What's The Worst Behavior You're Tolerating?
If there's ever a quote that sucker punches your leaderly self, it might be this:
Can we let that sink in for a sec?
I'm reminded of the message I wrote last month about the 2 team leaders who had *ahem* problem employees and yet weren't able to have a direct performance conversation with them to get to a resolution.
This tolerance has a direct correlation to the broader culture. Heck, as an HR leader, you know the behaviors that are allowed to persist contribute to shaping—and sometimes eroding—the culture of an entire team or department.
Consider these examples:
Someone’s bad attitude
Someone's spotty attendance
Someone's lack of initiative
Someone's tone of voice
Someone's communication style
When managers let these behaviors slide, it sends a message to the entire team about what's acceptable, influencing the overall environment.
It’s important to remember that your managers are shaping, optimizing, and potentially degrading their team's culture by what they let slide.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HR DIRECTORS
This is a good time to ask yourself, "What am I tolerating within our organization?"
And, friend, I'm not talking about that one time one person was a jerk. I mean tolerating patterns of behavior that everybody sees, feels, and wishes are different.
Is there a person who's been getting away with their behavior because they are the star of the team? Or they are the owner's daughter? Or the client's favorite?
Are you telling yourself that you're too busy to address behaviors that seem small or petty but, in reality, are degrading the quality of your team?
As HR leaders, guiding managers to confront these issues is vital for maintaining a healthy culture. Encouraging them to reflect on this question is a great first step:
What are you tolerating that’s holding back an individual, your team, or your leadership?
About The Author
For the past two decades, Cecilia Gorman has helped advertising agencies and other creatively-minded companies fix costly communication and productivity issues by teaching managers how to become better connectors, motivators, and leaders. Cecilia is the author of Always Believe In Better, creator of the digital learning course for managers—Manager Boot Camp, and co-founder of the global training and support community for working women—Empowership.
Interested in growing your skills as a manager? Check out how Manager Boot Camp might help.