Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea

Op-ed #3

Who drains you?

Fact:

There is someone on your staff that drains you.  This person is probably disgruntled and annoying.  He or she can also be a “cancer” to your team.  What do you do about it?

Discussion:

I have had my share of these folks.  And as you probably know by now, there is no simple way to deal with them.  It seems as though no matter what course of action that you choose, you will be wrong. So, let’s take a look at some of the ways that I handled or mishandled these situations.

• Ignore the bad behavior- This doesn’t work.  These people will not change by themselves.  That is assuming they will change at all!  You can’t ignore them.
• Pacify them- This may work in the short term but will ultimately fail.  These “drainers” know no boundaries.  Ignoring or pacifying them will send the wrong message.
• Confront them-This could be a quick fix and may make you feel better, but rarely solves any long-term issue.  This confrontation will also leave wounds, perhaps irreparable.
• Transfer them-I can live with the old “march of the lemons.”  Sometimes someone just needs a change of venue.  Of course, I understand that if I give you one of my problems, I can expect to get one of yours. 
• Terminate them- Yes, there are times that the “cancer” just needs to be removed.  The disgruntled employee is just like a metastatic cancer.  His or her negative behavior is sure to spread to others.  Sometimes, for the sake of your team and for that individual firing them is the only way to go.

I think that if you want to save the person and save the team, the only thing to do is to:

• Coach him or her up-I believe that most people will not only accept your coaching, but actually want it.  By coaching that person, you can help them want to change.  Never forget that you can’t change them.  They have to want to make this leap.  Of course, I want you to show some empathy.  Show some compassion and help them learn to solve their issue.  Most times the root of the problem will turn out to be his or her own personality issue.  Once he or she understands that, you may be on the road to salvation.

However, and this is a big however, you can’t invest too much time or energy here. The cancer will continue to grow.  These people will drain you.  Left unaddressed they will drag your team down.  If you see that your coaching is not helping, hurry up and go to step five.  Terminate him or her. Do not extend or renew a current contract.  And say good-bye as quickly as you can.