7 Clues You've Got the Wrong Person on Your Team

September 12, 2014

Mark Sanborn

NYT's Bestselling author, Consultant and Communicator

How do you know you’ve got the wrong person on your team? Any team member can sometimes feel like a bad fit, but there are more tangible clues you need to know to determine if a team member is the wrong person than simply your emotions. Here are seven clues

1. You wouldn’t rehire him or her if you had the choice. Let’s start here. If the person in question quit today and then applied to be rehired tomorrow (ignore the feasibility of the timeframe), would you hire him or her back?

2. You get negative feedback from others about him or her. Is there a consistent stream of negative feedback from others—team members, customers and/or vendors—about this person’s behavior?

3. The person’s “cost” (salary, benefits, training and time needed) exceeds the value they create. Quantify the individual’s contribution to the team and organization. Then compare that against their true cost (wages/salary, benefits, training and attention).

4. Team morale is lower because of them. Does overall team morale suffer because of this person? Is her or she more aptly considered a team slayer rather than a team player?

5. Customers or clients complain or don’t like doing business with this person. This is costly: do you receive phone calls, emails or other forms of complaint from customers?

6. The individual hasn’t improved with feedback, coaching and/or training. Have you attempted to appropriately address any deficiencies by providing feedback and needed training and development? Has this person accepted and has performance improved? If not, there is a real problem.

7. Your gut is telling you this person isn’t right for the team.  It is time to add together all the information and do what your gut is telling you.

For more information on how to book Mark Sanborn for your next event, visit premierespeakers.com/mark_sanborn.

Source: Mark Sanborn