Problematic and star employees

From PLN

Jump to: navigation, search

Problematic and star employees

Contents

The best employees can be problematic at times. The worst employees can be productive members of an organization.

They're all--we're all--people. We don't turn that off when we're at work.

Problem people aren't necessarily bad employees--they may also be some of your stars.

Coping with problems

Anxiety, sabotage, absenteeism--how do you make the most of underperforming employees?

A few highlights from these discussions:

  • When you're dealing with an anxious person, you need to pay attention to their body language and make sure you're talking with them, not over or at them.
  • Negativity, a we/they mentality and people who don't perform (and don't get called on it) can all sabotage a healthy work environment.
  • You need creativity and flexibility to bring out the best in your problem people--most of whom do have motivation, just not for the work they're doing.
  • You need to treat absenteeism fairly but also objectively: Apparent favoritism creates its own toxicity.

Read on...

How to deal with anxious people

by Leslie Dillon from Leader's Digest March 2008

When people are anxious, their minds constrict. A constricted mind is ready for “fight or flight” mode and isn’t “open to hearing new directives…”

Anyone who needs to get things done through other people needs to know this--and that’s most of us. “The more you talk over or at anxious people, the more they will close their minds to what you are saying.” The more you talk to or with anxious people, the more you’ll alleviate the pressure they’re experiencing. But the approach you think you’re taking may not be the approach the anxious person perceives.

To handle these conversations more effectively, pay attention to the other person’s body language:

  • If they think you’re “talking over” them, they’ll leave the conversation at the earliest opportunity.
  • If they think you’re “talking at” them, they’ll either: a) “hunker down in a submissive pose…or b) they’ll stick their chin out at you and narrow their eyes…
  • If they think you’re “talking to” them, they’ll “nod from the neck up.” “This is the language of doing business as usual. Use this as your usual mode of speaking.”
  • If they think you’re “talking with” them, they’ll “relax their shoulders and neck…” “This is the language of intimacy. Aspire to this in matters of the heart and when possible in matters of the world and work.”

Your goal should be to find a tone and approach that works for the anxious person. “The key is to keep attuned to their unspoken language--the more attention you pay to body language, the more expert you’ll become at reading and reacting to it.”

(Mark Goulston, "How to deal with anxious people," ConversationStarter from Harvard Business blogs, Mar. 19, 2008.)

Your saboteurs

by Leslie Dillon from Leader's Digest November 2007

"Even organizations that operate with little noticeable dysfunction are filled with saboteurs,” says Quint Studer, author of Results That Last: Hardwiring Behaviors That Will Take Your Company to the Top (Wiley, 2008). Corporate saboteurs commit three common “sins”:

  1. Nonstop negativity. Managers need to help their staff members “understand the perils of negativity, including loss of co-workers to more upbeat organizations and loss of faith by customers.”
  2. We vs. them. Most leaders inadvertently foster a “we/they” mentality. It’s caused by inadequate leadership training and it can sabotage your corporate culture. Don’t blame other departments for employee unhappiness; instead, take a proactive approach. Teach managers to address dissatisfaction in a positive light.
  3. Low performance pass. Every time you fail to confront a low-performing employee, “other workers are disheartened.” Until you confront saboteurs, your organization “will never advance beyond short-term gains.”

(”Your saboteurs,” Inside Training, Nov. 7, 2007.)

How to motivate your problem people

by Leslie Dillon from Leader's Digest November 2007

How do you motivate the “difficult folks who consume too much of your time?” According to Nigel Nicholson, professor of organizational behavior and director of the Center for Organizational Research at London Business School, you can’t. Only they can energize themselves.

Nicholson believes, however, that everyone has motivational energy. You may have noticed that your problem employees are “driven and committed-—but only outside the office.” Unfortunately the work-place, and the “seemingly uncaring bosses” there, can block inherent motivation.

