| Every organization has at least one: that employee, | | | | After all, they’ve stayed around this long for a |
| who for whatever reason, behaves as though coming | | | | reason. When you confront them, bad apples |
| to work is a fate worse than death. You know, the | | | | aren’t afraid to pull out all of the stops to |
| guy who drags down coworker morale with his horrific | | | | redirect your attention from poor behavior to their |
| attitude, or the gal whose absence transforms an | | | | more positive traits, or as is often the case, to some |
| office of formerly solitary cubicle hermits into a place | | | | other employee. Maybe yours will mention an account |
| where people productively work together to get | | | | she just brought in . . . or maybe she will point out that |
| extraordinary results. He (or she, as the case may be) | | | | one of her fellow employees was late to work for the |
| is your company’s bad apple. And | | | | third time that month. |
| Joanne G. Sujansky, Ph. D., founder and president of | | | | Solution: Regardless of what your bad apple is |
| KEYGroup ( warns that if you want to keep him (or | | | | telling you in order to distract you, stay focused on |
| her) from spoiling the whole barrel, well, you’ve | | | | addressing the issues at hand, says Sujansky. |
| got your work cut out for you. | | | | Simply say, That’s not what we’re |
| A new study shows that your company’s bad | | | | here to discuss,’ and bring her back to the |
| apples have a tendency to spoil your entire corporate | | | | subject of her destructive attitude. Rest assured that if |
| culture. KEYGroup’s Joanne G. Sujansky, Ph. D., | | | | you ignore it, you’ll have that same employee in |
| offers solutions for managers who don’t know | | | | your office the next month and the month after that |
| what to do with these problematic employees. | | | | as you attempt to solve the same problem again and |
| Every organization has at least one: that employee, | | | | again. |
| who for whatever reason, behaves as though coming | | | | Problem #4: Bad apples aren’t always poor |
| to work is a fate worse than death. You know, the | | | | performers. Some can be great producers for the |
| guy who drags down coworker morale with his horrific | | | | company. If your bad apple’s problem is simply |
| attitude, or the gal whose absence transforms an | | | | a negative attitude or a tendency to bully other |
| office of formerly solitary cubicle hermits into a place | | | | employees, his bad apple-nessif you willmay not |
| where people productively work together to get | | | | prevent leaders from viewing him as an asset. Maybe |
| extraordinary results. He (or she, as the case may be) | | | | he’s a big producer, or maybe he’s |
| is your company’s bad apple. And | | | | talented in some hard-to-find skill. His good |
| Joanne G. Sujansky, Ph. D., founder and president of | | | | qualities may make you reluctant to confront him, much |
| KEYGroup ( warns that if you want to keep him (or | | | | less get rid of him altogether. |
| her) from spoiling the whole barrel, well, you’ve | | | | Solution: It’s important that you provide |
| got your work cut out for you. | | | | balanced feedback to all of your direct reports, |
| She cites a recent studyconducted by William | | | | including your bad apples, says Sujansky. |
| Felps, a doctoral student at the University of | | | | Acknowledge the positive contributions your bad |
| Washington Business School and Terrence Mitchell, a | | | | apple is making, but don’t be afraid to confront |
| professor of management and organization at the UW | | | | the behaviors that negatively affect others. Besides, |
| Business School and a UW psychology professor, and | | | | after the confrontation the bad apple may realize that |
| published in Research in Organizational Behaviorthat | | | | his annoying behaviors will limit his progress and |
| explores just how much damage one bad apple can | | | | promotability in the organization. Or at the very least, |
| wreak. | | | | he may realize that his behavior will prevent him from |
| "This study takes an interesting look at a problem that | | | | getting support from others when his success is on |
| is all too prevalent in corporate America, says | | | | the line. Ultimately, you must decide whether or not the |
| Sujansky. The authors point out that it’s likely | | | | bad apple’s negative behaviors outweigh his |
| that your bad apples are harming your other | | | | one big sale or his singular skill. Keeping these positives |
| employees’ morale, which can lead to an overall | | | | a part of the organization may not be as critical as |
