
Until next time,
Cheers
Mark Bell
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