When I wrote this post, I’d just put my family’s Christmas decorations and seasonal toys away in the attic. I know this summer’s North Carolina heat will make the toys’ batteries deteriorate, so I removed the batteries before they ruin the whole system.
I talked about leaky batteries years ago, but it bears repeating.
A leaky battery will power the flashlight. In the near-term, you’ll get by with what you have.
Over time, it will ruin the whole system. You won’t be replacing just the battery – the whole flashlight will be trash.
Is someone on your team a leaky battery? Do they do the bare minimum? Do they openly (or secretly) not want to be there? Does the room deflate when they walk in or speak up?
Sooner or later, this leaky battery will leak all over your small, busy team. Your great members will find a better place to go, and the others will sink closer to lowest performer’s level.
You have three choices: rehabilitate them, isolate them or say goodbye. I hope it doesn’t come to the third option.
Rehabilitate them. Maintaining your team is your responsibility. Start with discussion and reflection: What’s going on with this person? What’s their motivation – what do they want to achieve? Which behavior changes would make the team better? Do they have access opportunities to succeed? Look in the mirror, and at your own team: what about their environment could you improve? Then, engage persistently. More structured daily and weekly conversations, and task trackers may help – give them control of their efforts within the team (as long as they drive effects). Most importantly, you and the team’s chance interactions with this individual throughout your all-day staff meetings will keep them engaged.
Isolate them. Probably not physically, but it kind of speaks for itself. Get leaky batteries away from the rest of the team’s efforts. Diplomatically, this is challenging and still takes a hard understanding of what your people want to achieve. People must be able to self-nominate out of isolation. The rest of your team will need to step up – you’ll have fewer and busier people, which is exactly what you want.
Say goodbye. Only after all other options are exhausted. I need my team members to be (1) self starters, (2) adaptable, and (3) want to be there. Your criteria may vary. If you work with a human being who is ready to leave, then help find the place they belong. (I have only a little experience in this arena but believe it to be true).
I bring this up on a Public Affairs blog because your lean team of communicators can’t afford one bad egg. Time is your only limited resource, followed closely by credibility. How do you expect to speak with journalists during a crisis, or influence your organization’s culture, when your own house is not in order?
(Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeremy Laramore, DVIDS)
