Now here’s an interesting discussion point for your management development forum. ‘You are a high profile leader of an important team. One outstanding member of that team challenges your authority in front of the rest of the world – although a little ‘tongue-in-cheek’. You want to stop this behaviour but are worried that the result will be a deterioration in the invaluable contribution this person makes. The rest of the team seems to enjoy his impudence; you feel you are being undermined.’
This could describe the situation Martin Johnson, England Rugby team manager finds himself in with his outstanding try-scoring, swallow-diving team member Chris Ashton http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/9395774.stm. During the first game in the 6-Nations Ashton swallow-dived and Johnson told him off for it; the next week, 2 minutes into the game against Italy Ashon does it again. In the world of international sport they will, no doubt, find an answer so that the fans get the buzz as Ashton scores try after try, and Johnson saves face (if indeed he needs to).
Nearer home these sorts of issues can be difficult to manage in smaller work teams. Management development programmes aim to explore what to do when those lads and lassies with a bit of ’attitude’ overstep the mark; they give opportunities to learn how to deal with difficult colleagues while maintaining discipline, team spirit and mutual respect. And if any management development programme delivers nothing more than how to manage performance all levels it is not a waste of time.
By Mike Cooney | Righttrack’s Commercial and Financial Director