As I progressed in my career, I began to refocus the babysitter description to that of a teacher and leader. Babysitters don't wield much power. For the most part, they just try to keep the peace and follow simple directives. On the other hand, supervisors set policy, control productivity, train, solve problems, direct workflow and keep the peace – and that's usually before lunch.
Most supervisors have a huge list of duties for which they're responsible, especially in a busy collision shop. The talents and abilities most collision shop managers display are amazing, even though they don't get the respect they deserve from people outside our industry. A talented collision shop manager can run any business.
One major part of being a sound supervisor or manager is the ability to interact, direct and communicate with all your employees. It's imperative to master these special talents to get the most out of your people. Some employees will be easy to work with. These star employees will do what you want, when you want, almost always without fail. Others will try your patience endlessly.
Let's look at these others to see if we can make them more like your star employees.
We are all different
Understand everyone is unique. How we act or react to any situation is based on our individual makeup. Some people respond to direct orders; others don't. It's part of your job as a supervisor to understand this fundamental reality and use it to your advantage.
I don't think anyone responds well to a direct order unless you're in the military and you have to. The old adage about attracting more bees with honey is true. People will respond better to a directive calmly communicated with respect than one that's barked.
Understanding what type of approach to take with each person will help you delegate duties for your staff better. Usually, supervisory people master this skill while working up to the manager level. If you're not good at it, keep trying. It's an extremely important part of your manager's tool kit. Unfortunately, the only way to get better is to practice. Whenever you speak to one of your employees, carefully gauge his response to the way you talk to him. The more you do this, the more you'll begin to see a pattern in his behavior. Understanding his response to the way you direct him will help you use the more suitable methods more often.
Set expectations
The best way to resolve a confrontation with a difficult employee is to prevent it from happening in the first place. The best way to do this is to make sure all employees know the rules of the game up front. Employees want direction from you as a supervisor. The more concise direction and instruction you provide, the better they will follow.
1. Create job descriptions for every position in the shop. Make sure these descriptions are detailed, and include all the functions you expect your employees to perform as part of their jobs. Think about this and make sure you cover all details. Your employee may not understand what your expectations of him are without these. This misunderstanding could lead to needless friction later on. Once you've completed these, review them with each employee individually and ask them to sign a document indicating they understand what is expected of them. It's human nature to aspire to an expectation if it's clearly defined. Once your employees know what you expect of them, they'll try their best to do it.
2. Set up and follow a progressive discipline regimen. Occasionally, employees will stray from the path. If they do, you must correct them, respectfully, right away. Make sure everyone knows how the discipline program works. Suggest something like this: For a first offense, a verbal warning is issued. For a second offense, a written warning is issued. For a third offense, it's a day off without pay, and so on. Whatever you determine, put it on paper and make sure every employee receives a copy. Again, have them sign a document that states they've received a copy and understand it. By following this process, you're setting expectations for all aspects of the job.
3. Create standard operating procedures for all aspects of the shop. From how to answer the phone to where to place finished files – everything. Again, this will help everyone understand their job duties and your expectations of them. Do the same in the shop. Cover every aspect here, too, from panel prepping with certain grits to detailing the finished car. By clearly defining jobs and duties, you're trying to prevent employees from becoming difficult to handle. Building the proper environment will go a long way toward doing this.
4. Treat every employee with respect and dignity. It doesn't matter what level they are. Your porter deserves the same respect you give your top techs. Make certain your people understand you expect the same behavior from them toward fellow employees. You have to set the tone and build an environment of trust, teamwork and understanding. The rules have to be the same for every employee. No exceptions! The fastest way to create chaos in the workplace is to play favorites.
5. Once the rules are put in place, make sure they're followed. All too often a process is defined and implemented but never properly managed or maintained. Once you put these instruments in place, you must use them. You have to be the leader and drive the desired behavior.
All these suggestions are great ways to prevent one of your employees from becoming the typical problem employee, but what if you already have a monster?
Resolving the problem
Whenever I'm involved in a situation involving an irate or uncooperative employee, I always try to remember there may be other problems in the person's life causing the negative behavior. Maybe a loved one is sick, or he's having money or addiction problems. Usually something is going on in his life that's causing him to behave more negatively than normal. Stress can cause people to act differently than they would under normal conditions. If you understand the root cause of the stress, you'll be able to resolve the issue more effectively.
When confronting an issue with an employee, invite him into a private place to discuss the issue. Don't discipline him in front of other employees because that only creates a negative environment with the other employees and won't give you or the person you're speaking with the privacy needed to openly discuss issues and resolutions.
No matter how difficult it may be, stay calm. People will begin to emulate your mood when they're in a discussion. If you're animated or agitated, they'll follow suit. If you remain calm, they'll calm down, too.
Be direct and firm but don't become argumentative. Tell the person exactly what's wrong with his behavior and explain why it's unacceptable. You're in a position to wield power. Make certain by your demeanor you're confident in your ability and decision-making prowess. Your people shouldn't fear you, they should respect you, but respect must be earned. You can command respect by your actions, but you can't demand it.
At this point, you can refer back to the job descriptions in place and the progressive discipline programs you implemented earlier. By referring to the law you've enacted, your employees will know they've crossed the line as soon as they do so. They'll be expecting some form of discipline. It won't be a surprise. Think of it as if you were driving 45 miles an hour in a 20-mile-an-hour school zone. You fly pass a police car with radar, and you just know you're getting a ticket as soon as he pulls out behind you with lights flashing. You may not like it, but you know you broke the law and you have to face the consequences.
Make sure you listen to the employee's side of the story and be open to it. He may feel he has a good reason to act the way he did. If you listen to his side of the issue, you can understand and explain why his behavior was unacceptable in a calm and rational way.
Some employees are just like oil and water – they don't mix and never will. Try to put a physical distance between employees who don't get along. Keep them separated from one another by putting their work spaces at opposite ends of the shop. Realistically, everyone isn't going to like each other. Your problem employee may not be a problem at all. He just may be in an uncomfortable situation that brings about the unwanted behavior.
The main thing to remember is you have to stand by your convictions and make sure everyone in the shop knows you will. Don't allow bad behavior. If you've tried to be rational and fair with a disruptive employee and tried all the progressive discipline tactics but still aren't getting through to him, let him go – even if it happens to be your most productive employee.
It will cost you much more in the end if you keep an employee who's too negative or disruptive. He can become a cancer that slowly erodes the foundation of your business. I've seen one bad employee infect an entire shop to the point it had to be closed. In this economy, it's already difficult enough to keep your head above water. Don't allow a distraction that can be controlled to cause these issues.
A difficult employee can cause you to lose customers, other employees and even your business. Command respect. Show strength in your convictions, be fair and communicate effectively with your employees. You'll grow, and your employees will, too.
