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I personally struggle with the term “managing people”, because I
firmly believe that people cannot be managed - only processes
and systems can. How many times have you heard it said - “Why
won’t my employees just do as they are asked?”

Despite all our best efforts at “managing”, we have very little
control over other people’s actions, including the people that
work with or for us. We can inspire, motivate, guide or threaten
them, but the choice to act in a certain way is up to the
individual.

Today’s workplaces are complex environments - it is a rare
occasion when all employees get on together and work
enthusiastically and constructively to achieve the goals of the
business. Problem behavior on the part of employees can erupt
for a variety of reasons. Here are ten tips for dealing with it.

1.Recognize that problem behavior usually has a history It
usually develops over time and seldom from a single incident. As
a manager, it is your responsibility to be alert to the early
warning signs and deal with the underlying causes before the
situation reaches a crisis.

2.Ask yourself: “Am I partly or wholly responsible?” If the
problem is in your team, then you are at least partly
responsible for it. Perhaps you were blind to the signs the
individual was undoubtedly leaving you, or you chose to ignore
them and hope they would go away. Perhaps you hadn’t been
managing that individual’s performance on a regular basis, and
so missed an opportunity to discover the problem earlier.
Whatever the reason, responsibility lies with you in some part.

You would be surprised how frequently it is the manager who has
created, or at least contributed to problems of employee
behavior. Having an abrasive style, being unwilling to listen,
and being inattentive to the nuances of employee behavior are
all factors that contribute to the manager’s need to thoroughly
examine what is going on.

3.Don’t focus only on the overt behavior When confronted by an
angry or upset employee, it’s easy to attack the person and
target their behaviour rather than examine the factors that
underlie the behavior. Often, this takes patience, careful
probing, and a willingness to forgo judgment until you really
understand the situation.

4.Be attentive to the “awkward silence” and to what is not said
When an employee is obviously reluctant to communicate, it’s
almost a sure sign that more lurks beneath the surface. Often,
employees will hold back because they feel unsafe. They may test
the waters by airing a less severe or kindred issue in order to
see what kind of a response they get. In order to get the full
story and encourage forthrightness, the manager has to read
between the lines and offer the concern and support necessary to
get the employee to open up.

5.Clarify before your confront Chances are, when an issue first
surfaces, you will be given only a fragmentary and partial
picture of the problem. You may have to dig deep to surface
important facts, and talk to others who may be involved. One
safe assumption is that each person will tend to present the
case from his or her viewpoint, which may or may not be the way
it really is. Discretion and careful fact-finding are often
required to get a true picture.

6.Be willing to explore the possibility that you have
contributed to the problem This isn’t easy, even if you have
reason to believe it’s so, because you may not be fully aware of
what you have done to fuel the fire. Three helpful questions to
ask yourself: •Is this problem unique, or does it have a
familiar ring as having happened before?, •Are others in my
organization exhibiting similar behaviors?, and finally, •Am I
partially the cause of the behavior I am criticizing in others?
• Once you understand how you have contributed, you can decide
to take action yourself to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

7.Plan your strategy Start by defining, for yourself, what
changes you would like to see take place, then, follow this
sequence: Meet with the person and let them know that there is a
problem. State the problem as you understand it and explain why
it is important that it be resolved Gain agreement that you’ve
defined the problem correctly, and that the employee understands
that it must be solved Ask for solutions, using open-ended
questions such as: “What are you willing to do to correct this
problem?” In some cases, you may have to make it clear what you
expect Get a dedication that the employee will take the required
actions Set deadlines for finishing the actions. In the case of
a repeated problem, you may want to advise the employee of the
consequences of failing to take corrective action Follow up on
the deadlines you’ve set

8.Treat the employee as an adult and expect adult behavior To
some extent, expectation defines the result. If you treat the
employee as a naughty child, then you should expect a naughty
child to respond. If you indicate - by your actions or by the
content or tone of your voice - that you expect adult behavior,
then that’s what you’re likely to get.

9.Treat interpersonal conflicts differently If the problem
behavior stems from a personality conflict between two
employees, have each one answer these questions:

(1) How would you describe the other person? (2) How does he or
she make you feel? (3) Why do you feel that the other person
behaves the way he/she does? (4) What might you be able to do to
alleviate the situation? (5) What would you like the other
person to do in return?

10.Gain agreement on the steps to be taken and results expected
A problem is not really “fixed” until it stays fixed. Everyone
involved must agree that the steps taken (or proposed) will
substantially alleviate the problem. This includes you as
manager, and the steps you personally will take to ensure you
are not contributing to similar problem in the future.

Finally, agree how you will both monitor the issue. What needs
to take place for you both to be satisfied that the issue has
been completely resolved. Write this down and use it as your
measure of success.