If you are a regular reader, you are probably aware that I recently changed jobs. I currently have a team of 25 people that I am responsible to lead, develop, organize, and manage. I thought I would share with you some of the ups and downs that I go through as I attempt to lead and transform this group into an engaged, self-directed team.
I hope you understand that I cannot go into great detail on specifics, but I will not cheat you on the leadership thoughts, approach, skills and mistakes appropriate to the situation.
- Face reality head-on: Rapid change can have unintended consequences. People aren’t engaged, they are unhappy about their work, they feel that their work isn’t valued, or they have no future with the organization. As a leader you can’t ignore this. You have to address it. Get your people together and establish the ground rules for the meeting. Promote honesty and openness. Encourage them to air their grievances. Listen to what they are saying, what they are really saying. Ask clarifying questions. Write down the main points. Once you understand the problems you might be able to correct them. Be honest about what you can and cannot do, and work with your people on the things you can correct. Make them part of the solution and their sense of ownership will dramatically improve.
- Face reality part deux: Assess your team. Do you have people with performance issues? Deal with those head on too. Tell your under-performers that they are under performing. Identify their weaknesses and create an action plan to correct them. Provide a deadline for improvement. Partner with them, mentor them, but hold them accountable. Ignore under-performers at your own peril. You cannot build a strong team while ignoring this situation. People know who they can count on and who they can’t. They can make the workplace pretty miserable for those who don’t pull their weight or who cause extra work due to their mistakes. I shouldn’t have to tell you that is a very bad situation, so don’t allow it to happen.
- Know when to say when: Sometimes people do not or cannot respond to coaching and make decisions that hurt the organization, their teammates, and / or themselves. As the leader, it is your job to recognize when you and the organization have given the employee all the help that you can. As the leader it is your responsibility to end the employment relationship in a respectful manner. Make sure you keep it about the performance and not the person.
- View your team as a whole: Is one functional area under-performing? Can you move people from one functional area to another in order to help out? Don’t be afraid to reassign people to another functional area. Most people are happy to help make the organization successful, especially if they can apply their skills and interests to the job. Make sure you explain why you are making the change and how you see them helping the organization and themselves.
Those were a few of the things I dealt with this past week and how I approached them. For me, I find that honesty, openness, consistency and a firm belief in the destination are the best traits to employ in these types of situations.
Leave a comment and let me know how this compares with a typical week for you? How do you approach these situations?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
So your comment in regards to ” Make sure you keep it about the performance and not the person.” How do you deal with this issue when it does not affect their performance but their attitude affects the team and thosee the team interacts with? If the issue is with “them” and not their performance.
Thanks for the question penyart. I work with them just as I would work with them on a technical deficiency. If there is someone on the team that is behaving in a way that has a negative impact on the group or on a customer, I sit down and coach them. I focus on their behavior and not make it about them as a person. I’ll explain to them that when they do “x” the effect is “y”. Sometimes people do not realize the effect their behavior has on others.
Then, I try to work with them on a development plan that helps address their situation and work with them on it just like any other development need. I tell them that I’m monitoring their progress and that I will sit down with them on a weekly or monthly basis to review their progress. We go over both positive and negative interactions. It’s very important to recognize their growth, no matter how small it might be in the beginning.
Most importantly of all, you cannot be passive aggressive about these types of issues if you hope to correct them. Deal with these types of issues head-on and deal with them quickly and consistently. Address negative behavior each and every time you see it.
I hope this helps you. It’s not always easy, but it does get easier as you practice. I also find that people are extremely appreciative of a leader who takes the time to help them improve.