Some managers feel that their employees’ attitude problems cannot be measured and therefore nothing can be done. Mistaken! Once you’ve renamed those issues professional behaviors, you can define them, measure them, include them in job descriptions, and even fire people with them. You know the employees I mean. Some may be technically capable and may be performing the specific skills measured on the job.
They do the required amount of work; make the required number of sales; they take the required number of calls and can even be good with customers. But in the office or workplace they have a positive attitude! They are the naysayers, cynics and naysayers of the office. Or they complain about everything. They criticize any management initiative; they go to the union with every little problem. They’re straight out of Dilbert and they’re driving you crazy. You are receiving complaints from other employees who are affected and infected by your lousy attitude. Here are the steps to take to better handle this problem and get some solid definitions to work with.
Step one: redefine words attitude problem to professional behavior. It is perfectly reasonable to expect and receive professional behavior from your employees. That includes your behavior with customers, vendors, other departments, and within your own department with other employees. These are internal customers.
Second step: If possible, ask your HR department to include the words professional behavior in every job description in your organization. It might say something like this: “Employees are required to demonstrate professional behavior in the performance of your job.” We’ll demonstrate that job later. A simple statement like this in every job description gives managers and supervisors what they need to work with their employees.
Step three: If possible, get a section in each performance appraisal form that uses the term professional behavior. It can be a simple statement like “The employee demonstrates professional behavior when dealing with internal staff and external customers and vendors.” I say steps two and three if possible because if you work in government, nonprofits, or very large organizations, you may have a hard time getting it done unless the HR department is open or doesn’t conflict with one of the myriad of rules, regulations or laws that lawyers deal with. In that case, you might want to skip these two steps and go straight to number four.
Step four: Call a meeting with your staff and allow the group to define professional behavior in your specific department or team, doing their specific job. One way to start is to first ask what professional behavior looks like with clients; then ask if those same things apply to internal customers. Almost all do. But they can think of additional things, like cooperating with other team members. (I prefer the term collaboration. There is an important difference!) Either return from breaks and lunch on time, or accept responsibility for certain jobs or mistakes when they are made. The real point is to let your people define what professional behavior looks and sounds like in your area. In measurement terminology, these are the products or results you want. Make sure that the grumps on your team participate and are active in this discussion. Refine and publish these guidelines for professional behavior and allow staff members to modify or add to them. When complete, give a copy to everyone. You have now codified professional behavior in your department.
step five: The next time you notice staff members not following the guidelines, you have something concrete to use when you have a discussion with the employee. The conversation can be simple and short. “Gerry, I heard you tell Joan today that you were too busy to help her with the year-end results. You sounded abrupt and annoying to me. As you know, we’ve agreed to pitch in and help Joan every year at this time. We also have a guideline of professional demeanor that says we are collaborative with our team and take responsibility for the team’s work. Or you can say, “John, in the last three meetings you’ve said negative things about our progress on Project Leads. Your continued negativity about this and other things puts a pall over the group. Other people are silent and we don’t understand.” the enthusiasm we need to do a good job on the project. I would like you to act professionally on this matter as outlined in our guidelines for professional behavior. If you have concerns about the project, please contact me directly in the future”.