Make connection to reach an unresponsive employee
Question: I've been dealing with a certain employee for months now. This employee is just totally unresponsive and apathetic. I cannot fire this person even though I would relish the opportunity. What can I do to improve this employee's performance, if just by a little bit.
Answer: Dealing with a difficult employee can be difficult and frustrating. It is important to remember to stay calm and professional. Here are a few steps that might help you approach the person and this situation.
1. Build rapport. When you meet with this person give them honest appreciation, followed up by supporting evidence of past performance. Choose a behavior that you have observed instead of giving a complement that could be perceived as conciliatory.
2. Relate to the situation. Focus on the problem and not the person. Eliminate personal pronouns and depersonalize the problem. This way you will reduce defensiveness so you can drill down and identify the cause of the problem.
3. Restore performance. Plan a way for the individual to remedy the problem. Make the person a part of the process.
4. Reassure. The employee needs to be reassured of his or her value and importance to the organization and to you. The employee should also understand that you are interested in and committed to the employee's success.
5. Remove. Sometimes we find that the employee is just not a good fit at a certain task, project, or department. You may need to explore what the employee's strengths, interests, and goals are and search for a better fit within the company for a better match.
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