Managing difficult people?

Question

A friend of mine has been changed to manange a new team due to poor performance of the new team under their previous team manager.

His current team have been very successful and for over five years kept the company on its target. Senior management has pushed him to mamage a team with no significant results.

There are a number of problems with the new team, 1. One team member is very loud, noisy and does not do much work, he uses the office computer to download music on his iPod and listern to his music all day, very abusive and often uses foul languages.

2. He do not have a good relation with the new team and they see him differently?

3. He know the new team member will be looking out to get to him.

Please advice genuinely what can he do on his first team meeting with the new employees?

Thank you,

Answer 1

ok ready for this?


he is gonna have to give them a straight simple message....(he may need to clear this with his boss first)

and the message? .....shape up or ship out!
:-)

good luck!

Answer 2

Assuming that your friend has the support of upper management, in his first meeting with this team he might start by saying that he wishes this could be as simple as a get acquainted session, but the fact is he has been charged with correcting the crew's unsatisfactory performance. He needs to say that abuse of company equipment (along with any other glaring infractions of policy) will stop immediately, there will be no tardiness, and that directions will be carried out properly and promptly. He then needs to go over very specific goals and objectives.

Now, these people have very likely heard all that BS before, and will simply go back to work and conduct themselves as they always have. Your friend should begin making very detailed notes about each individuals performance, and when there's an infraction, formally document it. Once he has the citation finished, he needs to call the subordinate in, give him a copy of the write up, thoroughly cover it, have the employee sign the original, and explain that 3 more instances will be grounds for termination. The first one to reach the limit should be dismissed without hesitation. At that point he should have every-body's full attention, and performance should pick up dramatically. Tell him I said good luck.

Answer 3

As long as his team is successful, get past all the baloney and focus on results. For your first item (1), who cares? Is he good at what he does? Does he contribute to the success of the team or drag it down? Your friend will find that out soon enough... as for the foul language or abusive behavior, if he did it around me he'd get one stern warning: Do that again and you'll see what happens (then I'd walk out the door and document the event). I'd reprimand or perhaps terminate on a second offense... and the employee would be assured he could forget about any raise. As for number two (2), he needs to establish trust. Document everything said at these meetings... the secretary or administrative assistant should take notes and then everyone should get a copy. (This will also help your friend for those out to get him... your friend has a record of all communications.) And three (3), he needs to get used to it... in business you always have someone after your job or want you to fail. Tough... survival of the fittest, I say. As for his first meeting, a good sense of humor and meeting each individually BEFORE a group meeting is a formula for divide and conquer.

Answer 4

OOHH!, tough one this!

My job before consultancy was Management, and as a consultant, I still have to do the icebreaking intro meetings.

It is really hard when you are completely different level of thinking compared to the team you manage, because often when you do something, they don't understand it, so they just don't do it.

His first meeting should be breif, to introduce himself, what background he has, and that he wants to see them at work. Even if he has an idea of what he is getting, this gives them a chance to start a fresh leaf.

But wait, they already have shown their not interested in change

His next meeting is a description of what he has noticed as problems in the team, so he can address your aforementioned problems with ground rules, ie No music on duty etc. It could also bring in a Computer use Policy to restrict the connection of I-Pods to the computers, or to surf the net for personal reasons.

Also, some target might be needed to ensure that they are working towards something productive.

He cannot let them get to him, as then they are winning. He will not tolerate abuse in the workplace, and frequent abuse will lead to diciplinary action (Verbal counts as abuse).

My answer, sack the lot of them and hire someone who can do the job. But I am not allowed to do that (Damn!). Also, if they don't want to get along, then keep it proffesional and formal. I am all for informal workplaces, but sometimes you need "boots on, Ten-shun" kind of attitude.

I wish him luck in moving to make a dent.

Answer 5

Similar to Lou'lous response.

By the sounds of it, Person number 1 needs coaching. If your not sure as to the process then there are some good short easy to read guides to coaching in bookshops such as Waterstones. You need to observe, then ask him for feedback on his own performance, then give feedback, ask what can be done differently, set up a plan and a timescale and see how it goes. He might just be playing up because he either has no challenge or goal to work towards or he may find it too challenging.

Be SMART with your goal planning, Make sure it's:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-Frame


Hope this helps your friend. : )

Answer 6

you can not change someone, but if you change how you are with them, then they automatically change their ways.

Your friend needs to talk one to one with each team member and ask them what they feel are their strengths which they bring to the team. He then needs to use this information constructively to field their tasks and targets around these strengths.

He must make it clear that they are all there for the same reason (wages) and that results matter. Don't be pompous. Keep a polite distinction between colleague and team leader - remember familiarity breeds contempt. Admit to what he doesn't know and ask them for their ideas too.

Failing this - check out the company disciplinary procedures. Stick to them rigidly then if he ends up sacking anybody, there is less chance of legal action if procedures have been followed and adhered to.

Answer 7

He needs to sit down with all his team and tell them what he wants from them, specifying "no using work computers for personal things" (oops, I'm at work now...), no listening to music while at work etc etc etc. He will have to be clever enough to make it look like he is outlining things to the whole team and not picking on one member. This guy knows he is taking the mick, as do all the other employees. He can't expect to get away with it forever!!

This way they will all know what is expected of them. He also needs to tell them what will happpen if they don't comply: disciplinary procedures, verbal and written warnings through to sacking. He needs to stick to it too, so if someone is taking the mick they need to be disciplined.

The only way to gain respect is to be tough on his new team. If he is firm but fair he will be a great boss and will be liked because of it!!

Wish him luck from me!!

Answer 8

There may just be one option that may just work.
As your friend has been place in this new role to improve performance.
As you stated the lower team members are not performing surely he has the powers to remove them as required and replace them with people that will. May only have to do this the once. Get rid of the ringleader and trouble makers and the others may just fall into line.
And once the performance starts in improve it also may be a good idea to start turning a blind eye to some things so that they see that its not all going to be one way.

Answer 9

It sounds as if it will be a case of either he goes or they go. Machiavell said, when doing good, do it little by little and when doing something bad (in this case, harsh), do it all at once.
The fool who downloads music has to go - give him one verbal and later one written warning then terminate employment. He is not paid to play on the internet but for getting things done. Discipline the piece of sh*t. It will also warn the others to, as stated above, to shape up.

Answer 10

It would be best to highlight the known problems with the team but not to name names as these people would know if they are guilty.

next, the new broom sweeping clean syndrome I would not recommend. rather make the changes gradually but also it would be good policy to introduce some kind of incentive scheme.

Hope this helps

Answer 11

express your job and concern
surrender and seek cooperation
work on goal congruence between team objective and organisation objective.
if necessary be firm enough to redefine the team.
It is likely than only one member is the root of the all problems