Managing & Motivating the 7 Most Challenging Employee Types
As a manager, you’ve got a lot on your plate. You’re responsible for getting your team to do what they need to do, but also managing the resources available to them, all while keeping each one happy at the same time. While you may have a good grasp on how to deal with most of the people you manage (let’s call these “easy” employees), there are bound to be others who present unique challenges. In this blog post, we’ll tackle seven “challenging” employee types and give you tips for how best to manage each one.
The Accomplisher
The Accomplisher is one of the most challenging employee types to manage. They have a strong desire to get things done and move forward, but they also tend to be very self-critical when they don’t succeed. It’s important for managers of this type to help them understand that failure is an important part of learning and growth, so long as it’s viewed as a learning opportunity rather than a sign that you’re not good enough at what you do.
Accomplishers need specific goals from their manager: clear expectations about what needs doing and regular feedback on how well those tasks are being completed, or if there’s anything else that needs attention before moving on. If your Accomplisher doesn’t know specifically what needs doing in order for him or her to meet those goals, then it will be difficult for him/her to achieve your objectives in a meaningful way.
The Analyst
Analysts are motivated by logic. The challenge of solving a problem, the opportunity to learn more about their field and increase their knowledge, and the chance to improve their skills are the things that keep this employee engaged.
Analysts can be great assets in your business if you know how best to motivate them. They thrive on structure and routine but also need flexibility so they can explore new ideas when necessary or apply their analytical skills elsewhere in the organization as needed (e.g., helping out with marketing research).
The Champion
Champions are motivated by recognition. They like to be the best, and they’re driven to win. Champions are loyal and hardworking, but they can also be overly optimistic about their own abilities. If you want your champion employees to feel like champions, make sure that you’re giving them the recognition and rewards they deserve–and make sure that those rewards are meaningful!
The Challenger
Challengers are motivated by the thrill of competition. They like to be recognized for their contributions, and thrive in a competitive environment. The Challenger is attracted to the challenge of new projects and tasks, so they may need to be managed carefully if you’re not ready for them to take on additional responsibilities.
The Consistency Seeker
Consistency seekers are the most loyal and stable of all employees. They like to know what they can expect from you, your company and their job. Consistency seekers want to be in control of their work, so they need clear expectations and rules that are consistently applied by managers and supervisors.
Consistency seekers will also look for opportunities where they can predict what will happen next — this means setting up an environment where regular performance evaluations take place, for example, so that employees have some idea whether or not they’re meeting expectations at any given time.
In general, consistency is key when managing a Consistency Seeker because without it they will feel lost and confused about their place within the organization, ultimately leading them down the path towards seeking employment elsewhere.
The Connector
The Connector is a good team player. They enjoy being part of a group and thrive on collaboration, but they also have their own ideas and opinions that they’re not afraid to express. They’re great communicators who can be counted on to share information with the rest of the team.
The Connector is a positive person who brings energy into every interaction they have with others; this makes them fun to work with! The Connector has many friends outside of work, so he/she may want to go out after hours sometimes instead of staying late at the office–but this doesn’t mean that his/her commitment isn’t strong enough for him/her to stay late when necessary (for example: when there’s an emergency).
The Controller
Controllers are the most challenging to manage. They are highly motivated by control and tend to be good at delegating tasks, motivating others and setting standards for performance. However, they can also be very demanding, controlling and protective of their own work.
They will resist any change in the status quo unless it is approved by them first – which means that if you want something done differently you have no choice but to ask them directly (and hope they agree).
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many types of employees you may come across in your career. Some will be easy to manage and motivate, while others may be more challenging. However, if you take the time to understand what drives each person on your team and how best to communicate with them, you’ll be well on your way towards building a productive team that works together effectively!