Given the unemployment rate in today’s marketplace, there are a lot more people on the job market than there were a year ago. The good news is that there are some extremely talented people looking for work who may show up at your door. The bad news is that there are also some less than desirable job applicants out there as well, and they won’t have “not-so-good guy” painted on their foreheads when they walk in your door.
The Performance Profile Report will raise some red flags that can help you identify the “not-so-good guys.” Starting this month, we are going to look at some of the “red flag” patterns that you may see on a Performance Profile report, and then talk about what those red flags mean and what to do about them.
Attila the Hun
There is a particular combination of a few Performance Profile characteristics that I call, “Attila the Hun” because they suggest possible anger management problems or overly aggressive behavior on the job. My research database suggests that about one in every five applicants may have enough Attila-like tendencies to make him (or her) like sand into your team’s otherwise smoothly meshing gears.
You know you may have an Attila when…
The “red flag” that you may be dealing with an Attila is when the Assertiveness rating is 6 or higher and the Friendliness rating is 4 or below. As the Assertiveness rating gets higher than 6 and/or the Friendliness rating gets lower than 4, you will likely see more instances of Attila-like behavior. And some of those instances will be more intense.
What Does An Attila Look Like?
First of all, it should be noted that Attilas generally make a very good impression during an interview. They are straightforward and no-nonsense, and appear to be willing and able to deal with difficult issues head on. On the job, however, when the focus shifts away from making a good impression to getting the job done, it’s a different story.
Attila can be the kind of person who too often lets his impatience with others show. He may be a bit too pointed in his criticism of co-workers and subordinates, and he will defend his too-sharp tongue by falling back on the importance of honesty and frankness, (“Well, I have to tell the truth, don’t I?”) Attila feels that using tact in his dealings with co-workers is a sign of weakness (“Beating around the bush is just a waste of time,”) and that taking time to think about how to express himself in a way that doesn’t come across as a personal attack means watering down the importance of the issue (“I have to call a spade a spade, don’t I?”)
Attila is focused on getting the job done and done right. At the same time, he can, unintentionally and often unknowingly, wreak havoc on his co-worker’s morale and drag the team down with what comes across as his uncaring arrogance. Attila’s preference for routinely using a confrontational approach can quickly wear thin.
Dealing With Attila The Applicant
Here are some steps to take when the ‘red flags” for Attila-like tendencies show up on the Performance Profile Report:
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In The Interview: Remember, Attilas interview well. What you need to find out is how she will behave on the job. Try to find out if this preference is so strong that it will be over-used. Ask questions like, “How would you handle a belligerent or angry co-worker who ‘got in your face’?”
What you don’t want to hear is an answer that would indicate that Attila would meet that person’s anger with an inappropriately strong or angry response of his or her own. You want to hear an answer that indicates that Attila would first try to de-fuse the co-worker’s anger and then deal with the issue.
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Calling References: I know that some people say that calling references is a waste of time, but you can learn a lot when you manage to get through to one of the applicant’s co-workers or, better yet, to his boss. Thank them for their time, and persist in asking questions about how Attila typically handled confrontation with angry or upset co-workers.
Again, listen for answers that indicate the person first tried to de-fuse the emotions and then dealt with the issue.
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Consider Placement Decisions: How will Attila’s strong style work with his prospective boss? Will it steamroll and threaten him, or will he love it? (Generally speaking, Attilas love to deal with other Attilas.) Are his co-workers strong enough to take Attila in stride, or will they resent him? Where will Attila’s style help him be productive and where will it interfere with productivity and teamwork?
Dealing With Attila The New Hire
If you decide to hire Attila, you need to set him up for success by addressing his strong management style straightforwardly, talking about its effect on co-workers and giving him suggestions for appropriate circumstances in which to use it. Here’s how:
- Give him his Professional Development Guide and set a time to review his Action Plan. During this review, keep in mind that Attilas often see only the positive side of their “direct, no-nonsense manner.” They see themselves as “honest and straightforward” in their dealings with others and may be genuinely shocked if they are accused of being pushy or overbearing. It is more effective to talk to Attila about how others may misunderstand his direct style and misinterpret it instead as pushiness or being overbearing. Point out that people like to feel that they are being listened to. Listening without interrupting, regardless of how unworkable the opinions of others sound, conveys respect and consideration for others and can enhance cooperation and teamwork.
- Review his Performance Profile Report with the person to whom Attila will report. It’s important that Attila’s new supervisor gives Attila direct feedback whenever he needs it in order to override his innate need to be “honest and direct.” The feedback should be positive in tone because some, but by no means all, Attilas are better at “dishing it out” than they are at taking it.
Attila As The Change Agent
There are some situations where Attila may be just the guy you want. For instance, let’s say that you have an office that is drifting. They are not meeting their goals and the management team seems unable to turn the situation around. An Attila might be able to go in and make the necessary tough decisions about streamlining the office, in the course of which he lights a fire under those who respond to his changes.
Keep in mind, however, that there is a downside. Do you remember those westerns in which the hapless townspeople hire the tough guy turned gun-for-hire to come in and get rid of the bad guys terrorizing them? Once the bad guys are chased out of town, the question is, “Now, how do we turn the shoot-first-ask-questions-later gunslinger into an easy-going, firm but fair, sheriff?”
Once Attila has turned a poor-performing office around, what are the odds that he can make a complete change, stop the Attila-like behavior, and become Mr. Good Manager? The answer is, not very good. Instead, it may be back to the “drawing board” – back to the Professional Development Guide to re-educate Attila about how to use his preferred style effectively instead of constantly.
The Final Word
The more extreme Attila’s behavior is, the more unlikely it is to change. Even with persistent effort on Attila’s part and constant reminders from his supervisor, when the situation heats up Attila will most often rely on his preferred style. This may mean that you have to make some hard decisions about Attila: is there a place for him or her where the productivity outweighs the collateral damage? In fairness to all, be sure that you communicate clearly and explicitly with your Attila, if you have one, about your expectations and standards for behavior on the job, and the consequences of not meeting those standards. And then follow through.
