How to Deal with difficult staff

How to Deal with difficult staff by Michael Cheary Hate dealing with difficult employees? As a manager, it comes with the territory… Difficult staff not only affect you as a manager, but also the office environment, and the morale of your entire team. And whatever the reason they’ve become tough to work with, addressing the problem quickly is the first step towards solving it.We’ve already covered types of problematic employees you could manage, but to help you figure out what to do next, here’s our advice on how to deal with difficult staff:Find out the factsBefore you even think about approaching any difficult employees, you need to get your facts straight.It can be all too easy to get caught up in office gossip, or act on impulses. But without knowing all the available details, you may just be jumping to all the wrong conclusions â€" which will only make the situation worse in the long run.So find out the answers to some key questions. In what way is your employee being difficult? Is it an isolate d incident or are they being disruptive on a regular basis? What effect are they having on your team’s morale or their levels of production?It’s far from an exhaustive list, but you should always put together some background details before making any decisions.Remember: facts hearsay and hyperbole.Start listeningNever (ever) make assumptions.Whilst it’s important to put your point across to the team member in question, it’s also your role as a manager to listen to what they have to say.Not only does it allow them to tell their own side of the story, but it may also bring up potential reasons behind their behaviour or inability to perform well at work.For example, they may be having personal problems that are negatively impacting their work. Or perhaps they’re simply struggling with a specific part of their role.Without giving them a chance to speak, you’ll never know what could really be going on.Don’t make it personalA little advice can go a long way in resolving poo r performance in the workplace.But be aware that even advice given with the most innocent intentions can sometimes feel like a personal attack. So, to avoid any potential confrontations or uncomfortable situations, always try to be as constructive as possible with your feedback.Instead of generalising their behaviour, offer specific examples of where they’ve acted inappropriately or failed to meet your expectations. And make sure that any advice you offer is not personal, and applied across the board, to everyone in your team.That way they’ll know your criticism is consistent, and strictly professional.Make a planAction plans are great for helping employees get back on track.Start by sitting down with them and coming up with an agreed list of achievable goals they need to hit. Then create bullet points on how they can meet these targets, and agree on a timescale for completion â€" as well as regular chances to catch up.Tracking their progress will help demonstrate they’ve take n your feedback on board, as well as giving them some much needed focus when it comes to hitting their objectives.It’s also a great way to regularly check in with them, be supportive, and see how they’re getting on.Know when it’s not working outUnfortunately, sometimes people just aren’t a good fit for your team.If that’s the case, then it’s quite likely to be something that you’re both mutually aware of. So if you’ve tried everything else, and not seen any significant improvements, have a conversation with your employee to see if they’re really happy in their role.It might be that they’re ready to admit that their heart really isn’t in it. Or it might be that you have to make a difficult decision in order to help the rest of the team move forward.A change might end up being best for both parties. You just need to follow it through.Have the courage to make a positive changeDealing with difficult employees is undoubtedly one of the hardest things you have to do as a manager.Unfortunately though, it comes as an inevitable part of the role. But how you address the situation can say a lot about your leadership skills, and send out a clear message to the rest of the team about what kind of manager you are.So always try to face problems head on don’t put off an important conversation, and definitely don’t delegate it to someone else.Deal with difficult employees with courage and confidence, and you can quickly turn the negative into a positive. Whether it’s for that staff member’s career, or the morale of your entire team.Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features Workplace culture

What is a Graduate School Resume Template?

What is a Graduate School Resume Template?The grad school resume template is an effective method for launching a new career or heading off a prospective employer. In some cases, this kind of tool can be the greatest asset that a graduate can have, other times it can be the largest stumbling block to receiving a promotion, as well as raising the quality of your own professional performance.This means you should make sure that your resume is getting through to the graduate school hiring officers before they begin compiling a portfolio. It may seem counter-intuitive, but starting your career off with a poor, embarrassing graduate school resume can really affect the rest of your professional life. It is also important to remember that this is a specialized field that you are applying to and thus, you will need to avoid the usual mistakes that all resume writers make with their work.To begin with, one must avoid getting a letter of reference from former employers for full-time positions o r support staff members. This can prove to be quite embarrassing for a graduate student, especially if they already hold a position. As such, it is best to avoid using them for either position. However, if you are applying for a student advisor position, make sure to mention this when you are filling out your personal statement section.Also, when filling out your application for an internship, if you have applied for many positions in the past, you will want to carefully evaluate the references given to you by each previous employer to make sure they match your qualities. In order to avoid this, it is best to focus on finding the best possible reference instead of being distracted by the same old resume that has already served you well in the past. Even if it was a clerical position, you will likely find that the best references will not only match your work ethics, but also your personality and style.In addition, you must ensure that you focus on your specific skills in order to en sure that you do not get overlooked when it comes to the types of work that you are capable of doing. In order to do this, you will want to develop a list of your specific qualifications and what type of work experience is needed. Then, highlight this information on your application and make sure to highlight what you are exactly capable of doing. It is also a good idea to list your education level and degree level as well, so that you can be included in the interview process.The final step for any graduate school resume template is to take the time to craft a strong cover letter sample. The cover letter must be compelling enough to convince the grad school hiring committee that you are the right person for the job. This is the first impression that you will make with the graduate school hiring committee and it is extremely important. For instance, if you have two years of marketing experience, you should highlight this during your cover letter.In addition, your cover letter must co ntain all of the information about yourself that is pertinent to the position that you are applying for. From this, you will be able to gauge if the hiring committee will be interested in reading further and asking more questions. After all, the goal of this stage is to show your potential employer that you have put in the time and effort necessary to qualify for the position, and this will pay off once you have been offered the position.The final step to use a graduate school resume template is to apply for the position. Make sure to focus on your strengths and provide as much relevant information as possible in order to get the hiring committee to look beyond your paper resume and into your personality.