Supervising and Managing Difficult Employees

Dr. Bill Johnson II

Clinical Psychologist

Counseling and Psychological Services

OKAY, NOW IF EVERYONE IS AWAKE WE CAN CONTINUE!

The task is hard for several reasons

– Difficulty with confrontation

– Supervisors labeled or even ridiculed by some as being overly tough or not people friendly

– Fear of having to go before a higher authority to address staff dynamics

May believe that it is too hard to deal with difficult employees;

May feel that it takes too much work; they may think that they will get too much political heat;

If you don’t believe you can take action, you simply won’t be able to take action. It’s that simple.

Many choose the path of least resistance.– Problem linger, and begin to metastasize. – Sends the message that unacceptable behavior

is acceptable. – Supervisors who try to avoid one problem now

have to deal with several issues. The best method of dealing with difficult

employee situations is to “address them head on”

“Value people on their potential, not on their

history.”

DEGREES OF DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

New to the job – This person needs training and guidance to

function at the level we need the job performed Enhancing consistency

– The inconsistent employee thrives best under a manager who relies on short-term memory to monitor performance.

Regaining Balance – Antagonist, maverick or cynic

DEGREES OF DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

Content with mediocrity – Performs the basics of the job; handles routine

tasks at the minimum level expected

Strictly marginality – Falls below minimum expectations in most of

the critical aspects of the job

Intolerable – little work right, or on time; low output, high

absenteeism, disruptive behavior

“Each of us is a seed of divinely inspired possibility that when nurtured in its proper context can and will grow

into the fullest expression of all we are”Thomas Parham,

Assistant Vice Chancellor, University of California-Irvine

PHILOSOPHY

Conocete a ti mismo Know Thyself

– Lessons from Psychology– Examine your existing thoughts and feelings

about the person. – Personal experience

PHILOSOPHY

Clarify your thoughts– What is the situation? – Do I even know enough to say what the situation is?

Who’s involved? – Am I thinking that a team member is the problem? – Am I thinking that I’m the problem, that I should be

able to take care of this, but I’m not up to the job? – What makes this situation difficult to handle? Is it

complicated? – Can I just see no solution? Or do I see a solution, but I

don’t believe the team member can get there?

PHILOSOPHY

Remember: You Matter– “Care for the person, take care of the

problem – If you feel good, if your energy is up, your

mind is clear, and you have a positive focus, then you will be a better manager

PHILOSOPHY

Strength Based Approach– A hammer sees everything as a nail – Nourish the flowers, the skills and good

qualities of your team members Admit Mistakes

– Developing managerial skill accompanied by a number of mistakes.

– Important to learn from mistakes– Barry Bonds vs. Giambi and Sheffield

PHILOSOPHY

Focus on the performance– Treat everything else as secondary

Bring Your Problems to a Head – The longer a problem is not addressed, the

more difficult it becomes to deal with

Communicate as Much as You Can Give Feedback

PHILOSOPHY

Ask Your Employees for Advice – improving performance, and building

morale

Where are we?

Challenging to address difficult situations Detrimental to avoid Types of difficult situations/dynamics General philosophy for addressing

workplace issues– Notably

• Strength based

• Self-awareness

“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

” Dorothy Nevill

     

THE CONVERSATION Start by not understanding.

– If we have the slightest hesitation about our understanding, we should ask

Relax and be with the person, not the problem. Create a no-blame environment.

– When we leave blame out of the picture – the team can focus on delivering the work. – We can eliminate the negative aspects of

dealing with personality.

THE CONVERSATION Use the sandwich.

– Put the corrective information in between two slices of good news.

Decorate the sandwich. – Be very clear about what needs to be done and

when it needs to be done

Add the dessert– If (when) the team member delivers, real

appreciation is due. – If the situation was difficult for you, then think

what it was like for the team member

“If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll

make progress.”

President Barak Obama

COMMON WARNING SIGNS

1. Output decrease. The amount of work getting done decreases. Sales or production are below normal.

2. Work quality. Errors increase. Work is sloppy and sometimes incomplete.

3. Due dates missed. Assignments and/or projects are late, or not completed.

4. Little or no initiative is shown. The employee does not start to work without being pushed or reminded.

COMMON WARNING SIGNS

5. Tougher tasks and assignments are avoided. The employee puts off or complains about the more difficult jobs. Often, the employee’s effort goes into getting someone else to do the work.

6. Complaints increase. The employee considers decisions that are made, tasks that are worked on, others’ efforts, etc., to be wrong much of the time.

7. Interaction with others decreases. The employee turns quiet at meetings or more often works alone.

COMMON WARNING SIGNS 8. Following and/or taking directions becomes difficult.

Instructions have to be repeated often. The employee frequently voices reasons why something cannot be done.

9. Defensiveness or irritability increases. Having calm and rational conversations with this employee becomes more difficult. Mood swings become more pronounced.

10. Cooperation diminishes. Getting along and working with other employees becomes more difficult. Conflicts start to happen.

11. Others are blamed for mistakes or failures. The employee does not accept responsibility for his or her actions and is quick to find fault with others.

GET BACK TO WORK!!!

Yellow Flowers