{"id":53910,"date":"2022-10-10T02:19:59","date_gmt":"2022-10-10T07:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/?p=53910"},"modified":"2022-10-03T13:32:56","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T18:32:56","slug":"the-least-expensive-most-valuable-way-to-invest-in-your-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/the-least-expensive-most-valuable-way-to-invest-in-your-team\/","title":{"rendered":"The Least Expensive, Most Valuable Way to Invest in Your Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of our <\/span>BusinessAccelerator\u00ae program<\/span><\/a>, I hold weekly Q&A coaching calls with any clients who want to join us on Monday mornings. I love these calls. My favorite part is being able to directly address the real, individual problems my clients are facing. Almost every week, I get a question like this: \u201cOne of my team members is being difficult. What should I do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The details look different. Maybe it\u2019s a problem with passive aggression or gossip. Maybe they\u2019re not delivering results. Maybe they\u2019re failing to practice ownership. Maybe they\u2019re managing their responsibilities poorly. Behind each example is a problematic behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n

My clients are often torn. They care about their team members and value what these contributors have to offer, especially if they\u2019ve been with the company for a long time. But the problematic behavior is undermining performance and hurting the team.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first solution in these kinds of cases isn\u2019t firing. It\u2019s coaching.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coaching your team<\/span><\/a> is an essential part of leadership. In order to do it effectively, you need to be bought into three beliefs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, you have to believe in the maturity of your team member. Sometimes we don\u2019t talk about hard things, because we assume others can\u2019t handle it. But usually they can. Adulthood demands it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, you have to believe your team member wants to be the best they can be. Who <\/span>wants<\/span><\/i> to live into the worst versions of themselves? We all have a shadow side. But we aspire to be better. We aspire to growth. Believing these ideas lays the groundwork for the confidence you need as you walk into these conversations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Third, you need to assume that you don\u2019t have the full story. Good leaders begin by asking questions. Here are a few I recommend considering.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s happening in their personal lives?<\/span><\/h4>\n

Sometimes, problems at work are explained by <\/span>problems at home<\/span><\/a>. Loss, illness, divorce and marital issues, problems with sleeping or parenting\u2014all of these can bleed into work. We\u2019re not nearly as effective at compartmentalizing as we like to pretend.<\/span><\/p>\n

Slow down and consider what you know. What have they mentioned to you or to their manager? If they haven\u2019t mentioned anything, it\u2019s probably time to ask.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Start by mentioning the specific changes you\u2019ve noticed. You might say something like, \u201cI\u2019ve noticed that you\u2019re late to work multiple times each week, even though you never used to be. Your fuse seems shorter, too. Are you okay? Is there something happening at home that you\u2019re carrying with you into work?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If your team member dodges the question or chooses not to share, it\u2019s important to respect their privacy. You can move on to clarifying expectations in that case. But if you find out your team member is navigating a significant life struggle, I suggest creating a plan that makes work more manageable. You could fire them, it\u2019s true. But accommodating their needs for a season is almost always more profitable than rehiring. It\u2019s also usually the right thing to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

What can this accommodation look like? You might scale back their workload, identifying their most essential work and delegating the rest to other team members or outside vendors. You might encourage them to take a temporary leave of absence, creating a plan to tie the team over until they return. You might allow them to work from home or have a few hours off each week. Ask what they think would be helpful and solve the problem together.<\/span><\/p>\n

This change should only last for a season. Setting a concrete date at the outset when you\u2019ll revisit the situation is helpful for clarifying expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you clarified your expectations?<\/span><\/h4>\n

My clients know I believe in asking the question, \u201cWhat about your leadership led to this result?\u201d Behavioral issues often result from our failure as leaders to <\/span>communicate expectations<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Did your team member know<\/span> you expected them to lead the meeting or understand what that should look like? Have you said that you don\u2019t tolerate gossip at your company? Have you been clear about the metrics that define success?<\/span><\/p>\n

Teams imitate their leaders. If we want our teams to take ownership when they fall short, we need to do the same. You might start by saying something like, \u201cI\u2019ve realized I\u2019ve had an expectation I failed to communicate, and I didn\u2019t set you up to succeed. Can we talk about what I\u2019d like to see moving forward and why?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This approach decriminalizes the offense. Unspoken expectations go unmet. Voicing them allows you to create accountability moving forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

What resources are they missing?<\/span><\/h4>\n

As leaders, we sometimes create an impossible dynamic for our team members. We scale their responsibilities without increasing their resources. Most managers complain they don\u2019t have enough time, money, or people. Not all these complaints are true. But before blaming your team\u2019s performance, take stock on whether you\u2019ve provided reasonable resources to attain the results you expect.<\/span><\/p>\n

You should pay special attention to this question if . . .\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n