Alternatives to Firing a "Toxic Employee"- 3/3

Don’t give feedback. Give feed-FORWARD

Feedback can be difficult to receive. A team member with toxic behavior may have had ears full of “constructive criticism.”

Full ears lead to closed hearing.

In one of our training activities, participants are given a series of directives.

“Be on time.” “Take notes.” “Treat the client well.” “Check the references.” “Find out about _______.” …

The listeners exclaim, STOP.

Stop talking AT me.
Stop talking OVER me.
I am STOPPING TO LISTEN!

This is the third article in a series on toxic employees at work. Today’s focus is on providing feedback in a way that builds collaboration.

We are building on the previous articles

Today’s post considers how to create and follow up on a personal development action plan of a team member.

1. Focus on Qualities to Build

Did you know? The challenges we experience today present opportunities for learning and growth!

Blessings in disguise. Ha!

And yet…by overcoming our obstacles, you and I have grown wiser and more experienced.

For every behavior, there is a counterpart.

Think about Territorialism. Its obverse could be Teamwork. Somewhere along that spectrum lies Communication.

We can focus on trying to stop territorialism OR to build communication and teamwork. (Progress is never a straight path.)

I love how this cartoon contrasts the removing and building outlook.

Destruction fosters insecurity. People erect defenses. Constructing enforces community. People feel a sense of belonging and an ability to contribute.

In the office these two perspectives could sound like this:

Looking back (deficit focused): “Last meeting with Jane and Joe did not work well. What will you do differently?”
Facing forward (asset based): “How could you demonstrate open-mindedness in the upcoming meeting with Jane and Joe?”

2. Build on Strengths

Imagine two cliffs with a void in between the two. How can one get to the other side?

With one thread, one can slide another strand, then a third…until one can cross. Does it take work and time to build on that initial filament? Of course. AND one can build on it.

Focus on weakness is like facing the void. Follow the thread instead.

3. Encourage Self-Evaluation

People with toxic behavior can easily be on the defensive.

Read: What is a “Toxic Employee”?

Auto-evaluation makes a person responsible for his own behavior.

One manager shared this incident.

“A team member did not take her share of the workload. Absenteeism was an issue and so was quality of output. As an engaged union member, she knew she could keep her job despite her disruptiveness.

I finally asked her to evaluate her own overall behavior on a scale of 1 to 5.

She responded 3.

I answered that this was a bit higher than my own assessment. Even more importantly, was she satisfied with 3 out of 5 when we both knew of her capability to do more?

Until then she had chosen to stand up while I was sitting down. She took a seat and we began to make a plan to help her contribute to the team through her excellent written communication skills.”

4. Notice Progress

A sense of accomplishment highly impacts a person’s motivation and desire to contribute asserts Harvard Business School professor Teresa Amabile in her work on The Progress Principle.

Noticing progress helps people progress in performance. They are

more productive
more engaged
more creative and solution-oriented
more committed to work
more collaborative

Managers often associate progress with major landmarks. “We signed the contract!”

Amabile asserts that remarking progress on “small” efforts generates these positive attributes too. “Thank you for saying ‘Thank you’.”

5. Repeat Feedback Feed-FORWARD REGULARLY

It is different to give feedback regularly vs. to do so often.

Feedback Often

How frequently is “often”? What triggers the need to review behavior?

Collaborative behavior is like service management. When things go right, we don’t notice it. How many times have you paused today to thank your firewall supplier for protecting your computer against viruses? Or your bank for generating interest on your savings? Probably none. These service gets taken for granted…until a problem arises. THEN IT IS URGENT.

When things go right, we don’t notice it.
Take time to notice it so that things go right more often!

Unless feedback is regularly scheduled, it tends to happen when toxic behavior merits correction.

That’s when our own behavior communicates a toxic message! Our actions reveal that we don’t care about building a team member’s strengths or transmitting values. We prefer comfort without nuisances.

Checking-in “too often” can communicate lack of trust in their ability. Without me or you, that woeful, tiresome person will stay doomed to exasperate others.

Scheduled Feedback

A scheduled check-in time creates a sense of accountability on both parts:

the person building constructive behavior (notice the progress in using positive language ?)
the one encouraging personal development in his team member

There is an expectation of results. An appointment to recognize progress. An opportunity to further strengthen relationship muscle.

There is an expectation of results. An appointment to recognize progress. An opportunity to strategize for continued successes and further tone the relationship muscle.

The planned-ahead element creates a safe space, allowing for bloopers and learning from mistakes. This is not an emergency meeting called because the person messed up (again).

Follow up sessions are scheduled on the calendar to check in…and to keep focusing forward.

“It sounds like you, Jane, and Joe are starting to understand each other a bit better? How can you go the next step? What could teamwork look like?!”

Thank you for your positive attention! ?

Alternatives to Firing a “Toxic Employee”- 3/3