Here’s how to “unleash problem employees’ internal drive—-or arrive at the shared conclusion that it’s impossible.”

  1. Develop a “rich picture” of the problem employee. Have informal conversations with him; find out what motivates him, what blocks motivation “and what could happen if blockages were removed.” Then try to find out if you could be bringing out the worst in that person. “Ask him and his colleagues to describe how you come across. Something basic—for instance, how you talk—may be wrong for him, though fine for others.” Then work to discover “what may be eliciting the worst from both of you.”
  2. Reframe your goals. Replace predetermined “solutions” with some flexible alternatives. E.g., A staff member’s “proclivity toward gossip and office politics” might be solved by giving him opportunities to interact with customers, which would give him the interpersonal stimulus he needs.
  3. Stage the encounter. When you meet with the person, affirm his value to the organization, describe the problem, let him know that things have to change and “state your desire for a mutually beneficial outcome.” Then, using the ideas you’ve already developed, test “ways to co-opt the person’s passions for productive ends.” Look for areas of agreement. Don’t try to “sell” your ideas.

“When you liberate people’s inherent motivation, you boost morale throughout your organization by demonstrating that you’re willing to work through difficulties.”

(”How to motivate your problem people,” HBR in Brief, Key ideas from the Harvard Business Review article by Nigel Nicholson, Harvard Business, Nov. 21, 2007.)

Managing absenteeism

Leslie Dillon from Leader's Digest October 2007

According to a recent CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey, unscheduled absenteeism is on the rise. And worse “almost two out of three employees who don’t show up aren’t physically ill at all.”

Usually it’s the immediate supervisor who has the responsibility of addressing absences. Unfortunately, most supervisors have had no guidance or training in how to manage absenteeism.

All staff need to be fully aware of absence policies and procedures, and they need the full support of senior management. Policies should be administered consistently among all departments. Supervisors need to be “trained in their responsibilities toward addressing absenteeism, advised how to conduct effective return-to-work interviews, and educated in the use of disciplinary procedures when necessary.”

Responsibilities of the supervisor

  • Ensure that all employees are fully aware of the organization’s absence policies and procedures.
  • Be the first point of contact when an employee is absent.
  • Maintain accurate, up-to-date absence records for their staff.
  • Identify patterns or trends of absence that cause concern.
  • Conduct return-to-work interviews.
  • Implement disciplinary procedures where necessary.

The return-to-work interview

Training in how to effectively manage absenteeism should include instruction on how to conduct return-to-work interviews. These interviews are one of the most effective tools for managing short-term absence. The return-to-work discussion, which should be conducted no later than one day after the employee’s return, lets the supervisor welcome the employee back to work and demonstrate management’s commitment to controlling absenteeism. “The message should be that the employee was missed and that productivity suffered.” If the supervisor doubts the authenticity of the reasons for absence, he or she should express any concerns.

The small number of employees who have an absence problem “should be handled individually and firmly.”

Organizations need to take the subjectivity out of absence management and ensure that all employees are treated equally. “It’s essential to be consistent, persistent and fair to all.” And programs should be “facilitative, rather than punitive”.

(Stefani Yorges, “Effectively manage absenteeism,” Sales & Marketing Management’s managesmarter, Oct. 23, 2007.)

Getting the most of your stars

Some people stand out for the right reasons--and that can be problematic for managers and leaders. Teamwork may be important (and you can find plenty of commentary on teams)...but do teams function well with star players, the best and the brightest?

A few highlights from the discussions below:

  • If you're going to keep talented people, you need to identify them--but also pay attention to the talents of those who aren't obvious star performers.
  • Consider a variety of positive steps to help retain your best staff--from increased flexibility and employee involvement to tenure-based perks.
  • Most star performers don't get there on their own. Pay attention to the star teams, not just the standout performers.
  • Most clever people know they're good (and some may be a bit cocky about it)--and you may need to find ways to manage them without managing them.
  • Creative people may not require much traditional management--but they do need recognition and encouragement.

