Take Control of the Team to Keep Peace in the Office

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So, grab your lasso. It’s time to rein in those tough employees and take back control. According to Crain’s, here’s what you need to get the job done:

1. Take the time to understand the values, perceptions, backgrounds and motivations of your difficult employees. Talk with the individual to get to know them on a personal level. You may be surprised at what you learn; perhaps the puzzle pieces will come together explaining his or her ego issue. If anything, you’ll at least gain some insight into what motivates that person. And, by understanding what motivates them you’ll be able to offer the right incentives (praise, bigger challenges, training opportunities, etc.) to get that person to behave the way you want them to.

2. Demonstrate genuine respect for those you lead. Even if you have trouble truly understanding an employee’s motivations, do your best to at least respect the fact that a variety of personalities and viewpoints make an organization versatile and successful.  Show your respect by making it clear to the person that you truly appreciate their contribution to your organization.

3. Promote trust among your staff. Sarah Klein, writing for Workforce Management, covered the Crain’s survey and found that the best ego managers were those who established credibility simply “by being transparent about their goals.”

The “what you see is what you get” approach promotes trust, and trust will go a long way in building a healthy relationship with even the most difficult-to-manage person.

4. Use “coaching,” not discipline as a key to soothing the savage beast. Discipline is not necessarily the best strategy when dealing with high-maintenance egos. Oftentimes, disciplinary action can amplify the negative behavior. Likely, the employee will feel as though they’re being attacked which will only put them on the defensive, escalating the situation. Instead, take a more passive approach to managing through “coaching.” According to author and management coach Peter Adebi, “(Coaching) is an effective, non-threatening, non-punitive way of enabling individuals to discover and develop their strengths, come to grips with their opportunity areas or weaknesses, and take carefully outlined steps to address the weaknesses.” The key here is to make a high-maintenance person feel as though they are receiving guidance and support, not discipline.
 
Here’s a valuable coaching tip. Don’t wait too long to “coach” an employee. It’s better to nip the bad behavior in the bud immediately. Consider making coaching and guidance an on-going service at your company (or at least in your department). According to Adebi, this allows the company as a whole, “a way to develop talent, enhance leadership skills, identify, acknowledge, and resolve weaknesses, and ultimately to enable employees to be optimally successful.”
 
At the end of the day, your job is to provide the guidance and support the employees need to be most effective at their job. Don’t worry about trying to change anyone—modify how you react to and work with them. While it may not be an easy task, remember—you hold the key to keeping the peace.

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