 "How should you deal with difficult team members?")
Many startup work environments are fast, tense and harsh. The pressure to grow sales and revenues put leaders and their team under tremendous stress.
One of the most common cause for startups failure is a fall out between members in the company. Difficult team members are not easy to avoid and it is important for one to learn how to deal with them.
Start from ground zero
Find the root cause of the frustration. Conflicts are caused due to a variety of reasons and it is very important to zero down on the issue.
Stay cool
When your team member responds with a negative statement or challenges your authority, stay cool. You must be clear minded and respond rationally.
Understand the scope of the problem and its impact
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You need to understand the scope of the issue and how it impacts your business and other colleagues. Observing and evaluating the consequences of the problem will help you find your solution.
Take a step back
As a leader, you need to hear and accept different views. You have to decide if that team member’s behaviour is helpful when analysing a situation.
Listen to other team members
Feedback from your peers about a particular team member that you face an issue with, will help understand the problem in a new light.
Have a one-to-one meeting where you, as the manager, listen and discuss the issue with your team member. After listening and evaluating the problem, work out a resolution plan together.
Follow up, and give time
It is important to have a constant conversation with the team member to monitor the progress of the situation.
This is an excerpt from Tech in Asia. You can read the full article here