Read on...

Making talent a strategic priority

by Leslie Dillon from Leader's Digest January 2008

There’s no question that it’s difficult to find and retain talented employees, but many organizations “compound the problem by failing to make talent management a strategic priority.” Executives need to “focus on all workforce segments and not just on the top performers…” They need to “create different value propositions for employees with different characteristics” (a value proposition is “senior management’s explanation of why a smart, energetic, and ambitious person might want to work for one company as opposed to another”). And they need to “increase the role and capabilities of the human-resources (HR) function.”

This article identifies seven obstacles to good talent management:

  1. Senior managers don’t spend enough high-quality time on talent management.
  2. The organization is siloed and doesn’t encourage constructive collaboration or sharing of resources.
  3. Line managers aren’t sufficiently committed to developing people’s capabilities and careers.
  4. Line managers are unwilling to differentiate their people as top, average, and under-performers.
  5. Senior leaders aren’t sufficiently involved in shaping talent management strategy.
  6. Senior leaders don’t align talent management strategy with business strategy.
  7. Line managers don’t address underperformance effectively.

“To manage talent successfully, executives must recognize that their talent strategies cannot focus solely on the top performers.” This is a long article whose focus is on international for-profit companies, and I’ve summarized only one section of it, but it’s worth reading in full.

(Matthew Guthridge, Asmus B. Komm and Emily Lawson, “Making Talent a Strategic Priority,” The McKinsey Quarterly, January 2008.)

Retaining retiring workers

Leader's Digest August 2008

One way to retain potential retirees [assuming you want to keep them], is to offer incentives. “Successful strategies include making workers feel appreciated, offering them a full or partial pension while working part-time, and making seasonal or contract work available.”

But potential retirees need to know the options available to them well in advance of retirement—up to two years. In addition, potential retirees are “receptive to employers asking them to stay longer.”

(Jeanie Casison, "Senior moments: retaining retiring workers," Sales & Marketing Management’s ManageSmarter, Aug. 6, 2008.)

How to retain your best staff

Leader's Digest April 2007

"Retaining top talent will be a major...imperative...in the next decade." This is particularly challenging for libraries now, when our most talented staff can be snapped up by vendors and other companies in the information industry. This article looks at decades of research on "job embeddedness": the more "embedded" an employee is in their job, the less likely they are to leave it. You'll find specific practices you can use to increase job embeddedness--and thus retention.

First: Stop thinking about what causes people to leave, and start thinking about what causes them to stay!

There are three interdependent aspects to job embeddedness:

  1. Fit: An employee perceives himself/herself as compatible and comfortable with the organization and the community.
  2. Links: An employee has strong, positive connections with other people in the organization and in the community.
  3. Sacrifice: An employee believes that leaving the organization and the community would mean giving up things she/he values.

The closer the fit between employees and their organization and community, the less likely they will defect.

The article lists ten ways you can improve "job embeddedness." Although they don't necessarily all fit in a library setting, I'm including them all. You'll recognize the ones you can't use!

10 things you can do now to improve job "embeddedness"

  1. Give employees information about community activities and resources.
  2. Offer perks based on tenure.
  3. Let employees design their work environment and company celebrations.
  4. Offer workers bonuses for referring candidates who then become hires.
  5. Encourage your direct reports to publicly recognize one-anothers' accomplishments.
  6. Assign mentors to coach new staff.
  7. Let people choose which teams or projects they want to join.
  8. Invite employees’ input into decisions that affect them.
  9. Encourage knowledge and best-practice sharing among staff.
  10. Sponsor employee sports teams in community leagues.

(Adapted from “Increasing human and social capital by applying job embeddedness theory,” by Brooks C. Holtom, Terence R. Mitchell, and Thomas W. Lee. Organizational Dynamics, vol. 35, no. 4 (2006). Lauren Keller Johnson, "A new approach to keeping your best on board," Harvard Management Update, Apr 1, 2007.)

