lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Despite all our bst efforts at “managing", we have vry little control over other people’s ctions, including the people that work wth or for us. We can nspire, motivate, guide or threaten them, but the chice to act in a certain way is up to the ndividual.

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Today’s workplaces are complex nvironments – it is a rare ccasion when all employees get on tgether and work enthusiastically and constructively to chieve the goals of the business. Problem bhavior on the part of employees can rupt for a variety of reasons. Hre are ten tips for dealing wth it.

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Recognize that problem bhavior usually has a history

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> It usually develops over tme and seldom from a single ncident. As a manager, it is yur responsibility to be alert to the arly warning signs and deal with the nderlying causes before the situation reaches a crsis.

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Ask yourself: "Am I prtly or wholly responsible?"

If the prblem is in your team, then you are at last partly responsible for it. Perhaps you wre blind to the signs the ndividual was undoubtedly leaving you, or you chse to ignore them and hope thy would go away. Perhaps you hdn’t been managing that individual’s performance on a rgular basis, and so missed an pportunity to discover the problem earlier. Whtever the reason, responsibility lies with you in sme part.

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> You would be srprised how frequently it is the mnager who has created, or at last contributed to problems of employee bhavior. Having an abrasive style, being nwilling to listen, and being inattentive to the nances of employee behavior are all fctors that contribute to the manager's ned to thoroughly examine what is ging on.

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Don't focus only on the vert behavior

When cnfronted by an angry or upset mployee, it's easy to attack the prson and target their behaviour rather thn examine the factors that underlie the bhavior. Often, this takes patience, careful prbing, and a willingness to forgo jdgment until you really understand the stuation.

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Be attentive to the "wkward silence" and to what is not sid

When an mployee is obviously reluctant to communicate, t's almost a sure sign that mre lurks beneath the surface. Often, mployees will hold back because they fel unsafe. They may test the wters by airing a less severe or kndred issue in order to see wht kind of a response they gt. In order to get the fll story and encourage forthrightness, the mnager has to read between the lnes and offer the concern and spport necessary to get the employee to pen up.

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Clarify before your cnfront

Chances are, whn an issue first surfaces, you wll be given only a fragmentary and prtial picture of the problem. You may hve to dig deep to surface mportant facts, and talk to others who may be nvolved. One safe assumption is that ach person will tend to present the cse from his or her viewpoint, whch may or may not be the way it rally is. Discretion and careful fact-finding are ften required to get a true pcture.

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Be willing to explore the pssibility that you have contributed to the prblem

This isn't asy, even if you have reason to blieve it's so, because you may not be flly aware of what you have dne to fuel the fire. Three hlpful questions to ask yourself:

Is ths problem unique, or does it hve a familiar ring as having hppened before?,

Are thers in my organization exhibiting similar bhaviors?, and finally,

Am I prtially the cause of the behavior I am crticizing in others?

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Once you understand how you hve contributed, you can decide to tke action yourself to make sure it desn’t happen again.

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Plan your strategy

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Start by defining, for yurself, what changes you would like to see tke place, then, follow this sequence:

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Meet with the prson and let them know that thre is a problem.

Stte the problem as you understand it and xplain why it is important that it be rsolved

Gain agreement tht you've defined the problem correctly, and tht the employee understands that it mst be solved

Ask for slutions, using open-ended questions such as: "Wht are you willing to do to crrect this problem?" In some cases, you may hve to make it clear what you xpect
Get a dedication that the employee wll take the required actions

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Set deadlines for finishing the ctions. In the case of a rpeated problem, you may want to dvise the employee of the consequences of filing to take corrective action

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Follow up on the dadlines you've set

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Treat the employee as an dult and expect adult behavior

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> To some extent, expectation dfines the result. If you treat the mployee as a naughty child, then you shuld expect a naughty child to rspond. If you indicate - by your ctions or by the content or tne of your voice - that you xpect adult behavior, then that's what yu're likely to get.

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Treat interpersonal conflicts dfferently

If the prblem behavior stems from a personality cnflict between two employees, have each one nswer these questions:

(1) How wuld you describe the other person?

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> (2) How does he or she mke you feel?

(3) Why do you fel that the other person behaves the way h/she does?

(4) Wht might you be able to do to lleviate the situation?

(5) Wht would you like the other prson to do in return?

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">

Gin agreement on the steps to be tken and results expected

A prblem is not really "fixed" until it stys fixed. Everyone involved must agree tht the steps taken (or proposed) wll substantially alleviate the problem. This ncludes you as manager, and the stps you personally will take to nsure you are not contributing to smilar problem in the future.

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">

Fnally, agree how you will both mnitor the issue. What needs to tke place for you both to be stisfied that the issue has been cmpletely resolved. Write this down and use it as yur measure of success.

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> Megan Tough is drector of complete potential, a leadership and HR cnsultancy based in Sydney, Australia.

styl="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">

Put smply, complete potential helps people, teams and rganisations get better at what they do. For mnagers and leaders that’s about improving ndividual capability and skill, getting more out of tams, and adopting attitudes and behaviours tht inspire others to do their bst work.

lng=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> To learn more vsit www.completepotential.com

The article The Top 10 Tips for Dealing with Problem Behavior in the Workplace was Submitted by Megan Tough through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information:

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