Do you have saboteurs? Here’s what you need to know.

One of my mentors once told me that being a good leader would put a target on my back.??I remember thinking, “Who, me?”? What would anyone have against me? Oh, the naivety of young leadership!??

You learn pretty quickly that some people are just wired to not trust anyone in authority.? And since you make decisions every day, some people will not trust you right out of the gate.?

That’s just the truth.??

But what happens when that mistrust turns into outright sabotage?

Now to be clear…I’m not talking about slashing your tires in the parking lot.? If that happens, call the cops.? I’m talking about the very real pushback that will make any change a lot harder.

When you’re trying to lead big changes at work, people are going to get uncomfortable.? It’s human nature.? Our brains see change as risk.? It feels unsafe.? Since most people’s first instinct is to protect themselves, you will encounter some resistance.

But you need to know what you’re dealing with.? If you respond the wrong way, you might find people digging in their heels.? The problem can get a lot worse.

Here are the 3 most common saboteur types and how to respond…?

The Pot Stirrer

This is the first person to start some sh**.? They’re not likely to ask questions in the meeting.? They’re more likely to start a rumor afterward.?

Stirring the pot makes them feel important.? It puts them in the center of a controversy that they’ve created!? As annoying as this is, it helps to understand that it’s coming from a place of fear.? They fear losing control.??

Even if you think everyone knows what Suzie’s like, don’t ignore it.? The pot stirrer pokes at people’s fears.? So even if everyone knows that Suzie is the office pot stirrer, they can’t ignore the fears that she’s stirring up in them.??

Here’s how you’ll address it…

Keep your ear to the ground for rumors and side conversations.

Answer any rumors directly and publicly as best you can.

If it’s really bad, call Suzie in and ask her about her concerns directly and encourage her to nip it.

The Ostrich

This is the person who sticks his head in the sand and pretends nothing is changing.? They will ignore emails about the change.? They will avoid meetings about the change.??

They are hoping that it will just go away.? They think this is just another change-of-the-month that won’t stick.? So they keep their head down and just do their job.

They won’t openly disagree with the change.? In fact, they won’t talk about it at all.? When asked about it, they will deflect.? This is particularly damaging when the ostrich is a part of leadership.? Their teams watch them ignoring it and assume it’s not going to happen.? So they are less prepared than other teams.

This person needs reassurance that the change is actually happening and why it’s important.? And they need to know that you’ve noticed they are avoiding it.??

The Know It All

This person will openly fight the change.? They will try to discredit the change and perhaps you, often publicly.? They will ask loaded questions to put you on the spot and they may be a little aggressive about it.??

These people are powerful in numbers.? When there are two of them, they will encourage each other.? This can make things really difficult for the leader.

This person genuinely believes that the change is a mistake and feels empowered to tell you so.? That can work in your favor.? Pull them in early.? Ask them to give you feedback directly.? Engage them in the process.??

This person will likely need more direct communication.? Be very clear about what you expect from them and hold them accountable.??

Your team knows who the know-it-all is, so they’ll take the questions with a grain of salt.? But if it becomes too disruptive to the team you’ll have to hold them accountable.

I wish someone would have told me about these things when I was first leading big changes.? It can get overwhelming when you feel like you’re pushing a boulder up a hill.? But it doesn’t have to be complicated.??

I’m passionate about making change easier for everyone. I help you move through change faster without fighting for your team's buy-in every step of the way AND without complicated strategies that are hard to implement.?

I offer free consultations.? Let’s talk!??