Key to managing your star performers: Think team

by Leslie Dillon from Leader's Digest May 2007

A study by two Harvard Business School professors of “star” knowledge workers shows that while a star’s past performance indicates future performance, the quality of colleagues in his or her organization has a significant impact on quality of performance.

“Stars need to recognize that despite their talent, knowledge, experience, and reputation, who they work with really matters for sustaining top performance.”

Managers need to understand that their star performers aren’t “self-contained silos.” Top-quality knowledge workers need “collaboration and flows of information among a network of top performers.” Losing the ties to other top performing colleagues can be detrimental to performance.

(Martha Lagace, “Key to managing stars: Think team," HBS Working Knowledge, May 14, 2007, based on Boris Groysberg and Linda-Eling Lee’s forthcoming article, "The effects of colleague quality on top performance: The case of security analysts," in Journal of Organizational Behavior.)

Leading clever people

by Leslie Dillon from Leader's Digest March 2007

Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones talk about how to manage your most gifted staff--people who don’t want to be led and may be smarter than you.

Seven things you need to know about clever people

1. They know their worth.
2. They are organizationally savvy.
3. They ignore corporate hierarchy.
4. They expect instant access.
5. They are well connected.
6. They have a low boredom threshold.
7. They won't thank you.

Five more things you need to know

8. They respond better to a benevolent guardian than to a traditional boss.
9. They want freedom to explore (and to fail).
10. They need some degree of "systems and discipline" or "they may deliver very little.”
11. They want to stay close to the “real work,” often to the detriment of relationships with the people they are supposed to be managing.
12. They are quick to recognize insincerity and respond badly to it.

Seven things to do with clever people

1. Cut back on "managing" them.
2. Create an environment where they can thrive.
3. Don't push them.
4. Protect them from bureaucratic rules and politics.
5. Keep them on a long, flexible lead.
6. Demonstrate that you are an expert in your own right.
7. Don’t kowtow.

Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, "Leading clever people", Harvard Business Review, March 2007.

Managing creative types

by Leslie Dillon from Leader's Digest December 2006

A survey finds that managers of creative staff see their biggest challenge as knowing how to motivate different personality types. While creative people are naturally enthusiastic and don't seem "to require frequent coaching...even the most self-motivated professionals need to be encouraged and rewarded from time to time... The best managers...tailor their motivational strategies to the individual." ("Managing creative types", ManageSmarter, Sales & Marketing Management, Dec. 9, 2006. From the Sales and Marketing Management Performance Newsletter.)

Turning creativity to business advantage

by Leslie Dillon, from Leader's Digest March 2007

This comes from Jill Stover, whose blog, Library Marketing--Thinking Outside the Book, I've been quoting a lot lately. This time she's writing in Designing Better Libraries, another blog that deserves our attention!

The book, Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity into a Powerful Business Advantage, by Pat Fallon (head of Fallon Worldwide ad agency) and Fred Senn, describes how to use creativity to gain a secure competitive advantage. They argue that “Imagination is the last legal means of gaining an unfair advantage over the competition.” (There's a review of the book in Business Week and additional reviews on Amazon.com.)

"What’s significant from a librarian perspective is that the authors don’t rely on huge sums of money to carry out these campaigns. Rather, they employ something called 'creative leverage' to get the job done. As they define it, creative leverage is the ongoing process of making creativity accountable for eliciting changes in consumer behavior. In other words, they make creativity work and achieve concrete results."

How to seize our creative potential? Here are some steps:

  • Hit the pavement.
  • Define the problem.
  • Don’t underestimate emotions.
  • Welcome risk.

(Designing Better Libraries, Mar. 12, 2007.)

Related articles

Your turn: Talk about it

Retrieved from "http://pln.palinet.org/wiki/index.php/Problematic_and_star_employees"
Personal tools
Home