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Managing Malcontents: End the negativity; Save your best employees

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no-negativityHow would you handle an employee who is sucking the life out of your department?

You know who I’m talking about. The one who never seems to be happy; who always sees the negative.

Keeping productivity and morale up is a full time job these days. And staff malcontents don’t make the task any easier

Not only does their constant sniping and complaining wear on you, it sometimes gets personal and takes a toll on the whole staff.

Here is a story about one such “Negative Nellie” – and a solution from 2 of out readers – as to how they would handle the situation.

One negative malcontent

That’s the situation manager Sandra Baylor faced recently.

Instead of hiring a costly outside trainer, she asked different staff members to lead the training sessions

The feedback had been great except for the negative comments from one person – Craig, the staff malcontent

I won’t be humiliated again

Sandra’s euphoria was shattered by the look on Katie Waller’s face as she walked in. Katie had dried her tears, but her eyes were still red and her mascara was streaked.

Don’t ever ask me to do that again, said Katie. “I won’t be humiliated by Craig again.”

“What are you talking about, Katie?” asked Sandra.

“I overheard Craig mocking me in the hallway,” said Katie. ” I thought I did a great job on my presentation. Now I find out I’m a laughingstock.”

“Calm down, Katie,” said Sandra. You did a wonderful job. And everyone gained from it.

“Except Craig,” said Katie. “What a jerk”

The office naysayer

In fact, at times Craig could be a jerk. While he was a talented member of the staff, he also had a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

While everyone else at the training session had given positive feedback, Craig’s comments had been biting and negative.

Sure, the staff members weren’t professional speakers, but their practical expertise had more than made up for their lack of polish.

And, as usual, Craig had not been one of the speakers.

The big question

Sandra couldn’t afford to let Craig undermine staff morale and effectiveness of the training.

But what should Sandra do?

Call him on the carpet? Take a softer approach?

If you were in her situation, how would you handle Craig?

One of the ideas below offered by our readers might provide you with guidance.

How Two Managers Would Solve the Problem

1) I’d Ask him to be in charge next time

As a hard-line manager, the first thing you want to do is bring Craig in. I’d explain to him that he owes respect to his fellow employees who are trying to help themselves and t he company. Making fun of them is not appropriate behavior. He doesn’t sound like a person who would take a warning very well, so I would put him in charge of the next training session. I’d let him put on the presentation to let him see how it feels to be in that situation. I’d let him get a taste of his own medicine. He’s obviously not a team player and he’ll probably say he doesn’t want to do it. If he takes it on, things might work out. But if he turns down the opportunity, I’d let him go. The team chemistry is more important than any one person’s talents. Taking just one thorn out of everyone’s side can turn the whole operation around.

Lorrie Jickell, VP, Blackadar Insurance, Longwood, FL

2) Warn him that he’s heading for termination

I’d have to call him in and tell him that we can’t accept this kind of behavior. I’d let him know that while we’re keeping him because of his abilities, if the negatives start outweighing the positives I’ll have to discipline him. And if he keeps doing those kind of things, he’ll be building a file for his own termination.

Lonnie Huseby, Operations Manager, Central Power Electric Cooperative, Minot, ND

 


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