Handling Difficult Employees

In modern management much attention is paid to the human factor, that is people's relationships within the organization and in the environment. If a manager can deal with employees, their joint work for a company is more effective. A good leader understands and values productive and experienced workers, creates good working conditions for them, gets along with subordinates and makes them work hard.

It is not easy to cope with people, especially some of them. There are so called "difficult employees", that is workers who are hard to deal with and who want special treatment.

Fred Pryor, a US expert in management, does not like the term "difficult employees". He thinks that all people are difficult in one sense, and in another sense none of them are. The main problem is poor management. Many managers do not know how to deal with any people.

All people are different, and they very often need different handling. This is the main thing a manager should remember. He must be a good psychologist and understand how to cope with different employees in certain situations.

There are several psychological classifications of people a manager must take into consideration.

Firstly, people are divided into extroverts and introverts.

Extrovert employees are active, lively and sociable. Sometimes they tend to show off. Extroverts make friends easily. They are ready to discuss different problems with their boss, colleagues, and customers.

Introverts are interested more in themselves and their private feelings than in the world around them. They are not very communicative and do not make friends easily. They do not like to discuss problems at work. It takes time and effort to make them express their opinion.

Secondly, according to their temperament, people fall into choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic.

A choleric person is hot-tempered and energetic. He or she is impatient, and it is often difficult for him or her to finish work. A manager must channel the energy of such employees into the right direction and control fulfillment of work.

A sanguine person is cheerful, optimistic, energetic and hard-working. Employees with such a temperament are good workers, they are ready to solve difficult problems and always finish their work. It is easy for them to switch from one kind of work to another. They do not usually cause a manager much trouble.

Phlegmatic people stay calm even in difficult situations. They do not show their emotions. Such employees are good workers. They are ready to work hard, they always finish their assignments. But it is difficult for them to switch from one kind of work to another. A manager should help people with this temperament to do it.

A melancholic person is an introvert. He or she is often sad without any particular reason. Employees with such a temperament do not like to switch from one kind of activity to another. They often hesitate a lot before taking a decision. A manager must encourage them to work, make them be more confident.

Thirdly, there are right-brain and left-brain people. According to psychologists, right-brain employees mostly have artistic and imaginative thinking. Left-brain workers are mainly characterized by logical and analytical thinking. At work, both right-brain and left-brain employees must be given adequate assignments.

The author of the book Coping with Difficult People, Robert M. Bramson, a prominent authority on management, and trainer Rick Brinkman, describe several types of problem workers and ways to deal with them.

The "tank" is self-confident and aggressive. Tasks seem clear to him, and the way to do them direct and simple. He is impatient with those who don't agree. The "bulldozer" is the expert on everything, he always knows it all. A manager shouldn't argue with "tanks" and "bulldozers" but stand his / her ground. He / she must be calm, assertive and be ready to be friendly.

The "sniper" mocks at his colleagues in a group, sometimes makes his chief look foolish. A manager should stop snipers by interrupting their attacks calmly and firmly.

The "balloon" likes to be admired and praised. He often speaks about things he doesn't know. A manager should correct him without hurting his feelings. It's best to do it when he's alone.

The "negativist" is against any suggestion or idea. "Negativists" and "chronic complainers" find fault with everything and think that their colleagues and people in power don't understand them. A manager should listen attentively but be ready to interrupt them. He / she must make them work and produce positive ideas.

The "clam" doesn't like conflicts and never expresses his opinion. The "yes-person" always agrees with his boss. The "staller" doesn't want to hurt anyone and delays decisions until the need disappears. A manager has to make them give their real ideas and speak out. He / she must be polite, calm and patient with them.

According to Jim Braham, a famous expert on management, dealing with problem employees – but who are also valuable for a company – calls for understanding, perspective, psychology, and communicative skills.

 

Exercise 10. Find in the text the equivalents of these words and word combinations.

То есть; ладит с подчиненными; "трудные служащие"; принимать во внимание; направить энергию таких работников в правильном направлении; контролировать выполнение работы; решать трудные проблемы; переключаться с одного вида работы на другой; без какой-либо особой причины; соответствующие задания; насмехаться над коллегами; спокойный, настойчивый; не оскорбляя его чувства; откладывать решения; высказываться откровенно; ценный для компании.

Exercise 11. Answer the following questions in pairs.

1. Why do difficult employees need special treatment?

2. What is the difference between extraverts and introverts?

3. What are the main types of temperament?

4. What is the difference between right-brain and left-brain workers?

5. What classification of problem employees do American experts in management suggest?

6. How do trainers cope with difficult employees?

 

Exercise 12. Work in pairs. Speak about extroverts and introverts. Use the model and word combinations below.

Model. A: What are extroverts like?

B: They like… They are…

To talk to people a lot; make friends easily; to get along with people; to discuss personal, business and global problems with people; to be active, lively, sociable, cheerful.

To talk little; to be interested in personal problems and private feelings; to be reserved, sad, silent; to feel lonely.

 

Exercise 13. Work in pairs. Speak about different temperaments. Use the model below.

Model. A: What are choleric employees like?

B: They are…

A: How should a manager deal with them?

B: He should…

A: Are there any choleric students in your group?

B: I think…

 

Exercise 14. Work in pairs. Talk about right-brain and left-brain people. Use the model and list of words below.

Model A: What are right-brain people like?

B: They have creative imaginative thinking.

A: What jobs suit them?

B: They may be…

Artists, writers, poets, actors, designers, teachers, advertising copywriters, engineers, architects, accountants, managers, scientists.

Exercise 15. Work in pairs or in small groups. Discuss handling different types of difficult employees, according to the classification of R. M. Bramson and R. Brinkman.