Systemic Management Coaching Systemic Solutions Relationship Management Systemic Coach Training

 

TRAINING  &  COACHING  for  MANAGERS & LEADERS

Case Histories

Check your Spelling

Home

Interview
Disclaimer
Disclosure

Personals

Accelerated Learning
Chaos Theory
Clear Communication
Coaching Contracts
Coaching Philosophy
Code of Conduct
Compliance & Abuse
Conflict Resolution
Partnership
Dependence
Difficult Employees
Downsizing
Emotional Intelligence
Evaluate Partnership
Exit Coaching
Expert Modeling
Fees & Finances
Goals & Goalwork
Human Consciousness
Human Systems
Humor in Coaching
Individual Coaching
Knowledge Mgment
Mentorship
Organize Training
Privacy
Private Coaching
Psych-Ops
Refugees
Select a Coach
Select Clients
Single Parents
Soul at Work
Systemic Training
Specialty Coaching
Stress Relief
Systemic Education
Systems Theory
Systemic Coaching
Training Abuse
Verbal Aikido
What is Coaching?
What Coaching costs

Systemic Solutions for Problem Employees

Systemic Coaching ... Systemic Coach Training ... Your Next Step

Relationship management includes "getting things done through employees." Most employee problems involve attitude or performance. The motivation behind many employee problems include the systemic relationship structure of employees, management and culture. Few employees choose or want to be be perceived as difficult or aggressive by their colleagues, human resources or management staff.

Employee problems include:

  • Environment
    Employee considers workplace to be unsafe or hazardous
    Workplace may be uncomfortable or difficult
    Employee's health may respond to real or perceived hazards
  • Skills
    Acceptable past performance did not increase or lessened
    Skills may be more appropriate for a different position or task
    Employees lack clear, detailed instructions
    Employee lacks needed supervision and may not know what to do
    Aberrant performance may indicate mental impairment
  • Beliefs
    Employees believes that high performance is not achievable
    Employee believes that work conditions are unacceptable 
    Limiting beliefs cause insecurity which deteriorates performance
  • Values
    Employee's values do not match those of the work team
    Employee's cultural values are not appropriate for the organization
  • Identity
    An employee's personality may not be appropriate for a task
    Manager and employee have incompatible personalities
    Employee is are emotionally immature and act irresponsibly
    An immature employee cannot control strong emotional reactions
  • Transpersonal
    An employee is not accepted by a workgroup or team
    An employee cannot adjust to the workplace or corporate culture
    An employee's faith or religion restricts certain actions

Dealing with employees is an important management function and a key responsibility of both management and human resources staff. Successful managers and HR staff can diagnose, evaluate and solve employee problems.

Most organizations have some difficult employees - including problem managers. A good manager can help a problem employee develop adequate skills, transfer to another location, find professional help, or get appropriate coaching. Difficult managers may require mentorship or relocation.

[ Mentorship in Upper Management ] [ Manage Families in Organizations ]

 [ Manage Conflict in Organizations ] [ Entrepreneurial Management in a Bank ]

[ Martyn Carruthers ]

Employee Mental Health

Mental health problems are often responses to unhealthy family relationships. Many employees bring their disappointments and unfulfilled relationships to the workplace, unconsciously trying to use the managers and co-workers to resolve family issues. The higher the responsibilities of the employee - the more likely that an employee's mental health issues will disrupt an organization.

Employee behaviors such as irritability, chronic lateness or poor judgment may be linked to mental health. A negative, moody, rude or arrogant attitude may be legitimate reasons for investigating an employee's mental health. Severe mood swings, anxiety attacks, substance abuse, symptoms of schizophrenia or chronic depression require investigation.

[ Schizophrenia ] [ Depression ] [ Suicide ] [ Stress Management ]

Mental health guidelines:

  1. Many mental health problems are treatable and, if treated, cause only temporary disruption.
  2. Managers who can recognize mental health problems help employees get needed care and help protect a company from legal difficulties.
  3. Create a policy for employees who claim a mental health problem.
  4. If an employee claims a mental health disability, get professional legal and medical advice.

Aggressive and Violent Employees

If employees are aggressive and/or violent, there are heavy consequences of workplace violence for these employees, their colleagues and their managers.

Often the key issue is a systemic disturbance called "victim identification". An aggressive employee may have identified with a perceived victim, either at home or at work, and expresses anger FOR that victim. Following a lay-off, for example, some employees may express deep anger FOR those employees who are perceived as victims.

The symptoms are often easy to perceive. Most people suffering from victim identification are generally suspicious and seem to enjoy annoying, tormenting or attacking anybody who can be labeled "victimizer". This label may include managers and Human Resources staff.

