Transcript How to Neutralize A Toxic Employee

Lynn E. Lawrence, CMSgt (ret), CPOT, ABOC
Faye Wattleton- “The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.”
hich is the toxic employee?
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This lecture is designed to
educate Office Managers
and employers and
techniques used to resolve
issues with a troubled
employee.
Documentation and
counseling techniques will
be discussed and sample
forms will be provided.
A tool to develop “Traits of
a good team player” will be
highlighted. Points from
Federal Labor Laws will be
discussed.
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Define Toxic Employee
Impact upon team
Hiring
Office Leadership
Position description
Performance feedback
Documentation
Follow-up actions
Termination point
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Is it the employee or the
environment
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Does the office have rules
and borders
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Is office leadership visible
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Has every effort been
made to reform employee
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Do you have a formal training
program?
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Does the employee know and
understand their responsibilities
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Is it written down (PD)
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How do you correct
performance deficiencies with
your employees
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Is your feedback candid and
specific (not about feelings)
 Tell about the
change in jobs
 What is a toxic
employee?
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Someone who consistently
brings the team down
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Great effort has been made to
reform this individual
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The individual does not
understand that they are on a
team
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Refuses to work synergistically
with others, always involved in
drama (usually at home too)
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Mission
Goals
Vision
Lines of Authority
Standards
Leadership Sync
Accountability
Equity
Employee Buy-in
Ken Blanchard-“ None of us is as smart as all of us.” Synergy is what makes the team
invaluable.
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If you make an attempt
to establish goals and
direction for the office
and you have an
employee that refuses
to give the change a
try…this is a sign that
the employee has
confusion with their
role in the office…you
need to re-direct…
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Having an awareness of how your actions,
body language, and words affect others
Being accountable for one’s action
Learning to master skills of the trade
Leading by your example
Having a passion that cannot be stopped
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have a body of
knowledge, scope of
practice, agreed upon
values, oath or code
and accountability to
our society for their
profession and their
professional behavior.
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What conduct do you
allow in your office?
What is a profession?
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An occupation requiring
specialized knowledge and
often long and intensive
academic preparation
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Conforming to the technical
or ethical standards of a
profession
If you own the practice,
you shouldn’t feel like the matador
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Span of control
Set high standards for
your staff
Describe acceptable
behavior for your office
Post your standards
Reward openly, correct
in private
Set the bar for
“Becoming an expert”
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Listen to your staff!
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Make sure they listen to you!
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Jesus Story:
- Learn good listening skills
- Don’t prejudge
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From the beginning set the
bar high
 The interview
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Clear and tangible rules
 Office goals that are posted,
easy to see
 Only post those you will
enforce or it will devalue all
the other rules
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Develop a feedback system
 Formal feedback
 Regular basis…they know it is
coming
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PERFORMANCE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES
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Customs and Courtesies
CONDUCT
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Responsibility:
Support for Organizational Activities:
Respect for authority:
Maintenance of Facilities:
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Verbal:
Written:
ADDITIONAL FACTORS
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Upgrade Training
Professional Education:
Proficiency/Qualification:
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
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Sets and Enforces Standards:
Initiative:
Self Confidence:
Provides Guidance/Feedback:
Fosters Teamwork:
INDIVIDUAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
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COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS
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Technical Expertise:
Knowledge of Related Areas:
Applies Knowledge to Duties:
SUPERVISION/LEADERSHIP
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Quality and Quantity of work:
Timeliness of Work:
KNOWLEDGE OF PRIMARY DUTIES
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Values: Demonstrate Integrity:
Service to Others Before Self:
STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN ALL THEY DO:
Education:
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Set clear standards
Observe behavior
Conduct the interview
Give honest feedback
 Positive
 Negative
 Corrective
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Monitor progress
 Positive
 Negative
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If an employee feels they
can get away with
something, they will push
until they get what they
want or someone in
leadership puts a stop to
the foolishness
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Office behavior is dictated
by those in leadership, not
by those in subordinate
situation
Norm
Positive
Effects on Norm
Negative
Organization and personal pride
- People see themselves as a part of
the team
- They display ownership
-High work standards
-Pride in accomplishments
-Workers feel stake in outcomes
-People quick to criticize
-Show little concerns for problems
-Treat job as a 8-5
-No after-hour involvement
Teamwork/Communication
-People are open
-Information freely shared
-Rewards/recognition shared
-Shared information and expertise
more effectiveness
-Cooperative atmosphere
-Open communication maintained
-People hold vital information
-People go out of their way to make
themselves look good
-Always looking out for himself
Leadership/Supervision
-Open door policy active
-People come to the boss for advice
-Work gets done without the boss
present
-Less psychological gaming
-Supervision f0cused on leading,
helping, and developing
-Cats away, the mice will play
-Subordinates only communicate
when forced
-Subordinates get quiet when boss
enters room
-Boss trying to catch workers doing
wrong
Customer Relations
- Attitude that everyone’s time/
mission is of value and treated with
respect
-Satisfied customers
-Customer feedback is seen as a
motivator by workers and supervisors
-Complaints from patients
-Lack of respect shown by workers
-Rudeness, apathy, anger, displayed
-Keeping others waiting
Profitability/Cost Effectiveness
-Funds outlive budget
-Little waste
-Workers question cost
-Funds available for priority items
-Essential items last longer
-Blank checkbook mentality
-Trash can always full
Innovativeness/Creativity
-Workers experiment with new ways
-Active suggestion program
-More effective methods surface
-Creative people motivate to improve
output
-People criticized for new ideas
-Nothing new in years
-Listening is not an acquired skill
Training/Development
-Unit fully supports training (OJT,
PME, off-duty education
-Training is vital part of job
-More qualified people to do tasks
-Experience workers free to take on
tough taskings
-Able to adapt to new technology
-Training program routinely miss
target dates
-High qualification failure rates
-Slow to adapt to new systems
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Why do you call yourself a leader?
