Workplace Challenges
Burning questionsQ:I am a new manager, and have a "problem" employee. The problem is, he is very strong and probably the best worker in my workgroup, but he is very aggressive, takes over other team member's projects, and is making everyone else uncomfortable. He is the person who gets the job done fastest, and often best, but the rest of the team is beginning to really resent him, and me for letting him take over. Any advice? SHANNON JACKSON |
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 [ 2004-07-07 ] |
A:It can be a difficult balance, to reward and recognize a star performer without de-motivating others. I would recommend attacking this issue from two angles.
First, work with the employee who is taking over. Express to him how much you appreciate his leadership on tasks that are delegated to him. Reinforce that you are interested in his success, and that you see building effective relationships with other members of the team as a critical piece of his achievements. Remind him that teamwork is one of the elements you use to evaluate performance. Be honest with him about your observations of the reactions of the group when he takes over. He may have been completely unaware.
Also, spend some time evaluating the unique strengths of other members of the team, and seek out opportunities to delegate tasks to them where they can shine. This will help build the confidence of your other employees, and they may be less likely to allow one person to overpower their projects in future.
(Shannon Jackson is a hiring expert, with more than seven years experience recruiting for Fortune 500 companies across Canada.)
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