Promptly Address a Problem or a Difficult Team Member

There will be angst from our avoiding to deal promptly with a difficult team member or a problem.

Many of us are conflict avoidant and would like to duck away from our responsibility to address tough situations involving our people. However, as leaders, we have an obligation to our people, as well as company, our clients, our owners and all other stakeholders to do all that we can to assure our company’s positive working environment. This means addressing problems on a timely basis – and that invariably means stepping up and having a conversation(s) with those who may be the root of the problem.

We owe it to our people to have the courage to resolve a problem. If we don’t, should we even be in a position of leadership? After all, leaders make things better!

When we address the problem and the challenges it may involve, we are sending an important message to our people, that we care about them and our organizational culture.

In general, men are more inclined than women to sweep things under the carpet, hoping they will fade away, while women tend not to tolerate inappropriate and unethical behavior. So, to my fellow guys, let’s come out from behind ourselves and sit down with someone who is under-performing or is creating difficulties with team members and discuss it. A problem discussed is a problem half-solved.

Anxiety, angst, and stress do not come from a problem, they come from not addressing the problem, continuing to face it – and the problem will surely grow worse.

There is an art to having the difficult conversations and we must learn it, as for sure, we’ll need it. Problems come with the territory of being in a senior position and having responsibility to others. It helps to write down the message we have to deliver, just a few sentences. When we look at it on paper, it is not nearly as difficult to say as it seems when it is living in our head.
Begin the conversation by stating our positive intent and what is at stake.

We need clarity and we must be direct and specific, e.g., what needs to change, by when, how we will measure successful change, that we are there to help, and the consequence if the person fails to make the necessary change.

I particularly value Susan Scott’s book, Fierce Conversations. It is very helpful in understanding how to initiate and be successful in the difficult conversations we face as leaders.

Think of the conversation as helpful rather than difficult, and it is helpful – to everyone, including the person who may be the struggling.

In facilitating 360 leadership assessments for senior executives and organizational culture assessments for their teams and companies, I speak with hundreds of people in business every year. Too often, a recurring theme is that their manager tends to ignore a problem, incivility, or a difficult team member who is negatively impacting team morale and collaboration. This is frustrating for those who are dedicated and want to do great work, individually and as a team. As mentioned earlier, it leads to undue stress, which has become an epidemic.

We, as leaders, will be appreciated and respected by our team members and other colleagues if we step up promptly to address the difficult issues and someone who is toxic to morale.

Leaders make things better!