When people do not change, leaders must.

As people, we all have different personality types, values, standards and expectations. We all have different learning styles, non-negotiables, values and boundaries. Naturally, we will be an introvert or an extrovert. We will be driven by work or we won’t. We will be intrinsically motivated or extrinsically motivated. This diversity is needed in work environments and is beneficial for culture, diversity and relationships.

As much as we cannot expect everyone in every team to be fully driven and 100% committed to their job (if it is simply there to send money home to their family, or as a means to and end to pay the rent), we can expect them to meet minimum criteria in doing the job they have been employed to do. These criteria will be decided by HR or the leadership team, and for some, the focus will be on output, but for others it will be about fitting into the team culture and getting the job done to a certain standard.

One thing that will be expected of any employee when accepting a position will be to be on board with the company’s vision and to do the job they have been assigned to do. When this does not happen, and companies face negative, complacent or critical employees, or when there are uncompleted tasks, missed deadlines or poor professional conduct, leaders are required to step in and take action.

Organisational improvement, whether it is to increase profit, improve reputation, instigate higher productivity or retain staff, is heavily reliant on the ability of employees to change, and once someone is informed about concerns, the onus is on them to make those changes. Herein lies the problem; change is hard. It is scary and it takes stepping out of your comfort zone, which some people are not prepared to do.

It could be that the employee does not have the mental capacity to take on the tasks they have been asked to do. It could be that they are being defiant and have unresolved conflict with the company. Or it could be that they do not know how to change. Once support is put in place to guide them through what is required, either through mentorship, better relationships, a support system or coaching, the ‘How’ should no longer bean an issue, which then leaves their physical capability or mental attitude as the reason why they are not getting on board.

When dealing with difficult employees, it is important to offer support, coaching and mentorship, remaining positive and always focusing on improvement, progress and signs of change. Forming a relationship with the employee to decipher why the change is not happening will help the leader decide a course of action, but after a certain point, if no improvement or effort has been made, the leadership style and approach needs to adapt to fit the situation.

Leaders are the ones who set the tone, they create the culture, they set the boundaries and they put the systems and policies in place to support each of their employees to succeed. If all those systems have been utilised, all the support has been given in vain and all the timelines and deadlines have expired, leaders need to adopt a more authoritative approach, even if it is not their predominant style.

This is what makes great leaders. They will have a principle leadership style which can be adapted depending on different colleagues and situations. They can support and forge great relationships but also deal with conflict and difficult conversations. They can detach from taking things personally but also reflect enough to know when they can make improvements. And, finally, they can communicate effectively and professionally in any situation, without letting emotions or judgement interfere.

Leadership is about adaptability, improvement, inspiration and drive, but it also involves making sure that the people on the train of the company’s vision are the correct people to get to the destination. Some may choose to get off at an earlier stop than they had planned. Some may be on the train which is moving too quickly and is overwhelming for them, and some may need to be pushed reluctantly off the train if their level of professionalism does not match the vision of the company. Leadership is about recognising the progress along with being stopped in your tracks through external or internal forces, but the one thing that all great leaders must be comfortable with and passionate about, is change.