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Doc, office manager, are you afraid
of coming out of your exam room
because of staff drama?
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Afraid of getting involved?
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Doctor/Office Manager do you wait
until things are on your last nerve?
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Do you allow shouting matches
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You need to turn the staff away
from negative behavior
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Identify leadership
Polite
Why we are here
Eliminate chaos…bid for
power…who is in control
Constructive criticism
Esprit de corps
Team concepts
Continual improvement
processes
Conflict resolution
Professional treatment
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Specific
 Focused on critical items
Measurable
 Concrete deliverables
Achievable
 Produces highest performance
and motivation
Relevant
 Currency on important issues
Time based
 Must have deadlines
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Make a score card to
track the goals
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Use a thermometer
or some other
device to show
progress for all
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An apprentice period
Probationary period
Don’t trust the
interview
Check “Facebook”
Check with previous
employers
Check letters of
recommendation
Don’t trust a feeling
Review job description
Document strengths
Document weaknesses
Document concerns
Document tangible
plan for change
 Document next followup date
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When things are not following the plan, be the bull
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A systemic, two-way discussion
between supervisor and
subordinate concerning duty
performance as compared to
established standards and goals
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Feedback supports individual
growth…directional progress
 Upward
 downward
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Always have previous
evaluation available
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Values: Demonstrate Integrity: Do they so what’s right even when no
one is looking? Can they be trusted? Do they tell the truth? Do they cut
corners?
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Service to Others Before Self: Do they try to avoid work? Do they put in
extra hours when needed without complaining? Are they willing to go to
the extreme or do they try to get out of assignments?
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STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN ALL THEY DO: Do they do the best job
possible? Are they committed to dong it right? Do they pass the buck or
not accept responsibility?
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Education: If they’re finished their standard training requirements, are
they trying to improve themselves? (education/away from the office) Are
they involved in any professional organization?
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Be clear on expected
outcomes
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Plan what you will say
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Have the strategy in your
mind
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Use the “I” message, it
demonstrated
responsibility and
authority
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Have the employee repeat
back expectations
Get rid of the workers that
won’t work as a team
 Cut the cancer off of the
team
 Assist those who find it
difficult conforming to the
plan to transition into
another environment more
conducive for their personal
growth
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Deal in specifics
(tangibles)
 Avoid general statements
 Behavior, effect, thoughts
 Quality, quantity,
timeliness, cost
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Focus on actions
 Must be non-threatening
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Determine time/place
 Give FB ASAP/avoid
waiting
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Refrain from including
other issues
 Avoid topics not FB related
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Make every effort to
reform employee
Document, document,
document
Document some more
Let them know they
are being monitored
Be specific
Be clear
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They never use my name
They ask me to repeat info
already given
They never admit mistakes
They are not well groomed
They talk to their friends
instead of the patients
They talk on the phone
while the patients wait
They act condescending
They lie about what they
have done
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They give rules with no
explanation
They blame the computer
They won’t look me in the eye
They make stuff up in their
answers
They smile and don’t mean it
They give a smart flippant
answer
They don’t listen to what I
have to say
They question my honesty
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Punctuality
Poor communications
Feedback/follow-up actions
Poor accountability
The “Blame Game”
The “I told you so” attitude
Turn down opportunities
Spreading rumors
Drama Queen/King
Never satisfied
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Sign for staff door:
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We are NOT paying
you to have a bad
day!
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Keep an application
for Burger King by
the time clock
800mg
Suck it up
1000mg
Kaboom
500mg
1000mg
Fruit of the
Spirit
Happy Pills
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Be in charge
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Be focused on goals
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Be clear
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Praise in public
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Correct in private
Outline acceptable steps:
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Be firm and respectful
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Describe specifically the
behavior or situation
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Express clearly what the
concerns are
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Suggest alternatives for
agreement
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Consequences for negative
impact on team performance,
strive for consensus
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What do you practice at home?
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Staff members must know
the negative impact of unnecessary drama
Communicate expectations
of professional maturity
Provide opportunity to
improve
Take action ASAP when there
is a disruption that negatively
impacts the office
Get all of the facts
As long as there are people the will be
conflicts
U.S. Department of Labor
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Interview question
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Question: What notices must be given
before an employee is terminated or laid
off?
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Answer: The Fair Labor Standards Act
(FLSA) has no requirements for notice to
an employee prior to termination or layoff. In certain cases, employers must give
the workers advanced notice of mass
layoffs or plant closure. The Warn Act
provides specific information on advance
notice, employer responsibility and
workers rights during mass layoffs or
plant closure.
http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/state.htm
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There is no reason to
have rules that you will
not enforce
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Failing to enforce any
rule, devalues every rule
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Accountability enforces
leadership
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An office with high
standards will have
high motivation
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An office with loose
standards will have
plenty of drama
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Leadership will have to
set the example of the
standards
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When every effort has
been made and the risk
is not worth the
investment…terminate
the relationship
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A new work
environment may be
just what the person
needs to appreciate
their job!
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An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had
never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class. That
class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be
poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said,
"OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan". All grades
would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one
would fail and no one would receive an A... After the first test, the grades
were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were
upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test
rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the
ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied
little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test
rolled around, the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering,
blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study
for the benefit of anyone else. All failed, to their great surprise, and the
professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when
the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when government
takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.
Thank you