9 ways to deal with difficult employees
Erika Anderson, Forbes
Nearly every manager I’ve ever consulted to or coached has told me about having at least one employee who’s not so great. I’ve come to think of it as an almost inevitable part of the manager’s professional landscape: there’s generally that one (or more) employee who doesn’t perform well, or is difficult to deal with, or has a hard time getting along with others, or means well but just doesn’t ever quite do what’s expected, or….
And the unfortunate thing is, most managers get held hostage to these folks, spending a disproportionate amount of time, thought and emotional energy on them. Often hovering on the verge of letting them go for years, but never quite being able (for a variety of reasons) to pull the trigger.
Finding hidden leaders
Kevin Lane, Alexia Larmaraud, and Emily Yueh, McKinsey Quarterly
To identify promising candidates for promotion who are not on the list of usual suspects, companies need to apply more rigor and better tools than many currently use. Proactive efforts are the key—think “hunting” as opposed to “harvesting” those who present themselves. In this article, we describe the causes of the hidden-leader problem in more detail and propose a few techniques for addressing it. Some are technology enabled. And all are grounded in real-world experience like that of the global head of organizational development and talent management at one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, who told us recently, “We have increasingly been thinking about how to tap into our hidden leaders so as to unleash the full potential of the organization in a more systematic way.
How to fight a fire (Self-coaching in a crisis)
Ed Batista, Executive Coaching
Most of my coaching clients are CEOs of rapidly growing companies, and while their work is always demanding and dynamic, sometimes they face a full-blown crisis, a threat to the organization’s existence that will require their maximum effort. These are the situations that truly test a leader’s ability to self-coach, to manage themselves effectively while also guiding others. Here are four factors that have helped clients who’ve had to surmount a crisis.
These 4 underappreciated traits of millennials can help businesses thrive
Alison E. Curwen, SHRM
Much has been written about Millennials in the workplace, and not all of it is flattering. They are sometimes said to be lazy, entitled and in need of hand-holding. But some Millennial traits should be viewed as a boon to the workplace, according to workplace experts.
The Pew Research Center’s 2010 report Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next noted that “this generation has many personalities,” and like generations past, Millennials’ characteristics may change as they mature. A 2015 follow-up to that report from Pew reached similar conclusions.
Strategies to reduce workplace violence
Kathleen M. Bonczyk, PropertyCasualty360
Once upon a time, employees who were dissatisfied with how management treated them might respond by organizing, filing a grievance or suing. If they were really frustrated, they might refuse to sign the warning notice or performance appraisal form that was presented to them in protest.
Nowadays it is not uncommon for disgruntled employees to push the boundaries of behavior much further, even to the point of killing supervisors or managers.
Balancing Act
Jack Robinson, Human Resource Executive
HR leaders sometimes must walk a tightrope to prevent unethical conduct and keep their companies — and themselves — out of trouble.
It’s a cliché, but true nonetheless, experts say: The tone set by leadership is the most important influence on an organization’s ethical culture.
“The values of the company have to be owned by two people,” Antoine says, “the HR leader and the CEO. It’s got to come from there. If they don’t do it, then it won’t happen anywhere in the organization.”
That’s because workers take note if the company tolerates ethical misconduct, he says.
More HR news of note
- Take the quiz: Is your boss a leader — or a wimp?
- What CEOs are reading
- Reports shed light on employer healthcare costs and cost drivers
- Hiring? Avoid these 5 common mistakes
- Improving Communication In Your Workplace Team
- Thanks for a job well done
- Crime alert: more on card skimming fraud
- Pets in your workplace? Assess the risks and draft a policy
- 10 Ways to Build a Healthy Workplace
- Volunteering and its surprising benefits
- 10 characteristics of debt-free people
The lighter side
Everyone’s had that one employee that just doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the team.