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Management | Leadership
I’ve Managed People for Years. Only One Type of Employee Still Makes Me Nervous.
And no, it isn’t the “difficult” one
I’m always surprised when people tell me they’re in a relationship with someone they never argue with. On paper it sounds lovely; peaceful nights in, no disagreements about where to go on weekends, or where to go for dinner.
My wife and I can argue like cats and dogs, but I love it. Why? Because we care. We have opinions, and we’re not afraid to express them and risk upsetting the other person. A little conflict might not be essential for every marriage, but it works for us. Sure, we’ve had to learn to compromise and listen to each other. But this has been a lovely journey.
When it comes to work, similar patterns can emerge. Picture your best employee — I bet they look something like this: on time, rarely make a fuss, get the work done without issue, and don’t take up too much of your time.
I had an employee like this who was my go-to guy. Gerald was smart, hard-working, and seemingly best of all: he never caused any problems.
Then one day he quit, citing something from two years prior unrelated to me and too late for me to do anything about, and only giving minimal notice. He’d been…
