How to replace your 'Settle-For' Team!
Why is it that so many business owners fail to replace their ‘Settle-For’ Teams?
I’ve narrowed it down to three reasons. Business owners are
Unaware that they have a Settle-For Team.
Overwhelmed at the thought of all the work and disruption they will have to endure to fix it.
Willing to do the work and make changes, but they don’t know what to do.
See if you are in one of these situations and consider using some of my recommended resources that can help you.
First
Are you unaware that you have a Settle-For Team?
Do you have…
Mistakes being made by the same people over and over?
People who are unwilling to develop and improve their skills?
People who don’t do their whole job?
People drama that distracts you?
Are you miserable?
Did you answer YES to any of those questions? If so, you have a Settle-For Team. You are now aware.
Second
Are you aware, but overwhelmed to the point of inaction, at the thought of all the work and disruption you will have to endure to fix it?
If you find yourself in this situation, you are not going to like what I have to say.
“You’ve got to step up and get the job done!”
If your business requires people--quality people--to deliver your products or services to customers, then it is your responsibility to do the work and manage the changes required to build a highly functioning team. If you don’t take action, then you will remain frustrated and miserable.
I have seen this scenario play out time and time again with my clients. They are unhappy with an employee. Week in and week out. Month in and month out. Year in and year out. We’ll discuss the same issues about the same person. We’ll talk about things that can be done to change their employee’s attitude, skill level or even rescoping their job responsibilities. Yet, they take no action.
I’ve discussed this topic with you before; in March of this year I did a post encouraging you take action on your Troublemakers. Employees that are not reflecting your culture or your values and are not producing the results you need, give you a Settle-For Team and must be replaced!
Just today I facilitated a monthly Objectives and Key Results meeting with a client that used to have a Troublemaker on their team. We tried for two years to get this person to change their attitude and performance with coaching, training and systems, but he never changed. His typical behavior in this monthly OKR meeting was annoying, frustrating and held the company back. In January of this year, he left the company by his choice. My client took that one person’s compensation and hired two new people. Today’s meeting was awesome! Everyone was prepared, positive and excited about where the company is going.
Third
Are you aware, willing to do the work and make changes, but don’t know what to do?
Okay, this is a big topic to address. Countless books have been written. Webinars presented. Consulting firms created. All with the purpose of helping you find and hire the best people. Yet, if you don’t have experience in recruiting and hiring, or it is simply something you don’t do very often, it is easy to understand how you could get stuck. But that is still not a valid reason to let someone hold your business hostage.
If you need or want help executing a recruiting and hiring process--hire someone. There are plenty of recruiting consultants and companies that can manage the process for you and hand you qualified candidates to review. These services are not cheap, but neither is the cost of having poor performers on your team.
If you want to do it yourself, here are two resources you will find helpful.
The Ideal Team Player, by Patrick Lencioni, (www.thetablegroup.com). Pat explains what makes an ideal team player and a process for how to identify them during your recruiting process.
Topgrading, by Bradford Smart, (www.topgrading.com). Dr. Smart outlines a step-by-step, proven hiring and promoting process.
I have integrated the concepts of both these books into the recruiting and performance management processes I teach and install in my clients’ operations. And in many cases, they have me execute my process for them.
No one can guarantee a single new hire will take your team from Settle-For to Awesome. But taking no action guarantees continued misery, frustration, and business under-performance.
Do you know someone that could benefit from this information? Forward this post to them; if they reach out to me with a question—I will answer them personally.
Be encouraged. Be strong. Be courageous.
BTW: I am not affiliated with Lencioni or Smart and their respective products and services. I share these resources because I’ve used them with my clients and they work.