Disruptive team members can negatively affect the performance, morale, and cohesion of your team. They may exhibit behaviors such as being rude, argumentative, uncooperative, or unproductive. How do you handle such situations as a team manager? Here are some tips to help you deal with disruptive team members effectively and constructively.
The first step is to understand why the team member is being disruptive. Is it due to a personal issue, a lack of skills, a mismatch of expectations, a conflict with another team member, or something else? Try to have a private conversation with the team member and listen to their perspective. Ask open-ended questions and show empathy. Avoid being accusatory or defensive. The goal is to identify the root cause of the problem and find out what the team member needs to improve their behavior.
Disruptive team members, though challenging, can also present unique opportunities for growth and innovation within a team. Their unconventional thinking and willingness to question norms can lead to fresh perspectives and creative problem-solving. As a team manager, it is crucial to recognize the underlying potential hidden behind disruptive behavior and channel it in a way that benefits the team as a whole. By creating an environment that encourages open dialogue and embracing diverse viewpoints, you can harness the disruptive team member's energy and transform it into a catalyst for positive change and collaboration.
In a lot of the examples I have been involved in, the issue seems to be the management team not taking their team members seriously. Even when they say they want constructive criticism, it has little weight in the process. When managers that don't have the technical skills and knowledge of their team members it creates an issue communicating between them. Listen and learn from your team, they see more than managers can on a daily basis that can add insight to the Root Causes of costly issues and mistakes.
The number one priority is NOT to take responsibility for their behaviour - that is theirs and theirs alone. So beyond giving them the opportunity to explain the reason behind their disruptive behaviour, and the opportunity to change it, they need to understand that their place in the team depends on constructive behaviour. I've seen too many leaders try to assuage, mollify and excuse disruptive behaviour and procrastinate over taking action. The damage done is significant.
The next step is to communicate clearly what you expect from the team member and what the consequences are if they do not meet those expectations. Be specific, realistic, and consistent. For example, you can say, "I expect you to complete your tasks on time, respect your colleagues, and contribute positively to the team. If you fail to do so, you will receive a warning, a performance review, or a disciplinary action." Make sure the team member understands and agrees to the expectations and boundaries. Document the conversation and follow up regularly.
The third step is to provide constructive feedback and support to the team member. Give them praise when they do something well and offer them guidance when they need improvement. Provide them with the resources, training, or coaching they may need to succeed. Encourage them to share their ideas, concerns, or feedback with you and the team. Acknowledge their efforts and achievements. Show them that you care about their growth and well-being.
The fourth step is to involve the rest of the team in resolving the issue. Depending on the situation, you may want to consult with other team members, seek their input, or facilitate a group discussion. The aim is to foster a positive and collaborative team culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and heard. You can also use team development stages, such as forming, storming, norming, and performing, to assess and improve your team's dynamics. For example, you can use the storming stage to address conflicts, clarify roles, and establish norms.
The final step is to escalate the issue if the team member does not respond to your interventions or if their behavior becomes unacceptable or harmful. You may need to involve your supervisor, human resources, or other authorities. You may also need to take action such as reassigning, suspending, or terminating the team member. However, this should be the last resort and only after you have exhausted all other options. You should also document the process and inform the team of the outcome.
Empathetic conversations help in such situations! Frist try to understand the rationale behind the behaviour. Then explain how it impacts the person, others and organization due to his/her behaviour. Then ask him/her on how the situation can be improved by having win-win attitude and what support the person needs. Last but not the least, give space and time for the person to make adjustments/changes , keep monitoring and provide continuous feedback. If nothing works out, then have to take hard decision of moving him out of the team or organizatin.
Many great points were shared in this article and with those who provided their perspectives. I think this is a great article for leaders and non-leaders to read and implement into the way the show up for work. We’re all better when we all understand how to voice our opinions, while making space for others to do the same. Businesses, Teams and Professionals don’t grow and improve if we all prefer to work in an echo chamber!