There’s a saying in the north of England that goes something like, ‘There’s nought so queer as folk!’

With apologies to our northern readers, the saying is absolutely correct. If you’ve ever had to have dealings with human beings, the best way you can describe different people is…well…different!

As managers we meet a complex mixture of characteristics in others, and the best managers we come across are those that can adapt to the strange ways of other folk.

You may recognise aspects of the personalities or behaviour in your colleagues in the following ‘types’.

* Lazy Shirkers – The best way to approach slackers and skivers who don’t do their share of work is to use involvement and feedback. Explain that you are having challenges and that you need help or suggestions. Tell them how you see it, and then ask for the person’s help in actually solving it. They may then offer to take their share of responsibility.

* The Buck-Passers  - These may do the barest minimum and try to shift responsibilities across to others, sometimes to give themselves an easy life, and sometimes to cover up some kind of deficiency in their abilities. You should get facts and information from job descriptions, team briefings and documents that define the responsibilities of the individual. Make sure you get their agreement to specific outlines of their obligations. Help them feel positive about taking on their responsibilities by encouraging their contributions and involvements.

* Pessimists and Negatives – If someone is consistently negative or pessimistic about things at work, don’t try to make them look at the positive side. These Kind of people will be able to justify every thought pattern they hold and they won’t want to be seen as wrong by having to ‘accentuate the positive’. Instead, calmly acknowledge there may be some truth in what the person is saying, and get their acknowledgement that things need to change, and what would they suggest would be an alternative.  Encourage them to be constructive, not just positive. Discuss responsibilities for the changes that would have to be made. Concentrate on what could be done, instead of reasons why they can’t. Ask them to come up with solutions; this way, they have to be looking forward instead of viewing things through dark-coloured glasses.

* Competitive Types – There are some who feel they have to constantly prove themselves, take credit for things and generally have to compete in one-upmanship. That’s just the way they are, I’m afraid. It could be they lack the self-confidence to face reality for what it really is, and have to cover up their own deficiencies by raising their self-esteem through hot air. Resist the temptation to indulge in competing with them; instead, emphasise the need for teamwork and stress common goals that you all should be working towards. That way, they may start thinking about how to collaborate instead of compete.

Whoever you have to deal with at work, there will be times when you need to be flexible and adaptable in your approach. If you face some of the people listed above, try out some of the ideas and see if you can influence their behaviour. Who knows, you may have an impact!

Thanks again

Mark

Mark Williams

Head of Training

MTD Management Training Course

(Image by David Castillo Dominici)

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Regardless of how long you’re in management, there will come a time when you will have to face the prospect of offering some kind of discipline to a staff member. Although thought of as being punishment, discipline should be seen as a way of convincing someone there are higher standards to attain, and you are offering the individual the chance to improve.

While progressive discipline is generally the most effective method of dealing with discipline, it must be practiced within a larger framework. To increase the likelihood of positively influencing employee performance and protecting against legal action, keep Douglas McGregor’s “hot stove rule” in mind:

Foreseeable; Just as the flames or red coils provide warning that you will be burned by touching the stove, your employees should know in advance that poor conduct or performance will result in specific, pre-determined consequences.

Immediate; When you touch a hot stove, you know instantaneously that you have done something wrong. Similarly, an employee should be quickly told if he or she is failing to meet expectations.

Impersonal ; The fact that you are burned is a function of the stove, not who you are. Likewise, the discipline applied in a particular situation should reflect the offence, not the person who committed it.

Consistent ; Regardless of who touches a hot stove, the result will be the same each and every time. This is also true of discipline; it should not be applied randomly or by chance, nor should it differ, for the same offence, from one person to the next.

By sticking to your organisation’s written disciplinary policy, you will help your team to work well and effectively, and may also improve your company’s defence against law-suits.

So, see the disciplinary procedure as McGregor saw it, and you’ll see the way forward with staff rather than having to play the school-master.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

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Management is a key position within any business, and can be a very rewarding role to play. It’s not always plain sailing, though, and you sometimes have to deal with people who cause difficult situations for you.

For example, you may be in a situation where you find it difficult to deal with a team member. This can be caused by many reasons, including differences in positions and interests, motivations, personality styles, perceptions, cultural backgrounds, experience and many others.

Here are some questions you may like to consider to isolate the source of these differences and help you consider a way to deal with them:

How is your perception of the situation different from the other person?

How might their motivations differ from yours?

What do you find difficult about the other person’s style?

Does the other person’s communication style differ from yours?

What is the other person’s interest in this matter?

Are they taking a position that you find hard to deal with?

What experience or background does the person have that might be influencing they way they consider the situation?

Are other people involved in the situation, whose views you may have to consider?

Having answered those questions, what conclusions can you come to about the source of the difficulty?

The answers to these questions will give you a clear view as to why the difficulties are occurring in the first place, and give you a firm foundation on which to build a solution-focused conversation.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”