It Only Takes One Member To Destroy a Team

I have been witnessing a trend in the past six months which disturbs me greatly.

Owners today can feel threatened by immature staff members who believe they are above the rest of the shop employees because they feel they have "special skills" and are worthy of special privileges and treatment. These employees "with attitude" feel it is just too hard for them to be replaced, so in essence the owner is taken hostage by this person in their own business.

The bottom line fact in business is that no one is irreplaceable.

Shop owners must stop this person in their tracks and this employee either abides by and plays by the company culture rules as a team player or they are gone. The negative affect these bad employees have on the rest of the shop team is incredible which can destroy productivity and in turn, the client experience. When a shop becomes demoralized because the rest of the team watch as one member manipulates ownership, confidence and respect for the ownership from the rest of the team drops dramatically. The vision of the company is lost.

When ownership notices a player on the team falling out of line it is time for an immediate one on one session away from the shop, perhaps over dinner. The attitude is discussed and expectations of this employee are "reset".

If the employee does not come back fully on board and stays there, then the ownership must start the search immediately for a new player. Once the new player is found, then termination of the person with attitude must take place on the spot.

Today is about attitude, our responsibilities to the client and the total approach to the Profession. People who are not at that level of thinking have no place on the shop's Professional team. We take our careers and Professional responsibilities seriously; some do not.