Team-Building

Not everyone works and plays well with others.

When possible, hire smart people with good attitudes. You can train them if they need to grow their skills.

But we may also have “difficult” people who are already on the team or who have a rare skillset that necessary but is hard to find.

Some people are more independent and prefer to work alone. Don’t force them to collaborate all the time—they may do better when you can give them their own “chunk” of the project that will be plugged into the larger project when they are done. Let your introverts be introverts, at least some of the time. They can be valuable to the team without being all “teamy.”

But not all “difficult” people are silent. Don’t tolerate abuse or hostility on your teams. Good bosses protect their people from being treated with disrespect. Have clear guidelines, so your people know where the lines are. Walk the walk—don’t be part of the problem. Step up if there is an issue—don’t let bad behavior slide. Whenever possible, make the change to impact the perpetrator, not the target of the bad behavior (unless the target prefers a different outcome, like a transfer to a different team). Document the facts—the company (and you!) might also have legal exposure.

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