*Leadership Edition* Build a Relationship

While perusing the internet for a summer project, I stumbled across this advice article written in 2015 [though I thought it was older due to the layout reminding me of a 1970’s airport]. I wondered how much of the advice given is still implemented in the corporate workplace. I have different advice and am curious which path would have had more success.

Here is the article:
https://www.fastcompany.com/3049637/how-do-i-manage-someone-who-is-good-at-his-job-but-arrogant

I already took issue with the complaint. It sounds like this “boss” is insecure and feels threatened by this employee. My teacher senses are tingling with the line, “His behavior, because of being recognized by everyone in the company, is beginning to cause problems.” Ummm… with whom? You? Just you? It sounds like just you.

My biggest problem here is that the company [who does that entail, by the way?] does not see any issue and this man seems to be delivering not only his part of the pie but also to the benefit of the company. The ONLY possible wrong I see with the employee as mentioned by his boss is potential insubordination. Insubordination is not a solution, and in the long-run not a sufficient way to get things done.

And although the boss is the one who seems insecure and out of place here, I want to know, has this boss not been a leader? A positive and supportive influence in the growth and development of this employee such that the employee feels he can’t talk to the boss and instead needs to find work-arounds to feel heard? I’m very much a “look-in-the-mirror” type of leader and it doesn’t sound like this complaint has any sort of self-reflection or desire for leadership. The complaint sounds more like a feeble plea for advice on how to knock this guy down a peg, so the boss can go back to bossing.

The advice that Lolly gives, while very applicable to an employee who is not doing their job and does not work and play well with others, does not fit the “crime.” In fact, all the documentation and growth plan language sounds far too extreme for the one-sided concern the boss seems to be raising. I have some advice for this “boss” and anyone else who feels they are in this situation: If you’re going to call a sample employee into your office, try building a relationship with them first. Befriend them. Ask them their goals and aspirations. Ask them what YOU can do for them to help them achieve their goals. Casually mention to them at another time that you like their go-getter attitude and want to help give them a forum for it so set a standing meeting time for him/her to come to YOU [instead of going around you which you clearly don’t like]. All of this will get you much further with this employee than the threatening your job with a review and formal documentation immediately because you feel overrun with someone who clearly just wants to feel accomplished. Be a leader, not a boss.

I want to hear from you!
Have you been the employee in this situation? How was it handled?
Were you the boss in a situation like this? What did you do?