How do you deal with people like this?
Discussion
I have a man who works for me who does a fantastic job. He's been reliable, honest and worked hard for me for 18 years. However there's a downside to him. He's conceited, overly competitive and moody. In my business I need people to work in teams of two, but without fail, everytime I put someone with him they throw the towel in and simply refuse to work with him anymore. He literally never stops complaining about their work or points the finger of blame on them, even when the problem is his.
As a small company, and knowing how difficult it is to get good people in our line of work, I can't really get rid of him because a replacement of his calibre might never turn up, yet he makes it impossible for me to run him in a team. He is totally dependent on me too, yet all I see is him trying to commit financial suicide by pissing me off to a point where I'll sack him. It's just crazy! What do you do about people like this??
As a small company, and knowing how difficult it is to get good people in our line of work, I can't really get rid of him because a replacement of his calibre might never turn up, yet he makes it impossible for me to run him in a team. He is totally dependent on me too, yet all I see is him trying to commit financial suicide by pissing me off to a point where I'll sack him. It's just crazy! What do you do about people like this??
Lord Flashheart said:
What do you do about people like this??
Not let it carry on for 18 years for a start 
Seriously I'd start a 3-6 month formal improvement plan and give him very clear feedback on what he needs to improve on.
Monthly sit down and review against the expectations. Doesn't have to be too onerous, it's not about paperwork and HR forms (though do keep notes and share your feedback and expectation with him in some form of written document)
Ask him to get open feedback from others.
Ask him to explain what he finds hard about working in a team (beyond it's always someone elses fault).
Is there opportunity for you to work a project with him and others so that you can then observe and give him feedback?
We just had someone resign like this - good job as he was about to be put on PM.
They werent that good either - talked the talk about others failings and how good they were, the meagre tasks we gave them (They were quite new) would never really be completed properly, and any general tasks would stall and he woudl get pissy with you when chased.
Get rid.
They werent that good either - talked the talk about others failings and how good they were, the meagre tasks we gave them (They were quite new) would never really be completed properly, and any general tasks would stall and he woudl get pissy with you when chased.
Get rid.
Jasandjules said:
I would be looking to see why he acts the way he does and if there was anything I could do to help.
This, if he’s valuable to the business.A few thoughts:
- Has he got worse recently? Is something going on outside work which is affecting him?
- Has the company changed from when he first started? Does he feel threatened that it’s not the same, these youngsters coming through will steal his job etc?
- Is it actually a confidence issue, covered up by the way he goes about things?
Look at the wider picture. In isolation he's good at his job. On the other hand, he holds back you and others. Does the drag of his faults out-value the benefit of him being good at his job?
When considering how good he is at his job, also factor in that his job is also to work with others and ultimately promote the success of the business.
Does this person know what they're like? Do they care? Can or will they change? Do they have to?
It's obviously an issue to you, as you've gone to the trouble of posting on here. Have a chat with them, be honest.
When considering how good he is at his job, also factor in that his job is also to work with others and ultimately promote the success of the business.
Does this person know what they're like? Do they care? Can or will they change? Do they have to?
It's obviously an issue to you, as you've gone to the trouble of posting on here. Have a chat with them, be honest.
Sack him. I'm not kidding.
I had the same thing last year and I screwed up royally by procrastinating.
I had a very talented senior engineer in my R&D team who was arrogant, rude, controlling and disrespectful. The team dynamics were terrible and everyone who worked around him suffered.
I talked to him lots of times, encouraged him, supported him but also told him he needed to change his behaviour and explained to him how critical the team was, rather than just the individual. He just ignored me.
I gave him a final warning before Christmas. I was going to sack him in that meeting but since it was just coming up to Christmas I thought I'd be nice and see how it went in the New Year.
By then end iof Jan three of the best people in my team had resigned because of him. He did not even give a s
t when this happened and carried on as before.
He was then sacked but it was too late. The damage was done and I lost three excellent people. I also failed to do my job properly as VP of the department and that reflected very badly on me.
The worst work related decision I have ever made was to keep him on for those extra two months.
A week after he had been sacked it was like he had never been there. What remained of the team came together and accomplished way more than they had done with him there but I had lost three top people and that had a huge impact over the longer term.
So, I screwed up big time because I was too nice and too worried about the consequences of creating a big skills gap in the team.
If your guy is like you say he is, sack him. Clear and simple. The cost of keeping someone like this on is far higher than the gap you create by getting rid of him. How many of your other people are thinking about finding another job because this guy is such a tt?
And don't underestimate the impact his behavior has on how YOU are viewed by your team and your boss. You are responsible for how the team functions. If this guy is breaking the team then you are not doing a good job.
I learned the hard way. I take a huge amount of pride in my work performance and I'm ashamed of this episode. Not a day goes by that I don't rue my poor judgement on this one particular issue.
Sack him.
I had the same thing last year and I screwed up royally by procrastinating.
I had a very talented senior engineer in my R&D team who was arrogant, rude, controlling and disrespectful. The team dynamics were terrible and everyone who worked around him suffered.
I talked to him lots of times, encouraged him, supported him but also told him he needed to change his behaviour and explained to him how critical the team was, rather than just the individual. He just ignored me.
I gave him a final warning before Christmas. I was going to sack him in that meeting but since it was just coming up to Christmas I thought I'd be nice and see how it went in the New Year.
