The Influencer: Dealing with the Untouchables

Incentive: Strategy

The Influencer: Dealing with the Untouchables
October 01, 2009

By Kerry Patterson

In a recent employee research survey conducted by VitalSmarts, 93 percent of those who responded work with someone whom they viewed as an “untouchable.” These people were either incompetent or abrasive—or both—but nobody ever said anything because nobody was allowed to say anything. Or so it appeared.

The reasons for these poor-performing untouchables’ apparent protected status vary. Perhaps they’re close relatives of the bosses. Or maybe they have iron-clad contracts. Or—and here’s a good one—perhaps they have mission-critical skills that nobody else has and yet they’re a real bear to work with. Their colleagues simply have to put up with their antics, even if they’re abrasive and insulting.

Whatever the reason for their sliding by unscathed, the cold hard fact is that you’re suffering. So what should you do?

It turns out, nobody is really untouchable. People just haven’t stepped up to the task of holding the offending parties accountable. And they can be held accountable—no matter their skills or connections. For example, I once consulted a group of executives that was constantly dealing with an employee who was causing endless grief for his co-workers. This particular offender was incompetent, abusive, and—get this—he actually sold frozen meat to his co-workers on the side. So I asked the big bosses why they let the guy continue with his shenanigans. It turns out he made vigorous use of his union representation and nobody wanted to deal with that kind of conflict.

I suggested that they didn’t need to deal with his whole history or even demand that he be fired. The same is true for you. When dealing with someone who has routinely been allowed to get away with a whole host of infractions, aim at a modest goal. Simply select one of the person’s latest bad behaviors and hold him or her accountable for that. The more egregious the behavior, the better. In this meat-selling guy’s case, it wasn't long before he insulted a woman with an incredibly sexist comment. His supervisor then talked to him about it and started the fellow down the disciplinary path. The routine offender, incapable of maintaining a clean act, followed up with another indefensible behavior, followed by yet another. He was gone within eight weeks.

The point here is simple. Never assume someone is untouchable. If other people have been allowing poor or abusive behavior to go unaddressed for years, stop the trend. The next time a supposed untouchable does something wrong, talk to him or her. Explain exactly what he or she did—and contrast it with what is expected of him or her. Stick to the facts. Merely describe the latest incident, and don’t delve into the catacombs of historic failure. Finally, explain the consequences of the actions so he or she will know why it’s worth correcting. Document your discussion.

The next time the person lets you down, you now have a launching pad for a larger discussion. The problem has escalated into a pattern. Describe the problem in broader terms: You had talked to him or her once before, and he or she made a promise to deliver and didn’t. This time the consequences are greater. The lack of predictability is causing you problems, and you’ll need to bring the boss into the loop. Do so. Document and wait for another infraction.

You get the point. As long as you deal with each new infraction in a professional way, it’s only a matter of time until the untouchable has to step up to the plate. People can’t ignore poor performance forever, so either the person will change (which is your goal) or, like the fellow who sold frozen meat, he or she will soon be gone. And unless you’re looking to stock up on T-bone steaks at the office, that is a good thing.

Kerry Patterson is co-author of New York Times bestsellers Crucial Conversations and Crucial Confrontations, an acclaimed keynote speaker, a consultant, and co-founder of VitalSmarts, a consulting firm specializing in organizational performance and leadership training. Patterson has designed and implemented major corporate change initiatives for the past 25 years.

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