| team breakdown. When bad apples are present, | | | | increasing the productivity of the whole team. |
| people aren’t as willing to handle problems that | | | | Problem #5: Rather than model and recognize the |
| arise, don’t foster open communication with one | | | | behavior they want, expect, and demand, managers |
| another, and generally stop functioning as a | | | | focus too much attention on poor behavior. According |
| teamnot a great recipe for high performance and | | | | to the Felps and Mitchell study, one reason this |
| productivity. | | | | happens is because the positive behavior that does |
| Clearly, managers should make dealing with bad apples | | | | occur in the office can’t cancel out the negative. |
| a top priority. But as Sujansky points out, doing so is no | | | | There’s just something in human nature that |
| easy (or welcome) task. After all, managers are only | | | | allows the bad to outweigh the good. If you |
| humanand bad apples have a tendency to be just | | | | don’t give employees a lot of positive to focus |
| as draining for them as they are for everyone else in | | | | on, their attention will naturally gravitate to the negative. |
| the company. In fact, many managers don’t | | | | Solution: While you shouldn’t ignore the |
| even know how to even begin dealing with these | | | | negative behavior in the office, you should deliberately |
| problematic employees. | | | | place much more emphasis on showcasing the |
| It’s been our experience that bad apples | | | | positive. Reward employees who go out of their way |
| usually comprise only a small percentage of an | | | | to help their teammates on projects. Create a peer |
| organization, says Sujansky. But because they | | | | review system. And be open and responsive to |
| require more effort to handle than other employees, | | | | employee feedback. If you create employees who |
| it’s not uncommon for managers to spend a | | | | value teamwork and understand how their behavior |
| great deal of their time dealing with or listening to the | | | | affects their coworkers, you may actually modify the |
| bad apple’s various concerns or complaints or | | | | bad apple’s destructive tendencies. |
| the complaints they receive from other employees | | | | Problem #6: Some managers are afraid to fire bad |
| about the bad apple. Clearly, managers need to think | | | | apples for fear of legal retribution. Bad apples, by |
| about the illogic of such an efforts-to-results ratio! | | | | definition, are troublemakers. And it stands to reason |
| If managers don’t deal with their bad | | | | that people who cause problems working inside a |
| appleseither (metaphorically) cutting out the rotten | | | | company are likely to also cause problems on their |
| behaviors or tossing the entire apple out of the | | | | way out the door. If you’re like many managers |
| barreltheir spoiling effects will only multiply. | | | | you may fear that if you fire your bad appleor |
| The first step, though, is understanding just what | | | | even confront or discipline hershe’ll threaten |
| makes these employees so incredibly difficult to | | | | to file suit for discrimination or harassment or any other |
| handle. | | | | reason she thinks will work. |
| Sujansky spells out the reasons managers are so | | | | Solution: Legal retribution shouldn’t be a |
| flummoxed by bad apples, along with some practical | | | | worry for you if you follow sound human resources |
| techniques for dealing with them once and for all. | | | | practices required of a leader, says Sujansky. |
| Problem #1: Some company cultures tolerate | | | | Great leaders should coach, provide balanced |
| managers passing bad apples from department to | | | | feedback, help the employee develop a plan for |
| department. Rather than try to bring their bad | | | | correction, develop the plan for correction, discuss |
| apple’s behavior to an end, many managers | | | | what you document, and document what you discuss. |
| choose to simply move the employee on to another | | | | After each meeting with her, cite the problem, the |
| department. By the time they get to you, | | | | action taken to correct or eliminate it, the dates, the |
| they’ve been with the company for so long that | | | | result that occurred, and any comments that will help |
| it seems impossible to fire them. You’re | | | | you to recall the sessions. And be sure to create |
| tempted to follow the lead of your predecessors and | | | | fact-based objective documentation that includes all |
| simply shuffle your bad apples along to the next | | | | levels of performance and behavior, both positive and |
