Another Tough Leadership Challenge

2 Minute Read

You have an employee that gets the job done. From what you can tell, he’s a nice guy. He can actually work with you. And he brings great ideas. Here’s the problem: He can’t get along with his co-workers. And you’ve heard from some of your clients who are struggling to work with him. Another tough leadership challenge. What do you do?

The biggest issue is you don’t see it. He’s never disrespectful to you. You just hear about it.  So now if you confront this person, it is all hearsay and third-party.As you think about talking to this person, you might be thinking, “I don’t get it!”  You don’t want to believe it. If it was so bad, why don’t you see it? The other part of you knows there has to be some truth about this. Why would it be coming from employees AND clients if it weren’t somewhat true?As you ready yourself discuss the issue, you may even put it off. You may hope it will just go away, right? NEWSFLASH: It’s not going away.

It’s time to have a conversation…

Don’t just assume it will go away.

The fact that people brought it to your attention means it’s a problem. They don’t feel they can impact the behavior. Maybe they’ve tried to do something and it hasn’t changed. They are asking you to step-up as a manager. Help make the problem go away.

Be prepared.

Gather your facts. As many as you can, even through third-party sources. Is this a function of reality or perception? Understand that the person you are talking to will become defensive. He may even want to know who told you. Know what your responses will be. Define your expectations. Listen openly, yet prepare for rationalization.

Use specific examples.

Using general statements and examples won’t help. Take the information you have been given. Remove details that would reveal who brought them to you. The last thing you want to do is damage trust between you and the rest of your team. They were courageous enough to bring the issue to you.

Don’t get sucked in.

You like this person. Which is why it is so hard to confront the problem. You may hear rationalization or excuses for his behaviors. The point is the expectations you have and the perceptions of others don’t match. Even if the intention isn’t to be mean, the behavior isn’t matching.

Remember, it’s your responsibility to ensure a functional work environment. Address the problem before it gets worse. Go in with the intent to grow and understand. The fact that he does not show you what others have described means he can change. It may be tough, but it’s your job. Try it, and you’ll see respect and loyalty from everyone around you.