Address problems
While the culture at WNB is to address the situation instead of the person if a problem arises, t
he
harsh reality is that sometimes the problem truly is the person.
“If the issue is a worker, who’s perhaps incompetent in their area, then you have to solve that,” Cargile says. “If someone is incompetent, it doesn’t mean they’re a bad person, it just means they’re in the wrong job, so resolve that issue and be upfront with people.”
Resolving the issue starts with communicating the problem.
“It’s important that if you have someone who’s underperforming, let them know — and not in a harsh way but in a mentoring way,” he says. “‘Here’s the problem we’re having; here’s what you have to do.’ If they just can’t do it, be upfront with them, and let them go. Tell them this isn’t the right job for them.”
It’s hard to put a limit on how much time to give someone to adapt to his or her role, but there are general guidelines.
“If within three months, someone doesn’t have a handle on what they’re doing, they’re probably not going to get it,” Cargile says. “Some jobs take longer to learn, but that’s probably a pretty good rule of thumb.”
When you have someone who isn’t working out, be slow with the firing and instead look deeper at what his or her problems and, just as important, talents truly are. Sometimes he or she may be in the wrong job, but there’s another place for the employee in your company.
For example, Cargile had an employee who had a great deal of successful experience in the military, but her education level was a little lower than other employees, and she often made mistakes in her clerical job. She simply didn’t have the skill set, but she knew where everything was, was highly organized and could keep a supply closet spotless. The military had trained her to be a supply person. Recognizing this, Cargile moved her to the mailroom, and there, she flourished.
“That’s the things you have to look for,” he says. “Sometimes you just get the person in the wrong job, but everyone has a gift to work, and you just have to find that gift.”
If you can’t find attributes that would translate into another area of the business, then you have to cut your losses.
“Sometimes you hire people that just aren’t meant for the job and just don’t have the skill set, and if you can’t find them another job, you just have to let them go,” he says.
And remember, you could do all of these things to build a better culture in your organization, but it ultimately starts with you and how you act as the leader.
“It starts at the top of every company,” Cargile says. “Your company is going to take the leader’s personality. If you’re respectful to everyone, they’re going to be respectful to everyone. If you walk into a McDonald’s, and it has a dirty floor, that’s because the manager isn’t doing their job. It’s not because the people are lazy — it’s because the manager isn’t running the place efficiently. That’s true in every company. The leader of the organization has to set the standard and live by example.”
How to reach: WNB Private Client Services LLP, (432) 617-1394 or www.wnbpcs.com
