| "Working with people" is arguably the most difficult | | | | Talking to the employee is always an option but this |
| aspect of a Manager's job. | | | | type behavior is not likely to change. These employees |
| I once had a boss who, when hiring a Manager would | | | | are very manipulative. Managers need to understand |
| half jokingly tell the Staffing Manager, "If they say they | | | | that anger is the underlying emotion and not be |
| like working with people, don't hire them!" She knew | | | | intimidated by the employee's behavior or manage |
| that "working with people" is arguably the most difficult | | | | "around" it. Remember, they don't handle anger well. |
| aspect of a Manager's job. Training prepares | | | | The more the Manager holds them accountable for |
| Managers to delegate, motivate, influence, coach, | | | | their lapses, the angrier they will become. They angrier |
| communicate, recognize and strategize. Often it does | | | | they become the more likely they are to give the |
| not prepare a Manager for the difficult employee who | | | | Manager cause to formally address their behavior or |
| is resistant to most motivating, influencing, coaching, and | | | | conduct. Ultimately the employee may learn to save |
| recognition techniques. | | | | this behavior for other unsuspecting soles and be more |
| The key to managing the difficult employee is to | | | | circumspect with the Manager. |
| decisively deal with their performance, behavior or | | | | The Victim |
| attitude very early on. Unfortunately some | | | | Never underestimate the power of helplessness. To |
| organizations develop a tolerance for negative | | | | clarify, the "Victim" is not the good employee who has |
| behavior and unwittingly reinforce it by ignoring it, | | | | an occasional personal problem that may interfere with |
| managing around it and hoping the problem employee | | | | work. The Victim is a problem employee who always |
| soon quits or retires. | | | | has a "poor me" story and an interminable number of |
| Most employees will not cause a Manager's hair to | | | | reasons why he or she must leave early, can't finish |
| turn gray. But then, it only takes a few dillies to | | | | an assignment, can't meet a deadline, etc. "Can't is their |
| transform the darkest brunette to snow white. What | | | | modus operandi. Inevitably, some co-workers will feel |
| makes an employee difficult? Usually, it is a problem in | | | | sorry for the Victim and pick up the slack while others, |
| performance, behavior or attitude. No surprise there, | | | | who are wise to the Victim's tactics, will sit and steam. |
| right? But what about the employee whose | | | | A chronic victim impacts the morale of the entire |
| performance persistently "hugs the line?" And, what | | | | workgroup. Those who "steam" want desperately for |
| about "poor attitude" in an employee? The courts only | | | | the Manager to intervene. |
| care if an employee is performing his or her job and | | | | To effectively manage the Victim, a Manager must |
| not about the "attitude" of an employee. So, what's a | | | | first get the Victim's rescuers to stop "helping." It is |
| manager to do? | | | | easy to get lured into feeling sorry for the Victim as |
| First let's look at our "line hugger." You know....the type | | | | their problems can be legitimate. But we all have |
| that works hard at hardly working. The barely marginal | | | | problems and it is how we handle them that |
| employee not only hugs the line most of the year but | | | | determines whether we become victims for victors. |
| confounds the Manager by raising the level of his or | | | | Deal with this employee by making a referral to the |
| her performance sometime within the last quarter of | | | | Employee Assistance Program. If you don't have |
| the performance review cycle. As the Manager | | | | one...get one. Some EAPs even offer services on a |
| struggles to write the "line hugger's" review, you can | | | | case-by-case basis. |
| almost see the natural hair color begin to fade. | | | | When not talking about personal problems, the Victim is |
| As with all poor performers, a Manager must | | | | one who usually asks a lot of "why" (or whine) |
| determine if the employee lacks the information, skill, or | | | | questions. Such as: |
| motivation to do the job. A performance improvement | | | | - Why is this happening to me? |
| plan (PIP) combined with regularly scheduled coaching | | | | - Why do we have to go through all this change? |
| sessions will provide the answer. Generally speaking, a | | | | - Why did they hire her? |
| well written 60 day PIP that includes specific tasks, | | | | - Why doesn't he/she/they communicate better? |
| objectives and deadlines accompanied by weekly | | | | - Why don't you give me more of your time? |
| coaching sessions with the Manager will do the trick. | | | | Victims are excellent procrastinators and ask a lot of |
