Okay, maybe your team isn’t flinging spoonfuls of Fruity Pebbles at each other or fighting over the remote control (yet). Guaranteed however, if they are spending eight hours together on a daily basis you occasionally witness some of the same behaviors at work amongst your beloved group as you do when you walk through the door at day’s end.
They may not be your children, but in a way they kind of are… you are the “parent” when they are in dire need of redirection, focus or overall supervision. Lucky you…just another perk of being the boss! To make sure that you are running a better business, recognize these childish behaviors in the office environment so you can step in.
TATTLING ON TEAM MEMBERS
Still a favorite, and it’s not just for children. The ball gets dropped on a project and sure enough at least one of your employees will be pointing the finger. It’s your job to keep the staff on task to complete things that were left undone. Redirect them towards completion, not placing blame.
WHINING AT WORK
“I’m really tired… my feet hurt… I’m sick of being on the phone….” Geeeeeeeez, can we find this person a task to do that’s out of the way somewhere? Maybe in a supply closet? Okay, maybe not… but the whiners are vampires and suck all the energy out of us. What to do… Well what would you tell a child? You can’t give timeouts or naps (though the whiner might appreciate that solution) but maybe you really can find something that doesn’t involve dragging the rest of the team down. Like giving a pouty child some Play-Doh when they need some quiet time, think of something that this person can do alone for awhile. It will reduce everybody’s stress level.
NAME CALLING
You don’t tolerate it with your children, so don’t let this go on in the workplace either. Put a stop to it immediately, even if you overhear two people talking about somebody else secretively. This is destructive behavior and “sticks and stones may break my bones” does not work here.
DUCKING OUT ON WORK
There’s always the kid at home who conveniently runs to the bathroom when the chores are being doled out. Do you have someone on your team who is consistently doing something like this? ZERO tolerance. One chance at the most and then show this slacker the door. There is too much to be done and a lot of qualified people who would love to take this position.
TEASING
“Na-na-na-na-boo-boo”…. cute in short spurts at home, but invariably someone always ends up crying. Make sure somebody’s teasing humor doesn’t turn into a sensitive soul’s torture. Be observant so you can reel the teaser in, if necessary, before this “fun” becomes your problem.
Your staff is like a family, and like it or not you are Head of the Household. Realizing your amazing team needs guidance and a firm sense of direction will help you maintain a positive workplace environment and have you running a better business. Yup…It’s a pretty good group you’ve got there… and they aren’t flinging Fruity Pebbles either.
