There are some people that will spend more time trying to convince us of who they are, what they’ve done, what they can do and why they’re so great, than spending time on doing the task at hand or meeting basic expectations. There’s a reason for this. Their career is built on a house of cards. Maybe you know someone in your office like this. Maybe it’s you (if that’s the case, you’re not going to really like the rest of this article… just saying). We’ve come across a large number of people like this. In past blogs we’ve called them “Lazy, Crazy and Stupid” and “Status Quo Protectors” just to name a few. But it’s worth mentioning again because these are the employees that are holding your organization hostage to poor performance while driving your best people to the point of indifference and even defection to your competitors. Let’s take a look at the cards their house is built on…
- Ten of Spades: On a scale of 1 to 10 he always rates himself a 10. He can’t improve because he thinks he has already arrived. He’ll tell you, “I am who I am and I can’t change”. In other words, he can’t be coached. This is typically an employee that’s been around a while. His way is the best way and he can’t be convinced otherwise. This is a status quo protector. We often hear, “he’s great with the customers”. Don’t fall into this trap. If the employee is just great with the customers but not with his coworkers and/or he won’t support leadership, then he is far from great and something should change quickly. This person is often one who is more focused on retirement or one who has no other options, meaning he can’t get hired by anyone else that will pay him close to what you are paying. He often has a negative attitude and brings others into the pit with him.
- Jack of Spades: The Jack of all trades. You name it and he’s done it and yes, he has done it better than you ever have. You know this guy. You tell him you have a pilot’s license and he’ll tell you he flew fighter jets in Desert Storm (keep in mind he’s only 32, do the math). Tell him you worked up a new spreadsheet to track prospects and he will tell you he was part of the team that developed Excel. He’ll always give you one better. He’s the guy that is a former football star that could have made it to the NFL if it weren’t for that knee injury he suffered in Desert Storm. He’ll tell you of all he’s done and what he’s been but will never show you what he can do. He typically moves from department to department or from organization to organization every few years. His stories and lack of production usually catch up to him.
- Queen of Spades: She is the Queen Bee and all must buzz around her. She doesn’t actually do much work but she loves delegating. She’s a pretty nice person as long as you stay in line with her agenda. She can charm the bosses, butter-up the co-workers and make us all want to sing around the campfire together. But cross her and you’ll get stung. She’ll often speak of how great it was and how well they did things at her other employer, leaving you wondering why she ever left there. The problem is at some point the honey will run out. Your best working bees will find another place and you’ll be left with lots of stings and nothing to show for it. One of her main talents is gossip and taking credit for the work other’s have done.
- King of Spades: He thinks he owns the place and is typically focused on the little things. He’s more worried about how the organization serves him instead of how he can serve the organization. He’ll be more worried about how much vacation time he gets and his number of sick days. He thinks his way is the only way. You can change the status quo in the organization as long as it doesn’t affect his status or his staff. He’s typically a senior executive that isn’t really concerned with the vision and plans of the organization. You do what you want but he and his staff will do what they want. They know best. He often shows up late for meetings. He thinks he should be the CEO or President and will undermine the real CEO in order to advance his cause and career. Keep this person on the team at your own personal peril.
- Ace of Spades: She always has that Ace in the Hole. The sale, the deal, the new initiative that really never comes to fruition. She talks a good game. This person is all about the latest, greatest idea and program (the fox mentality as described by Jim Collins). She’s not about process and implementation. She will constantly move the bar in order not to be scored on her performance. She’ll blue-sky with ideas and take up meeting time with “what ifs”. Once she’s managed and held accountable she will either leave or she will attack the process or the person trying to implement the process. She may have a very loyal following of weak lieutenants. Your most engaged and productive employees will often be her adversaries. It’s very difficult to figure out what she has really contributed in productivity to the organization. Most leaders and managers are afraid to throw out an ace which is why this person is so dangerous.
If you’re holding one or a few of these cards on your team, it’s time to throw a few back on the table and draw a few new cards from the deck. If you’re one of the poor souls holding all of these cards on your team, congratulations! You have a royal flush. If you’re playing poker you’re sitting pretty. If you’re managing a team or running an organization, it’s time to pull the lever for a clean corporate flush.
