HOW TO DEAL WITH NEGATIVE PEOPLE Chris Byrnes I was recently visiting a radio station, and over the period of two days, I encountered a number of people who seemed to have a real chip on their shoulders. They all had reasons why they couldn't do their jobs properly. If only they had better equipment, or if only there was more staff at the radio station, then all would be better. Chances are you've met one or two people like this before. You may even work with one or more of them. In an effort to help the General Manager, I purchased a book called "Managing Workplace Negativity" by Gary S. Topchik. Gary is an interesting fellow and has spent the last seventeen years specializing in management development, organizational change, team building, executive coaching and organizational retreats.
In his book, Gary talks about the different types of people who hamper office productivity and suggests ways to deal with each one.
The Locomotives: They like to strong-arm people with their angry and hostile behavior. They are known for making statements like "It's my way or the highway." You should counter their strong-arm tactics by being more assertive. Tell them how their behavior affects your work, and how you prefer they communicate with you. Be specific, use examples and, ideally, get them to agree to take a different approach.
The Perfectionists: If everything is not just as it should be, they'll let you know. Sometimes their own unrealistic standards cause them to reject work that others would praise. Do not take their tendencies to heart. Try to work with them by agreeing on realistic standards for them and others.
The Resisters: To them, any change is public enemy #1. Their resistance to it can take a form of subtle or extreme sabotage. Help them get over their fear of change by involving them in the process leading up to it.
The "Not My Jobbers": Listen out for "That's not in my job description." Refusing to do tasks, no matter how small, is their way of getting back at colleagues, managers or the company. Often it's because they feel they are not being rewarded enough or perhaps they sense a dead end, so they lose enthusiasm and do as little as possible. You need to identify their specific problem and either provide them with a path to the solution or move them out. Sometimes they respond to training or development courses.
The Rumormongers: By spreading rumours, they regain control over their environments or people that may have once made them feel powerless in some way. Empowering them with correct information will often quell their desire to depend so much on gossip.
The Pessimists: No matter what you do for them, they will always be unhappy with the way things are. You may find these attitudes the hardest to modify or change. One solution is to encourage them to adopt specific positive habits. Over time these positive habits will replace the old ones.
The Criticizers: They disagree with everything, and love to be right - no matter what. When you make a point of asking them to be specific about what they disagree with, you will be amazed how often they will be hard pressed to offer an explanation.
The Cry Babies: Expect a lot of frowning, withdrawing, going off in tirades, perhaps ever tears, when they do not get their own way. You can lower their stress level by providing a more supportive environment and offering more encouragement.
The Sacrificers: They are the company martyrs who come in early, stay late, and do whatever is asked of them. Then they complain that their hard work isn't appreciated. Constant positive feedback and public praise will make them feel more appreciated.
The Self-Castigators: They prefer to heap punishment on themselves, constantly finding fault with their performance and the progress of their careers. Point out their past successes to help build their self-esteem.
The Scape-Goaters: Since they can do no wrong, everything bad that happens is always someone else's fault. Give them specific examples of how they contributed to the problem so it isn't easy for them to shift the blame.
The Eggshells: Any criticism or comment, no matter how mild, will cause them to crack. Offer constructive feedback slowly, without making it personal. Make sure they understand you point before you move on.
The Micros: The pickiest of the negative crew, they love to focus on the smallest details and mistakes, without any regard for the big picture. Have them evaluate projects on the wholesale basis. Ask them to identify and then state their overall goal.
Conclusion: Given the cost of terminating someone on staff, recruiting and training a replacement, it is often better to identify the problem and work on fixing it. You cannot approach every situation the same way. Part of managing people effectively is being able to identify actions of people and determine the exact type of person they are, and the best way to solve the problem. It always comes down to effective communication. If you find this information helpful, go out and purchase the book and employ some of Gary's ideas. |