Stay Out of Hot Water – “Control the Temperature” Through Process

Business owners and managers simply can’t afford to ignore problems with team members. To do so is to risk exposure to expensive lawsuits that few SMEs can afford. Problems with individuals can also lead to lower team morale, a loss of productivity and the departure of key team members.

There are some precautions that can be taken to lessen the likelihood of a situation getting so far out of control that it can’t be contained. A lot of it has to do with communications. Have a written policy and procedures manual for the business and be sure every team member gets a copy. Take everyone through it step-by-step until you’re certain it’s clearly understood. Give every new team member a copy as part of their induction.

Put a human face on management and remember that everybody has their own feelings. Get to know the members of your team as individuals – their names, their interests, what they enjoy and what they dislike. It makes it easier to understand how they react to situations and head off disagreements.

Be consistent in your approach to setting and enforcing standards of behavior. What applies to one should apply to all in any workplace. There’s no greater sin of management than to ask one standard from the team and abide by a lesser standard yourself. If you’re dipping into the petty cash don’t be surprised if others follow your example.

There are some things in every business that have to be kept confidential, but a climate of secrecy in an organization isn’t good for team morale. Nor is it a good idea for management to remain aloof to inputs from others in the business. Create a system that permits complaints to flow upwards for consideration and learn about problems before they become too big to handle.

It might be uncomfortable for management to learn about something improper within the business that had gone previously undetected but don’t shoot the messenger on these occasions. If a team member comes to you with this kind of information be grateful rather than getting angry. And if there is a problem get onto it quickly.

Keep disciplinary matters quiet – if you’re giving somebody a warning about their performance keep it between the two of you. Once an issue “goes public” you’re embarrassing your team member and giving them cause to feel a grievance, even if they were originally the one at fault.

Don’t play favorites or conversely allow a situation to develop where the same person always gets blamed for problems. Treat every team member as an equal although it’s alright to recognize superior performance, but even then don’t go overboard. Be firm but fair in your dealings with everybody.

Do make sure every team member knows where they stand. If their performance falls below what’s reasonable have a confidential discussion and suggest ways their performance can be improved. Reward exceptional achievements and be sure the team member knows exactly why you’re so pleased.

The annual performance review is a good place to stop and take a look at how members of the team are performing. It’s also a good opportunity to find out if there’s anything bothering them that you should be aware of.

Record everything in writing so you can access the details at a later date. If you should ever happen to be sued by a former team member you’ll need to be able to explain what happened and provide a factual basis for your actions. This practice of keeping written records should be extended to every significant management decision you make just in case it has an impact on a team member.

Remember too that discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, appearance or anything other than criteria directly related to the job is out. It’s amazing how often old prejudices can resurrect themselves and lead to unfair and ultimately very expensive management decisions, so if you see any hint of such behavior stamp it out immediately.

There are no sure-fire guarantees that any workplace will be free of problems, but by following these guidelines you’ll have a much better chance of getting you – and the business into hot water.

Copyright 2004, RAN ONE Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from www.ranone.com.