| teambut all that does is move the misery around. | | | | negative. |
| Solution: Quite simply, you must create a culture | | | | Problem #7: Firing employees, no matter how bad their |
| that doesn’t allow people to pawn problems off | | | | behavior or poor their performance, is never easy. If |
| on others, says Sujansky. At KEYGroup we call | | | | bad apples refuse to change their behavior the time |
| this kind of company a Vibrant Entrepreneurial | | | | will come when you must let them go. Unfortunately, |
| Organization. A VEO has the kind corporate culture in | | | | firing people is such an unpleasant experience that |
| which that elusive sense of ownership can flourish. | | | | most managers will put it off for as long as possible. |
| It’s like this: when managers feel that they | | | | And many have never been trained in how to |
| own’ their work and their company, they | | | | appropriately fire employees. |
| won’t allow a bad apple to spoil either one. If | | | | Solution: Even in a VEO there may come a time |
| your culture allows bad apples to be passed around | | | | when an employee just isn’t working out, |
| from department to department without any | | | | says Sujansky. It’s important that managers |
| consequence for their behavior, well, that’s | | | | know exactly how to approach these situations. Make |
| exactly what will happen. If you have a VEO in which | | | | sure you discuss your situation and intended actions |
| every employee innovates constantly, executes | | | | with your human resource professional or legal |
| relentlessly, and works with a sense of passion, bad | | | | counsel. They will help you plan and conduct the exit |
| apples simply won’t be able to survive. | | | | meeting with the bad apple. Here are the important |
| Problem #2: Managers expect team members to deal | | | | points that should be made in the exit meeting: a |
| with the bad apple, but they can’tor | | | | reminder of previous discussions and warnings that |
| won’t. People have a great difficulty giving | | | | have been previously communicated to the bad apple, |
| feedback to their peers. They’ll almost always | | | | a brief explanation of why the separation is taking |
| push the problem back to managers rather than | | | | place, and the follow-up activities necessary to |
| confront the employee directly. | | | | complete the exit strategy. This final meeting |
| Solution: The study shows that confrontation by | | | | shouldn’t be a surprise to the bad apple. It |
| team members can occasionally be successful, | | | | should be the implementation of the next step that has |
| says Sujansky. The problem comes when team | | | | been communicated in a previous meeting. Let him |
| members don’t feel like they have enough | | | | know his being fired is the consequence for the lack of |
| power in the situation. Here’s another instance | | | | turn-around in his performance, |
| when developing a vibrant entrepreneurial organization | | | | Another important point the study makes is that |
| will solve the problem. First, the sense of ownership | | | | companies can avoid the bad apple disease all |
| instilled in employees who work in VEOs makes them | | | | together, says Sujansky. I wholeheartedly agree, |
| want to find a solution to the problem themselves. In | | | | and in fact, this is a topic KEYGroup constantly |
| these kinds of workplaces, clear and open | | | | addresses with our clients. Success lies in failsafe-ing |
| communication is key. | | | | your hiring practices. Hire for talent and values and |
| By the way, healthy peer communication | | | | character, not just for skill sets. You can teach people |
| doesn’t just happen, she adds. Smart | | | | the skills they need, but you can’t always teach |
| leaders know they have to foster it, and there are | | | | work ethic or integrity or respect. These are the raw |
| plenty of ways to do so. For instance, we’ve | | | | materials that make up a VEO. Remember, culture is |
| developed a teambuilding activity called KEYGroup | | | | everything . . . so make sure you build the kind you |
| Quest that helps our clients dramatically improve their | | | | want, one employee at a time. |
| team's communication, ingenuity, and problem-solving | | | | This article may be reprinted for your use in an |
| skills. Basically, team members spend a day completing | | | | organizational newsletter and or e-zine provided that |
| and video taping assigned tasks around their city. It | | | | you contact Kelly Hanna, Director of Sales and |
| works very, very well, and it’s fun, too. | | | | Marketing at 724-942-7900 to gain permission. |
| Problem #3: Bad apples can be master manipulators. | | | | |