Entrepreneurs often say, "People Issues are complicated." Are they?
It’s true that dealing with People Issues is hard, but the Issues themselves are simple. If you’re lying awake at night wondering whether Bill in Accounting should stay or go, you need only ask two questions:
- Is he a Right Person? In other words, does he fit our Culture? Does he share our Core Values?
- Is he in the Right Seat? Does he GWC (Get it, Want it, have the Capacity to do it) his seat on the Accountability Chart?
If the answer to both questions is “yes,” go back to sleep. If not, put a plan in place to resolve the People Issue. Bill needs to know he’s “below the bar,” and he needs to be given a chance to elevate himself above the bar in short order. If he can’t, Bill needs to exit.
“Yeah but,” I can hear some of you thinking, “He’s really good at his job. Do I really need to exit him for not sharing our Core Values?”
“Yeah but,” others are saying, “We don’t pay him much.” Or, “We’ll never find someone to replace him.” Or, “He’s had some personal problems.” Or, “It’s almost Christmas, or Easter, or Arbor Day.”
While all of those thoughts and rationalizations may be accurate, you’re likely just complicating the Issue and postponing the inevitable. And to make matters worse, you’re the only person suffering under the weight of the decision. Bill isn’t lying awake at night worried about his job – he thinks he’s got you fooled. Bill’s frustrated co-workers aren’t worried – they know exactly what they’d do if they had the chance. Your customers aren’t worried – if Bill keeps screwing up their invoices they’ll just take their business elsewhere.
People Issues are hard, but they’re not complicated. Use the People Analyzer to simplify a People Issue today. Put a plan in place to resolve it, and follow-through. Stop the, “Yeah Buts.” I guarantee you’ll sleep better tonight.
