Send to KindleDo you have one of those employees who always has a contrary view? You know, the one who is always arguing. For this installment of dealing with problem employees, let’s take a minute to deal with the arguer.
The arguer is the person who always disagrees or presents an opposing view point. Is this always bad? This employee can be irritating and can slow down progress, but they aren’t all bad and one way to deal with them is to accept that they may have a point. Try this.
Tell the person that you would like to hear their opinion but they must first tell you something positive. Tell them that if they can find nothing positive to say, then you will consider that, but you will not accept any more discussion from them on the matter.
Next, tell the person that you would like to hear what they have to say but they must offer alternative suggestions to the points they don’t like.
When you insist on these two approaches, the argumentative person will be forced to be a little more thoughtful about their disagreements. Chances are, they may have some valuable input and when presented with these two restrictions, that input can improve the action you’re taking or considering.
