Become Intolerant of Bad Behavior

I strongly believe that, like leadership, coaching enables positive transformation, and making the shift from manager to coach is right for your team, your organization, and you. I also strongly believe that almost anyone in any situation can benefit from coaching.?

Almost.

As a leader, you need to ensure that everyone on your team is accountable. Coaching is your first and most effective tool to that end. But if, after multiple attempts by you to coach them, someone isn’t engaging, isn’t demonstrating a sense of empowerment, and isn’t activating to make their contribution, then you have to determine whether that person is the right fit for the role, the team, or even the organization.

Decisions like this are never easy, but it’s essential for a team’s success. There’s a sociological principle called the Principle of Least Interest, which states that the person least invested in a situation has the greatest impact on the outcome. In other words, the person most unwilling to invest in themselves, their work, or their team will have the greatest impact on how that team performs.

Research bears this out. On average, people who work near high performers show a 15 percent increase in productivity, while people who work near low performers show a 30 percent decrease in productivity. [1]

As the saying goes, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.??

Ultimately, who do you want your team members to sit next to, Lisa Simpson or Bart Simpson??

When people do something wrong, you need to level with them. This isn’t just for you and your team member, but for your whole team. The days of tolerating the “brilliant bastard” are numbered. It’s no longer acceptable for someone to be brilliant at their job and horrible to their teammates. Strong leaders do not tolerate brilliant bastards and all the drama that comes with them. If you tolerate bad behavior, you are signaling to your team that you value productivity over their individual well-being. And when your team members don’t feel emotionally supported in their work, they won’t be motivated to engage and contribute.???

How your team shows up reflects on you as a leader. If someone continues to behave in a way that is contrary to the values of the organization, or flaunts the team’s commitments to working together in a positive way, and you fail to address it, the person ceases to be the problem. They’re the symptom. The problem is you’re not doing what you know you need to do. So, when you need to draw a boundary, do so swiftly and directly. A belief is something you have; a value is what you do.??

In case you missed it, we have started a YouTube channel (@ultraleadership)! Our goal with the channel aligns with our mission: Enable leaders who want to go beyond usual and ordinary to engage, empower, and activate people and teams to shape the future consciously and confidently. Have a look and let us know in the comments what you thought.

Cheers,??

Greg?

[1] Dylan Minor. “Sitting Near a High-Performer Can Make You Better at Your Job.” KelloggInsight. (May 8, 2017). https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/sitting-near-a-high-performer-can-make-you-better-at-your-job

About the Author??

Dr. Greg Giuliano is an advisor and executive coach to senior executives and teams all over the world, designing change leadership and team development strategies to lead organizational transformation. His mission is to help leaders and teams grow their capacity to enable positive disruption for markets, organizations, teams, and individuals.???

Greg is the author of the #1 Amazon Bestsellers The Next Normal, Ultra Leadership, and The Hero’s Journey: Toward a More Authentic Leadership.??