| (Of course, Human Resources should be actively | | | | "when" questions such as: |
| involved in this process.) | | | | - When will you take care of this problem? |
| If the employee rises to the occasion it is a win for the | | | | - When will we get the information we need? |
| Manager in two ways. The employee has now | | | | - When will we get more resources? |
| demonstrated he or she can do the job effectively. | | | | A Manager needs to talk to a Victim in a way that |
| And, the Manager has the documentation to prove it. | | | | puts responsibility back on the employee. Start by |
| At the end of the PIP period, a memo written to | | | | countering with "how" and "when" questions that focus |
| document the now "effective" performance needs to | | | | on action, such as: |
| include language that states the effective level must | | | | - What have you done to help solve the problem? |
| be "sustained." If the employee reverts to "hugging the | | | | - What are you doing that contributes to this problem? |
| line," the Manager can now safely consider termination. | | | | - What could you do to better understand each |
| During the PIP period, the weekly coaching sessions will | | | | person in the office? |
| help the Manager determine if the employee needs | | | | - What efforts have you made to adapt to change? |
| additional training in order to be more effective. The | | | | - What can you do right now to change this situation? |
| PIP period can always be extended to allow time for | | | | - How can you achieve your goal with the resources |
| further development. | | | | you already have? |
| Employees that really hasten the graying process are | | | | - How can you do your job better today? |
| those who have a bad "attitude" but acceptable | | | | - What do you think you need to do in order to |
| performance. Is it possible to have a bad attitude and | | | | contribute more to the team? |
| good performance? It is not only possible, but there are | | | | Using this tactic will frustrate the Victim and reinforce |
| people whose entire being seems wrapped up in | | | | the expectation of accountability. The Victim will realize |
| maintaining these seemingly opposite values. This type | | | | the gig is up and, in order to avoid a performance |
| person will have a Manager reaching for antacids on a | | | | warning, shelve the avoidance tactics. However, |
| regular basis. Can the hair dye be far behind? | | | | because these tactics did work at one time, they are |
| But maintaining good performance with a poor attitude | | | | hard to give up. The Manager will have to remain |
| is tricky. Even those who are good at it will slip every | | | | vigilant and ensure the workgroup doesn't revert to |
| now and then. Here are a few examples of how to | | | | "rescue" mode. |
| handle some difficult types: | | | | The Injustice Collector |
| The Passive Aggressive/Passive Resistant Employee | | | | There are people who are "right" and there are people |
| The passive-aggressive is the intentional bully and the | | | | to have to be right. Welcome to the "Injustice |
| passive resistant is the sneaky bully. Both these types | | | | Collector." Injustice collectors are always "wronged" |
| are people who do not or cannot deal with the feeling | | | | but are never wrong. This employee would rather |
| of anger. But make no mistake. They are angry and | | | | alienate everyone than admit being wrong. To an |
| will look for opportunities to "stick it" to the Manager or | | | | Injustice Collector, alienation is proof that their |
| anyone else who has the nerve to tick them off. | | | | superiority sets them apart from everyone else. Since |
| For example, the passive-aggressive employee | | | | they can never be wrong, everybody else must be! |
| assigned to a project he or she doesn't like will | | | | This employee is an expert at putting people on the |
| intentionally provide bad or poorly researched | | | | defensive. Managing this employee can feel like being |
| information, skip meetings, spread rumors, openly | | | | on trial every day of the week. Managers must resist |
| criticize the boss or refuse to accept the helpful | | | | the bait and not get drawn into a debate or get |
| suggestions of co-workers. The sneaky bully will "yes" | | | | defensive with this type person. |
| a Manager to death but seldom delivers on promises. | | | | Blame is the modus operandi of the Injustice Collector. |
| This bully will intentionally "forget" commitments, be | | | | Blame is also a block to responsibility. The Manager |
| chronically late for meetings, miss deadlines, | | | | can put the blame game into "check" by not |
| strategically call in sick on days critical to the Manager | | | | entertaining a debate and insisting on personal |
| or project, intentionally leave out data or information or | | | | responsibility. This can be done by posing questions |
| find other ways to "inadvertently" make a Manager | | | | similar to those listed above. |
| look foolish. | | | | |