Dealing with Problem Employees
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Dealing with problem employees; so challenging and so necessary.
This week I’m diving into a sensitive topic that I’ve definitely touched on before — and I’ll keep beating this drum until the end of time because it matters. Talking about dealing with problem people in organizations.
As difficult as it is, this conversation is critical. And it’s one that I think every leader needs to come to grips with and understand.
A thought experiment that you should never actually do.
Here’s a mental exercise for you. Picture bringing every member of your team (or your whole organization) into one room. You count down — three, two, one — and at “go,” everyone points to the person that they think is the problem in the organization.
Now, it’s massively important that you don’t actually do this. It’s chaotic, cruel, and would be a disaster. But if you are reading this, and you already know who pretty much all of the fingers point to, that is a problem.
If you’re aware of one or two people who are the one(s) creating toxicity, stirring up drama, not pulling their weight, holding back your team’s progress, and/or causing good people to quit — and you’re not doing anything about that — then you’re causing the success of your team and company to suffer.
“Let’s be real: one toxic person can have an oversized negative impact.”
This conversation matters.
Let’s be real: one toxic person can have an oversized negative impact. They can be the doorstop, holding back the possibility of positive culture, productivity, and progress.
Ignoring the reality of the situation doesn’t make it go away — it makes it worse by allowing the dynamic on the team to be dysfunctional. It also sends a message to the rest of the team that their individual and collective well-being doesn’t matter as much as avoiding the uncomfortable reality that there is a problem.
The leader’s responsibility.
As a leader, your responsibility is to everyone on your team, not just the one difficult person. Ignoring the issue means you’re choosing to let toxicity fester, and that’s not fair to the people who show up, try hard, and contribute to the team’s success.
“The ultimate goal is never to fire someone — it’s creating a cohesive, positive, high-performing culture where everyone thrives.”
Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it’s uncomfortable. But if you want a thriving culture and a team that works well together, you have to take action. And you have to be the one to do it because no one else can.
You don’t have to fire the person immediately, and you shouldn’t although that may ultimately be the best decision. Your job as a leader is to provide feedback, be skilled at navigating difficult conversations, and do everything you can to coach them, support them, and bring them up into greatness. The ultimate goal is never to fire someone — it’s creating a cohesive, positive, high-performing culture where everyone thrives.
But if you’ve done the work — had the tough conversations, provided coaching and direction, set clear expectations and timelines, and been honest about the stakes of the situation — and they still won’t come along? Then it’s time to let them go.
“... if you are aware of the problem and doing nothing about it, then the problem becomes your inability to take appropriate action as a leader.”
Final thoughts.
Once again: do not actually gather your team and ask them to point out the problem person. This is simply a thought experiment to illuminate the fact that if you are aware of the problem and doing nothing about it, then the problem becomes your inability to take appropriate action as a leader.
Whether it’s coaching, guiding, or releasing them to find their success elsewhere, the responsibility to turn things around begins with you. If this is something you’re not skilled in, the good news is that there are a million, billion resources, books, blog articles, and guidance out there on how to effectively manage these difficult situations as a leader.
Take it upon yourself to do what needs to be done.
Related Blogs:
Coaching Someone When Their Job is at Stake
Leaders, Are You Holding a High Bar?
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop
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