By then end iof Jan three of the best people in my team had resigned because of him. He did not even give a s
t when this happened and carried on as before.He was then sacked but it was too late. The damage was done and I lost three excellent people. I also failed to do my job properly as VP of the department and that reflected very badly on me.
The worst work related decision I have ever made was to keep him on for those extra two months.
A week after he had been sacked it was like he had never been there. What remained of the team came together and accomplished way more than they had done with him there but I had lost three top people and that had a huge impact over the longer term.
So, I screwed up big time because I was too nice and too worried about the consequences of creating a big skills gap in the team.
If your guy is like you say he is, sack him. Clear and simple. The cost of keeping someone like this on is far higher than the gap you create by getting rid of him. How many of your other people are thinking about finding another job because this guy is such a t
t? And don't underestimate the impact his behavior has on how YOU are viewed by your team and your boss. You are responsible for how the team functions. If this guy is breaking the team then you are not doing a good job.
I learned the hard way. I take a huge amount of pride in my work performance and I'm ashamed of this episode. Not a day goes by that I don't rue my poor judgement on this one particular issue.
Sack him.
This ^^^^
Sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees.
You are telling yourself he's indispensable. And that is filtering through to him. You can talk to him all you like, he will not change.
Get him in, lay it out, final written warning for attitude and lack of performance. Time limit for marked improvement (there won't be) and out the door.
Sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees.
You are telling yourself he's indispensable. And that is filtering through to him. You can talk to him all you like, he will not change.
Get him in, lay it out, final written warning for attitude and lack of performance. Time limit for marked improvement (there won't be) and out the door.
Is he really that good, or is there somewhat of a halo effect that's been created?
I worked with a woman on my team once who was great at her job, but had a stinking attitude and the department feared her (she thought she was well liked). She'd been there ten years and I was the first person to challenge her behaviour but she couldn't see it. She was absolutely toxic and once she left the atmosphere completely changed and allowed for others in the team to shine.
I worked with a woman on my team once who was great at her job, but had a stinking attitude and the department feared her (she thought she was well liked). She'd been there ten years and I was the first person to challenge her behaviour but she couldn't see it. She was absolutely toxic and once she left the atmosphere completely changed and allowed for others in the team to shine.
Does he assume he’s indispensable and as such think he’s fireproof? It’s not good for the business if he thinks he’s got a hold over you and your business.
You rely on one man and one day he will royally leave you in the st and do so with a smile.
Need to sort sooner rather than later.
You rely on one man and one day he will royally leave you in the s
t and do so with a smile. Need to sort sooner rather than later.
Johnnytheboy said:
janesmith1950 said:
It's amazing how quickly the mood in a team can lighten when a bad apple is removed.
You need a bad apple though, as every team needs someone to dislike 
Don't need to provide everything. :-)
People always find someone/something.
My business is bathroom refurbishment. I took him on as a fitter's mate with no experience in this line of work. The fitter I put him with ran a sidecar race outfit as a hobby and this chap was the one in the 'chair'. They spent quite some years doing it and as he was looking for a new job, I took him on. We've trained him up over the years and so he completes my work the way I expect him to. The results are excellent and as there are very few people who are multiskilled enough for the job, I keep him going. Not to mention the attitude required for working in people's homes and communicating with them. (I've advertised for fitters in the past and virtually no one applies).
He's always been the same character wise, but the difference is that the fella he was working under was a strong character who wouldn't tolerate any crap from him. Eventually the problem chap surpassed the standard and skills of the fitter and I had to make him a fitter instead of a mate, as one would naturally expect. Making him the team leader allowed his bad traits to get out of hand. Authority went to his head and he even challenges authority because I've allowed us all to get too close. We're just a tiny company of 3 teams, so it's all on a rather personal level.
I recently took on a new fitter, who, if he proves to be good, I will use as a threat. If that threat makes no difference, then the new fitter will have to take over I suppose.
Unfortunately this has really started to get to me at a stage in my life where I hoped to back off a bit. I'm even thinking of throwing in the towel ( through rose tints!) and looking to do something different where there's less hassle.
He's always been the same character wise, but the difference is that the fella he was working under was a strong character who wouldn't tolerate any crap from him. Eventually the problem chap surpassed the standard and skills of the fitter and I had to make him a fitter instead of a mate, as one would naturally expect. Making him the team leader allowed his bad traits to get out of hand. Authority went to his head and he even challenges authority because I've allowed us all to get too close. We're just a tiny company of 3 teams, so it's all on a rather personal level.
I recently took on a new fitter, who, if he proves to be good, I will use as a threat. If that threat makes no difference, then the new fitter will have to take over I suppose.
Unfortunately this has really started to get to me at a stage in my life where I hoped to back off a bit. I'm even thinking of throwing in the towel ( through rose tints!) and looking to do something different where there's less hassle.
Jaybmw said:
Be the boss and get rid off this guy it's clearly stressing you out. Is it worth it ?
You are absolutely right and I'd love to, but at the same time I don't want to commit financial/business suicide. We're booked into January and I've a commitment to those clients. I think I need to actively seek a replacement fitter and filter him in. This is going to take time I guess, as we're too small to just give him his marching orders.Lord Flashheart said:
You are absolutely right and I'd love to, but at the same time I don't want to commit financial/business suicide. We're booked into January and I've a commitment to those clients. I think I need to actively seek a replacement fitter and filter him in. This is going to take time I guess, as we're too small to just give him his marching orders.
An alternative option - what about asking him to go on consultancy basis? Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff