If you’ve ever had an issue getting rock star results from the people you hire or partner with, you’re not alone. People show up late, miss deadlines, fall off the grid with no communication, and do subpar work.
Even decent team players have their moments where they fall down on the job with no good excuse.
It’s happened to me too.
I get an endless flow of questions from clients about what to do when someone else’s shortcoming impacts their business.
Do I need to have a meeting and lay down the law?
Do I need to fire them?
Should I ignore their behavior and hope for the best?
Maybe I should just intend that they improve?
What should I say to them if I were the best leader possible?
But the BEST question of all is, “Am I doing something to cause this?”
The very best place to start focusing to improve any situation with your team is on yourself. Even if a person has a habit of doing the same stupid thing over and over and it’s obvious to everyone that this particular person needs a wake-up call—you’re the one who is attracting this situation and person into YOUR business experience.
If you change your thoughts and focus before taking any action to resolve the “problem” person, you’ll begin to see improved results or you’ll be clear that it’s time to let them go because they’re not a 5-star fit for your business.
Now, I’m not saying don’t sit your team member or contractor down and have a heart-to-heart chat about what you’re noticing. But before you do, take a good look at the way you do business.
Ask yourself the following…
When you said yes to working with this person, did you truly feel it was an ideal fit?
Does this person truly know your expectations? How do you know?
Do they love their job? How do you know?
How are you feeling about your profits? Time management? Ability to lead?
Do you expect this person to shine or fall down in certain areas of the job?
Are you more focused on their “issues” than what they do well?
Do you expect to always get great results with your team with ease?
Do you set them up to win with clear intentions, directions, and deadlines?
Whether you like it or not, all these things impact the outcome you get.
How YOU show up in the world will impact who you hire, when you fire, and what you get in between. How you feel when you take action to correct an issue will also impact the results.
You generate the good, the bad, and the wacky in your business. With a little intentional focus and some patience, you can turn any team into a success. You still may end up letting some people go, but when you work on YOUR thoughts and behavior, you’ll easily attract the ideal members to fill in the gap.
I see being a team leader as an opportunity to constantly upgrade my vibe and check in with my inner guidance. Taking responsibility can be a bitch, but it’s oh so worth it when you end up with people who perform really well and you adore them.