Ways to manage someone you don’t like

Ways to manage someone you don’t like - Photo: Hung Nguyen

Here are eight ways you can establish a better working relationship with even the most annoying employee.

Accept that you don’t need to be friends with all of your employees.

Understand that there is a line between business and your personal life, and it can actually be helpful to put some emotional distance between you and the people who report to you. As Stanford University Professor Robert Sutton told the Harvard Business Review, “From a performance standpoint, liking the people you manage too much is a bigger problem than liking them too little.” Some friction can even allow your team to rethink the way it functions.

-  Remain positive with them

Employees want their bosses to like them. Maintain a professional, cordial relationship with even the most irritating team members. This will help maintain your focus on the task in front of you, as well as help prevent further conflict.

-  Focus on how they benefit your team

If you’ve already determined that this employee is talented enough to retain, then focus on what makes them valuable rather than how annoying they can be. If their quirks have been clashing with their current role, then figure out if they can be serving you better. For example, over-achievers who get caught up on perfecting their work can probably handle more tasks.

-  Don’t let emotions hinder your leadership

Do not let their irksome habits influence the way you treat them or evaluate their work. You can help your objectivity by trying to understand where they are coming from, management expert Victor Lipman writes on Forbes.com.

-  Be upfront

Only accept an employee’s bothersome traits to a point. Do not let your kindness cause them to push you around, says Fast Track columnist Anita Bruzzese. If this employee’s brash attitude or tendency to whine about assignments, for example, is bringing down the team, then let them know. Be specific about the problematic behaviour, and suggest some alternate ways of doing things.

Source: navigossearch.com ; Inc.com ; Linkedin.com ; forbes.com; Tlnt.com