Such violence may be diagnosed as a symptom of borderline schizophrenia or depression. Few victim identified people can stop their simmering anger, although most violence may remain in the person's fantasies or be expressed as petty vandalism. Systemic coaching facilitates a rapid resolution for identified employees who want to change, and understanding and forgiveness from the work group.

Prevent Employee Problems

Guidelines for preventing employee problems:

  • Relationship diagnosis as a pre-hiring prerequisite
  • Provide orientation for new employees
  • Clarify expectations with job descriptions and an employee handbook
  • Describe appropriate conduct and unacceptable behavior
  • Train managers to recognize and evaluate employee problems
  • Provide performance reviews
  • Document functions and performance history
  • Investigate grievances
  • Apply fair and objective discipline
  • Discharge inadequate employees

Diagnose Employee Problems

Simple discussions may dissolve simple problems. Chronic behavior or performance problems usually require more attention. Some questions about common employee problems are:

  • Poor performance
    Does the employee lack essential skills? What affects performance? Are there standards or goals by which employee performance can be assessed? Is the employee generally disorganized? Would coaching or additional training be useful?
  • Work incompatibility
    Are the employee's skills and preferences compatible with their assigned tasks or regular duties? Is additional training or reassignment appropriate?
  • Lateness
    Absences - late arrivals, long lunches, and early departures ... Is an employee only occasionally late. Is punctuality important? If lateness is a chronic problem, discuss the potential consequences with the employee.
  • Disruptive or difficult employees
    What is the real problem? Has the employee "space" to express feelings and concerns?

Remain positive and focus on the employee's contribution to the company. Provide constructive feedback.

Evaluate Employee Problems

The following diagnostic questions help evaluate the seriousness of an offense and an appropriate response:

  • Was the employee informed of the rules?
  • Are the rules really rules - or are they just for show
  • Do the rules support an efficient and safe organization?
  • Do the rules require reasonably expected employee conduct?
  • Did an investigation determine whether the employee violated the rules?
  • Did an investigation include the employee's story?
  • Did an investigation show that the employee acted improperly?
  • Was the investigation fair and objective?
  • Is this rule applied to all employees in the same way?
  • Are there mitigating factors that might justify or excuse misconduct?

Solve Employee Problems

Most employees want to succeed and want to co-operate with their managers, supervisors and co-workers, and most problems can be solved with ignoring, coaching, or mentoring. Unmotivated or uncooperative employees can disrupt a workplace or an organization. There are four main approaches to problem-solving problem employees - ignore, coach, mentor and discipline.

  • Ignore is usually better for minor first-time infractions, especially if the employee is made aware that the manager knows of the offense. Most employees avoid becoming frequent offenders.
  • Coach is useful for important first-time infractions and for performance problems with entry-level or non-professional employees. A manager works one-on-one with problem employees or assigns another employee to work with the employee to overcome shortcomings. The coach should provide the employee with feedback and solutions for improving their performance. Systemic Coaching can quickly change an employee's behavior.
  • Mentor is more appropriate for senior or professional staff. Instead of providing demonstration and feedback on specific skills, a manager or designated person can demonstrate and provide feedback on integrity, on creating an appropriate attitude for the person's position and organizational culture.
  • Discipline may consist of written warnings, reassignment to other duties or dismissal. Discipline is more appropriate for serious infractions and chronic problems such as if policies or important rules are ignored.

Systemic Coaching ... Systemic Coach Training ... Your Next Step

In-House Service

Systemic Solutions provides in-house coaching for executives and managers; and provides systemic coaching and expert modeling to rapidly improve effectiveness, performance and productivity.

Relationship Management

We train leaders, managers and executives to quickly recognize signs of employee problems, to perform performance interviews, to hire, fire and inspire employees and to provide remedial coaching.

[ Prices and Conditions ]


[ Home ] [ Emergency ] [ Strategic Planning ] [ Management Training ] [ Humor ] [ Fees ] [ Privacy ]

Systemic Coaching ... Systemic Coach Training ... Your Next Step

  • For more information about Systemic Solutions email: Systemic Solutions for Relationship Management and Strategic Planning

  • Click here for: Home-Study Program in Systemic Coaching

  • Click here for: Individual, couple & family Systemic Coaching

  • All material on this website is copyright © 2001-2006 by Martyn Carruthers. All rights reserved. Commercial use is prohibited. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium is permitted with the express written permission of Martyn Carruthers. This material may be freely linked to by other electronic text. For more information, contact Jan Sikorski at +48 (22) 733 0357