When subordinates fight back

Ever had staff or subordinates that seem to always challenge your authority or work? You know, the ones that aren’t afraid to get into a fight with you?

Let me clarify something here, though. When they do argue or debate with you on matters, it won’t be about your attitude or behaviour but rather, the work at hand. That is, their primary concern is about the company and how some things are not done right. (When you get told by your subordinates that your behaviour stinks, it simply means that your behaviour stinks).

Now, before you start plotting out your plans to purge these people, let me share a very important secret. It’s this:

When they bother to argue with you that means they still are still concerned about the welfare of the company. Whether they will be unpopular with you is about the least of their concern. These are specialists in their fields. And specialist will fight you because of integrity and pride in their work.

Hence, instead of getting agitated, you should really take the time to hear them out.

For when you don’t, the time will come when they will stop arguing with you, stop offering creative output and advice and well… you will find them being unusually compliant. Their conversations with you will turn cordial with sprinkling of mere “hi” and “bye”.

And just when you’d thought you’ve had them licked, they will throw in their towels and walk out on you.

See, when they don’t bother to fight you anymore, it simply means that they’re exhausted and have virtually given up on the company. They will make their exit very soon and very sudden.

Here, I would like to caution you against those that hover around incessantly with nothing more than “pats on backs” and well, you know, the ones that keep telling you how right you are all the time and that everyone should worship the ground you walk on since it has been “fragranced with your wise leadership” and et cetera.

These people are nothing more than mere apple polishers. For one will only need to do that when he/she is inadequate or incompetent in their jobs. And believe me, I’ve seen a hell lot of these people that are apt at nothing more than singing your praises. Just remember this. Specialists will never suck up to you because they don’t have a need to since they take great pride in their profession and will stand up to you in defense of their integrity.

How you deal and answer such dramatically opposing nature coming from your workforce will determine your skill as a leader.