Tag Archives: Cause

How Do You Coach a New Manager Who Isn’t Cutting It? Six Points

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Situation: A CEO recently hired a new high level manager. To integrate the individual into the company the original set of assignments was limited in scope – to help the manager get to know others within the company. The new manager seems to overanalyze things. Long hours are spent carefully drafting plans but there is little action. How can the CEO manage this individual without micromanaging? How do you coach a new manager who isn’t cutting it?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • It looks like this person is working long but not necessarily productive hours. This is costing you time and money – both yours and your employees. The question is whether the root cause is the individual’s behavior or your own expectations and behavior. Ask yourself the following questions:
  • Have you clearly outlined your expectations in terms of what is to be delivered, the time in which it is to be delivered, and any constraints around the projects for which this person is responsible?
  • Have you provided the necessary resources and empowered the individual to make the decisions required to bring projects to completion?
  • Have you scheduled regular update meetings with this individual and openly discussed project progress and obstacles to completion?
  • Have you set appropriate expectations with your other staff as to the authority of the new individual? Are you honoring those expectations in your own behavior?
  • If you have done these things, and the individual is not performing, then it is time to ask whether you hired the right person.

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How Do You Handle a Difficult Employee? Five Observations

Situation: A CEO is pondering how to handle a difficult employee. This individual has brought in good business but is never satisfied with his level of pay – though he is highly paid. While he is good at bringing in new accounts, he doesn’t make the effort to grow them over time. How do you handle a difficult employee?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • It is necessary to establish a mutual understanding with the employee that no matter the level of pay, the employee will think that it is too little. This reframes the discussion because it establishes that there is no win by paying the individual more. The unspoken part is “why bother?”
    • Given this reality, the maximum level of pay for the employee is $X.
    • Note that there is no negotiating power until once this is said it is acceptable to let the employee walk away.
  • The CEO feels indebted to this individual because he has brought the company many new accounts. He is a good hunter. But the task now is not to hunt but to cultivate and grow the opportunities that that the company has in hand.
    • The issue is that this individual doesn’t build relationships that will grow business in his accounts.
    • He has done well for the company. The company has rewarded him handsomely. However, now a different talent is needed.
  • What’s the best alternative for action, and how is this communicated to the staff?
    • Do not lay this individual off – terminate him for cause.
    • This individual has repeatedly been asked to act as a team member, but he has steadfastly refused to do this.
    • His attitude, while good for his own efforts, is bad for the company and is clearly counter to the desired culture.
    • He is better off in a situation that aligns with his talents and style.
  • Terminating this individual for cause sends a critical message to the rest of the company – culture is important. You are determined to establish a healthy culture even it if means eliminating your best performer.
    • To those who ask, answer that this individual was treated fairly. Clear expectations were established, and ample opportunity was given to be a part of the culture that you are establishing.
    • Ultimately, the culture that you seek to establish – one that is good for the whole team, not just for star performers – was not right for this individual.
  • Use this situation to relaunch a campaign to build a company culture of collaboration and best practice development between teams. With the elimination of this individual there may be new enthusiasm around this initiative.

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