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Tossing The “Wrong” Person Off The

Bus By Donna Hutchinson

Help! I have a dud on my team, and I

don’t know what to do. Sound familiar? Everyone makes hiring mistakes or in- herits a person they wish weren’t on their team. When you desperately want to make changes, how do you get the problem staff member to change seats or get off the bus entirely?

Understand your role

The first step is to understand that

it is your responsibility as the man- ager or owner to ensure that everyone in your organization is the right fit for his or her job. It is also your responsi- bility to quickly rectify the situation when you have staff members who don’t fit in, have performance issues or are disruptive to the team. If you don’t take swift action to remove people who don’t contribute, your staff will soon notice and wonder why nothing is be- ing done. Even worse, your top per- formers may become frustrated with your lack of leadership and start ex- ploring other job opportunities.

Reign in your emotions

Teams work best when everyone

contributes. Maybe you have an indi- vidual with a “what’s in it for me” at- titude. You may have spent endless hours unsuccessfully trying to change this attitude. If this is the case, take a step back and grab hold of your emo- tions. This is no place for emotions such as anger, disappointment or frus- tration. Instead, it is time to roll up your sleeves and get down to business. The bottom line is that you have iden- tified an individual who is not meeting your organization’s standards.

BY DONNA HUTCHINSON

Understand your role

The first step is to understand that nue goals? Disrupting the team? Gather as much information about your organization is the right fit f r his or her job. It is also your responsi-

Understand your role

The first step is to understand that i r ite ivse your respons bility as the man- m n- ager o owner to ensure hat everyone wnhat is happening and why the person is struggling to meet expectations. bility to quickly rectify the situation when you have staff members who don’t fit in, have performance issues or are disruptive to the team. If you don’t problem, give the individual an

Identify the problem

Clarify the specific issue you are facing with the staff member. Not at- tending staff meetings? Not reaching t is your responsibility as

BY DONNA HUTCHINSON

ager or owner to ensure hat everyone i in your organization is the right fit for hi or her job. It is also your responsi- bility to quickly rectify the situation when you have staff members who don’t fit in, have performance issues or are disruptive to the team. If you don’t t take swift action to remove people who don’t contribute, your staff will oon notice and wonder why nothing

Provide an opportunity for change

Once you have identified the ake swift action to remove people who don’t contribute, your staff will s soon notice and wonder why nothing

64 Fitness Business Canada September/October 2009 66 Fitness Business Canada May/June 2009

Tossing The “Wrong” Person the Bus

Off the Bus erson Off

opportunity to change. For example, if Brittany hasn’t been attending staff meetings, remind her that part of her role within the company is to attend monthly meetings. Explain the pur- pose of the meetings and their rele- vance to the company’s culture. Then clearly inform her that she is expected to be at the next meeting.

Set clear expectations and establish rewards/ consequences

In Brittany’s case you needed to be

While inconveniencing clients may seem like a more serious offence, not attending meetings sends the message that she thinks they are a time-waster, and it sends the wrong message to oth- ers team members.

Help! I have a

Sound familiar? Everyone makes hiring mistakes or inherits a person they wish weren’t on their team. When you desperately

want to make changes, how do you get the problem staff team is hard work. It requires constant

valid reason, schedule a follow-up con-

firm about her attending meetings. Explain the circumstances where it might be acceptable to miss a meet- ing, such as a medical appointment or child care emergency. Then document the discussion, and ask her to sign ac- knowledging that she understands her commitment. If next month, she does not attend the meeting and does not provide a

member to change seats or get off the bus entirely?

struggling to fulfill this part of her job. If she can’t provide a logical reason, ask yourself if Brittany is someone you want to have in the long-term on your i team. Let her know that the meetings performers m y become frustrated with your lack of leadership and start exploring other job opportunities.

versation. Let her explain her situa- tion, and try to understand why she is

Reign in your emotions

Teams work best when everyone ontributes. Maybe you hav an indi- vidual w th a “what’s in t for me” attitude. You may have spent end- ess hours unsuccessfully trying to

is being done. Even worse, your top performers may become frustrated with your lack of leadership and start exploring other job opportunities. This may seem like a harsh conse-

Reign in your emotions

s being done. Even worse, your top are so important that, if she doesn’t at- tend the next meeting, you will have no choice but to replace her.

Teams work best when everyone c contributes. Maybe you have an indi- vidual with a “what’s in it for me” attitude. You may have spent end- less hours unsuccessfully trying to c change this attitude. If this is the case, t take a step back and grab hold of your

quence for an individual who doesn’t attend meetings. Or is it? Is missi g meet ngs a symptom of a deeper issue? Or what if she didn t arrive on time for her personal tr ining clients or classes. l Would you tolerate this behaviour? hange this attitude. If this is the case, ake a step back and grab hold of your

dud on my team, and I don’t know what to do.

ers is finding the courage to let people go. You may feel emotions like guilt, sadness, disappointment and frustra- tion. You may even feel uncomfortable firing people because you know they have families to support and bills to pay. While you need not be cold-heart- ed and ignore these emotions, con- sider that you may actually be helping the individual. Sometimes people are afraid to move on in their careers be- cause they fear of the unknown. And if they were truly happy working in your organization, they would make every effort to change their behaviour. Creating the ultimate performance

attention, and sorting and elimination of people who don’t fit. When people don’t seek to improve their negative behaviour, toss them off the bus. They are like a cancer growing within your emotions. This is no place f r emo- ns such as anger, disappointment or ustration. Instead, it is time to roll up your sleeves and get down to business. The bottom line is that you have iden-

ss Educators which provides consult-

g services geared towards busine s growth. Her expertise lies in recruiting and hiring top

I Identify the problem

ledentify the problem

motio s. This is no place for emo- t yions such as anger, disappointment or f frrustration. Instead, it is time to roll up your sleeves and get down to business. The bottom line is that you have iden- Fitfied an individual who is not meeting i your organization’s standards.

t eeam, and they will likely soon infect tiour entire group.

Donna Hu chinso is the owner of On The Edge

ttiifined an individual who is not meeting ynour organization’s standards.

nt, nd creating and maintaining busin ss

f facing with the staff member. Not attending staff meetings? Not reaiching r revenue goals? Disrupting the team?

vel performers, staff training and develop-

Clarify the specific issue you are

ntum. Donna is the author of The How To Guide to Starting Your Ow Personal Tr ning usiness. Contact her at edgefit@shaw.ca.

meClarify the specific issue you are maocmeing with the staff member. Not attending staff meetings? Not reaching Bevenue goals? Disrupting the team?

Set them free

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