Solving People Problems on the Job: Kelley School of Business X420 Discussion Session #71

Teams made up of dynamic, creative individuals will almost always suffer from periods of conflict.

Teams are, inevitably, made up of individuals. Many individuals have what may be politely termed “problem personalities” …no, this is the WRONG attitude for dealing with problem folks…

To deal with a negative person you should…  Determine your level of involvement  Try to understand where they’re coming from  Influence their attitude  Help resolve the source problems  Recover from the experience

Research shows that the most significant roadblock to effective teamwork is….

There are other times when rigid behavior is unreasonable…. Sometime it just makes sense to inflexibly follow the rules…

Research indicates that the major factor in unreasonable rigidity is…

Among working teams, self esteem is a major fear factor Fear, and rigidity in belief or opinions, can lead to anger and conflict.

As a member of the team, or as a team leader, the goal is to avoid or eliminate conflict. To do this effectively, one needs to understand the root causes of team conflict.

The ways in which team conflict occurs are as varied as the individuals who make up the teams. As long as rigidity of thought and attitude rules the day, there can be no effective solution. So, what do you do?….

Basically, people tend to fall back on rigid approaches to problem- solving when other avenues do not seem to be available.

The solution to creating compatible teams is simple, but it sure is not EASY.  You must create and support a team environment of  OPENNESS,  TRUTH,  HONESTY  and SELF-AWARENESS. ”SERENITY”

While not necessarily as simple as “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”, problem personalities do fall into some generally recognized archetypes…. “ Problem Personality” types

v The DEADWEIGHT …they never pull their fair share of the load, everyone else has to do more to compensate...  If you are a manager of a Deadweight, closer direct supervision may be necessary to change this behavior pattern.

v The LEECH … they always want to talk when you are busy, inconsiderately taking up your time …..

v The BACKSTABBER … two-faced and untrustworthy, they try to undermine you, spread rumors and try to hurt your career …..  Team leader? Quash this poisonous behavior. (your team will thank you)

v The EMPIRE BUILDER … they try to get more power and will step all over you to get it …..

v The JABBER … the playground bully grown up, they pick on every weakness they see, a practical joker who just does not get it…..

v The KNOW-IT-ALL … they always know a better way of doing anything, and cannot wait to tell you.... Their advice is freely given but not always welcome…..

v The Quiz: match up the quote with the type 1. “Zzzzzz….” 2. “What are you working on? Oh, the annual report. That’s due tomorrow, isn’t it? eh…well let me tell you, I had a horrible weekend….” 3. “You know, I wouldn’t want to point any fingers, but Mark managed to totally screw up that project outline –--oh, hi Mark! How you doin’ old buddy? You’re lookin’ great.” 4. “Look, I know my team has a full schedule, but we can handle this extra assignment, no problem. Just give us that corner office space and boost our supplies budget and we’re good to go.” 5. “Marie, fashionably late as usual! And Todd, that unwashed hippie look is perfect for casual Friday! Of course, it is Monday….” 6. “This reminds me of the Perkins account fiasco, been there - done that! Of course, you’ll want to get Research cracking on the precedents right away. That’s what I did. You will have you’re hands full, let me tell you. Why, I remember….” A.The Know-It-All B.The Empire Builder C.The Deadweight D. The Jabber E.The Leech F.The Backstabber

… there are ten coping behaviors that will give you an edge in dealing with all kinds of problems AND problem people you will encounter in the workplace.

I. Expect the best II. Listen before talking, think before acting III. Get to the point IV. Change what they do, not who they are V. Model the behavior you desire VI. Adapt your approach to the person VII. Protect dignity and self-respect of others VIII. Appeal to self-interest IX. Rejoice at success X. Cut your losses with remorse, not guilt

I. Expect the best  Establish and maintain high standards II. Listen before talking, think before acting  Demonstrate the courtesy you expect from others III. Get to the point  Do not assume telepathy - say what you mean

IV. Change what they do, not who they are  You cannot change people, settle for changing behavior IV. Model the behavior you desire  Be an example

VI. Adapt your approach to the person  People are individuals, not widgets VII. Protect the dignity of others  Everyone has individual worth VIII. Appeal to self-interests  Enlightened self-interest is a strong incentive

IX. Rejoice at success  Give credit when problem behavior changes X. Cut your losses with remorse, not guilt  Hey, sometimes nothing works -- Move On.

The principles of resolving personality issues on the job come down to a few basics:  Honesty and openness  Integrity  Tact  Flexibility v Whether dealing with v or with

Negative Attitudes = Difficult People Among the most difficult - the “Hostile Aggressive” types… The Sherman Tank…. The Sniper…. The Exploder….

The “Sherman Tank”...they bully and push people around….  Stand up to them  But don’t get into an argument  Maintain a civil but undaunted composure  Keep your cool  Once you’ve stood up to them, be ready to be friendly

The “Sniper” …they are sarcastic and critical….  Smoke them out  Polite confrontation in private about the “jokes”  “Did you mean it that way?”  Challenge them every time in this manner  KEEP YOUR COOL!

The “Exploder” …normal one moment, out of control the next….  After explosion, do nothing but look them in the eye  Take a break, get some privacy  Offer a pragmatic plan of action  KEEP YOUR COOL!

You may have noticed a theme here…. To misquote Kipling, cool “If you can keep your cool when all about you are losing theirs….”

The “Complainer” will whine about everything.  Listen actively  Get them involved in solutions  Don’t apologize

The “clam” – silent and unresponsive no matter what.  After opening conversation, go silent  Friendly silent stare  Non-confrontational comment on the silent treatment  Emphasize how important the work is  Schedule another meeting

The “super-agreeable” -- always says yes, and usually let you down.  Strongly state your sympathies with their workload pressure  Offer to help them get the job done  Go for “win/win” compromises so they can relax.  Don’t keep accepting false agreements

“Naysayer” – says no to anything  Come back with a positive but realistic statement  Never argue with a negativist  Acknowledge what they say  Show alternatives  Explore worst case scenarios  Be ready to act alone

The “Know-it-all” is always right….  Paraphrase back at them their solution  Propose alternatives as questions  Give them a way to save face when  they’re wrong  Know your facts  Be positive (it’s an attitude thing)  Thank them for their help

The “Indecisive” waits until you or chance decides for them.  Ask them for help with specific task problems  Offer your problem-solving ideas  Find out the real reason for indecisiveness, and help  Give them your support after decisions are made

Your positive attitude is your best weapon in dealing with difficult people.  Be open and honest  Keep your smile  Stay frosty, don’t let anger divert you  Calm directness will win out  Cultivate patience

You can help overcome team conflict … …BUILDING A WINNING TEAM

Solving People Problems on the Job: EVALUATION QUESTIONS USE: USE: –a. Strongly agree –b. Agree –c. Disagree –d. Strongly disagree –e. Don’t know 1.I found the presentation material easy to understand. 2. This Advantage session increased My knowledge of the subject presented. 3. I will be able to use some of the Information from this session in the future. 4. The presenter was well prepared for this Advantage session. 5. This presentation should be repeated in future semesters.