All too often I see hardworking business owners almost held to ransom by certain employees that are infecting the team with bad attitudes and behaviour. This not only reduces morale, it impacts productivity and also bleeds valuable profits.
You know the type of person I am talking about. This employee is adequately skilled, in some cases highly skilled, and can produce results. However, their bad attitude, negativity, gossiping and continual whining and moaning impacts the rest of the team and also consumes valuable head space in your mind.
You recognise that the right thing to do is to let this person go, as their behaviour is like a cancer. It impacts the team. No one wants to work with them and this has people question your leadership and they may look elsewhere for employment. If you allow fear and scarcity to control your decision, you will hang on to this person with the belief that you need their skills.
Through experience and observation of businesses that I have coached, letting this person go is one of the best things you can do for yourself, your team and the business.
Here is why…
1) As soon as they are gone, there will be a collective sigh of relief from your team. Your team will also share with you other aspects of how their bad behaviour has impacted the team. It’s almost like the skeletons are out of the closet.
2) The rest of the team will step up, to cover for their short fall because they’ll respect your decision for letting them go.
3) Thirdly, it will be an absolute relief to yourself. Even though there may be short-term discomfort in having fewer employees, you can finally sleep at night knowing this person is not continuing to infect your team, talk badly about the business and pull down the image of you and have the hard work that you have put in to developing your organisation.
4) You may find out that you don’t need to replace this person and the business will save thousands annually; increasing the bottom line.
I didn’t say that this will going to be an easy decision and conversation with this destructive type of team player, however it is a simple one that you know you should and must have.
For guidance and coaching to have these types of courageous conversations, call one of the team at PROTRADE United.
PROTRADE United is Australia and New Zealand’s #1 Business Coaching & Mentoring Organisation.
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