A bossy employee can be a manager’s worst nightmare if they don’t know how to handle it properly. Find out how to get this type of worker back online in this article.
The ideal team for any leader is a team that follows suit, a team that suggests ideas and collaborates. Each worker is satisfied with their work and contributes something to make the team greater than the sum of its parts. But only a bossy worker can disrupt all of this. So how can we deal with such a person?
When an employee gets too bossy
There is nothing wrong with a worker who takes responsibility. In fact, these types of workers can be like gold dust because, in this day and age, there are too many people who just want to sit back, do the bare minimum, and cash their paycheck.
A good worker like this could help others who are not up to date yet and this type of training will involve them asking others to do things for them.
But when a worker constantly asks others to do tasks, but at the same time is not pushing himself, doing less work, or doing an easier job, then he has a bossy employee who needs to be put back in his place.
Easy goes
The best way to deal with a bossy employee is to convince him to come “on your side.” Use your coaching and delegation skills, but make it clear that you expect him to deliver, too.
One way to do this is to set up a big task or project. Join him with someone else, but make it clear that you expect both of you to deliver.
You can also earn respect and a motivated worker if you give them some special rewards for going the extra mile. This could mean some training that would enhance the worker’s resume and would also be good for the company. Or you can take the carrot and stick approach and mention that you will talk to other managers if you do a good job that could open up future career opportunities for you.
The hard way
Sometimes a worker just doesn’t respond to the carrots you are offering. This is not an error or due to ignorance, in these cases the worker knows very well what he is doing.
There is always a reason why a worker can get lazy and hardworking and try to just do the easy stuff and command others. It usually revolves around job satisfaction. If a normal person is satisfied in their work, they just won’t be as disruptive as this. If your organization and / or you have been lazy in addressing career progression and training and job satisfaction, then only you are to blame.
I would advise to put your boat in order and mention it to the worker. If you can convince him that things will really change and that there might be rewards for him in the future, he will change his behavior and you will see a new side of him.
The hardest way
If you feel that your worker has no reason to act this way and there is no other root cause other than his laziness, arrange a private conversation and give him an informal warning. Don’t use the word “warning”, just “talk.” Explain that his standards are unacceptable and that he needs to change.
If you don’t change your behavior, then you should start thinking of effective ways to “handle” it and replace it with someone more motivated and hungry for career success.