Secrets of a Chief People Officer; Empowering Tips for Dealing with Tricky Team Members

As a senior leader in the people space, I regularly get asked about something we all know too well: managing those tricky, difficult employees. I realise that there are so many different scenarios as to why that tricky employee may be being such a challenge to a manager, so for today I just want to focus on the employee who gets on well with their manager but just doesn’t quite seem to be nailing the performance required.

When a manager faces a performance issue with an employee, my first instinct is to look at the manager themselves. What are they doing, or not doing, to bring out the best in the individual? We're all wired differently, and effective management and leadership require adaptability. So, I encourage managers to reflect on this—not only considering what the employee needs to excel but also how they can refine and mature their approach to engaging with their team

My years of experience has taught me that there are often three areas that we need to challenge and support the manager in doing more effectively to turn around that employee.

Keep it Realistic: First, let's get real about setting expectations. Setting expectations is crucial, but it's essential to keep them attainable. While some of us naturally gravitate toward ambitious, long-term visions, research indicates that most people thrive with shorter-term goals. Personally, I'm inclined to dream big and envision the future in everything I do, a trait common among senior leaders.

However, research tells us that most people live in the present day, and actually they prefer to have a vision of the future but work best when goals are set more short term. I know from my own experience, and every person who I’ve ever led will attest to this, creating a vision and getting people to follow comes naturally, but I must be very intentional about planning and setting those objectives, both with clarity and pace. Depending on your preference to life, and your employee’s preference managers will need to adapt.

So, take a breath, keep the vision alive, but break those big goals down into bite-sized chunks, and remember: progress, not perfection, is the name of the game.

Nail that Feedback: Let's talk feedback. Effective management of tricky employee hinges on the ability to provide constructive feedback in a supported and constructive manner. It's easy to get tongue-tied when it comes to giving constructive criticism, especially to those tricky team members. But here's the thing: feedback is your superpower, not your kryptonite.

Providing feedback isn’t about pointing fingers or assigning blame; it’s about facilitating growth through focussing on behaviours and the impact of these on the team, the work, the client etc..

Again, as with my point above, this really relies on that relational intelligence to know how to give that feedback so that it lands as intended. I know my personality type take criticism personally, I can’t help it that’s just how I am wired.

Some thrive on direct feedback, while others benefit from understanding the broader context and examples of growth opportunities. Those that thrive on the direct feedback, I often find don’t get enough of it from their manager and this can cause disengagement over time. Those that need broader context can need this in one or two ways; the logical amongst us will need more examples and a structured approach to the feedback, whereas others will need to understand the impact on others around them to absorb the feedback.

This section in itself is huge, and I’m not even scratching the surface here, but what I will say is that you will know as a manager that your team members will take feedback differently, so work out what is the right level of feedback to the individual and how it needs to be delivered. Regardless, be specific, be empathetic, and above all, be human. After all, we're all in this together, right? So, let's roll up our sleeves, tackle those tough conversations head-on, and watch our teams grow stronger as a result.

Lean on Mentorship: Let's talk about mentorship and leaning on others for support. Mentorship is invaluable for managers navigating challenging conversations and situations. Yes, let’s focus on what you need as a manager to support those tricky conversations. As an experienced senior leader, and coach, I believe that it is a gift of ours to be there for our less experienced counterparts, sharing our war stories and wisdom to help them tackle the tough stuff. Let’s face it, unless an organisation can afford a management coach, at the junior management level you need to pull on your own resources to get guidance. Most senior leaders have executive coaches these days, we all need to get another perspective and be both challenged and supported. So, don't be shy about reaching out for guidance and using others to hold one accountable. Whether it's advice on handling employee challenge or tips for having those dreaded tough conversations, mentors are here to help you shine.

In conclusion, navigating the complexities of managing challenging employees demands patience, empathy, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By focusing on realistic goal-setting, effective feedback delivery, and seeking mentorship, managers can cultivate a culture of growth and resilience within their teams. Remember, managing difficult employees is not just about achieving performance targets—it's about empowering individuals to reach their full potential and fostering a supportive work environment where everyone can thrive. To do this you need to find that balance of both support and challenge, often managers needing to up that challenge in order to get that empowering environment for high performance.