We’ve all seen it happen. Self- destruction. Career-limiting behavior. Professional suicide. Some previously normal and capable IT manager suddenly starts acting strangely and destructively. He figuratively sets his hair on fire and runs around the building screaming of cabals at the top of his lungs. And we all stand by, watching the slow-motion train wreck, shaking our heads and whispering yet not knowing what to do.

If you are the supervisor of such a person, you’ve got a challenge on your hands. What do you do with a solid performer who seems to be going down a rathole and may take others with him? What do you owe the organization, the manager and the manager’s subordinates?

The answer to these questions rests with the answers to a few more.

1. Why is this happening? Of course, every case is different, and the reasons may not be immediately apparent. But over the years, I’ve noticed a few causes that seem more common than others. They include these:

Personal relationship disruption: Death, divorce and breakups seem to top the list. The disruption of a family or relationship is a devastating experience. Grief, anger and confusion spill over into the workplace and can lead to behavior that’s confusing, in part, because it’s unrelated to the work environment.

Didn’t get the job: When someone is passed over for a promotion or a desired assignment, he can react unpredictably. He may try to undermine the person who did get the job, lashing out or perhaps trying to foment a coup. He may simply try to provoke others to confirm his value and worth.

In over his head: Let’s face a sad fact: Some managers have been overpromoted. They rise too high or too fast for their own good, lacking the knowledge, skills or maturity for the position they hold. Some discover that they wanted the title but not the job. Most managers who are in over their heads know it. They can panic or react unpredictably. They see no way back to where they belong and can become unhinged by the experience.

Protest: Sometimes a manager sees his strange behavior as a solemn duty or moral crusade. Rightly or wrongly, he may feel that a decision made or an approach taken is so damaging to the organization or so unethical that it requires an extraordinary response — even a self-damaging one. He may realize that he is risking his career but be willing to suffer the consequences.

Wants to be fired: Sometimes a manager feels trapped in his job. He doesn’t really want the job but doesn’t feel free to quit or change. He may not want to walk away from the money, give up the status or face the wrath of a disapproving family. So, consciously or not, he hopes that you will solve the problem by taking the decision out of his hands.

Mental illness: Sometimes a seeming mental breakdown is just that: a descent into madness (that you hope will be temporary). Depression and substance abuse are common. No one is completely immune to the possibility of such illness.

2. Is this person’s career in this organization salvageable? You need to ask if the individual involved can be rehabilitated either as a manager or as an individual contributor. If given time and support, can he return to the mainstream?

3. Are there legal or cultural constraints on your options?

4. Does this person have unique and essential knowledge or skills? With the answers to these questions, you can generate and evaluate options within the context of the situation. When evaluating these options, I’d suggest that you keep two priorities uppermost in your mind: to minimize damage to others (subordinates, peers, clients) and to treat the individual fairly.

The most effective responses that I’ve seen include these:

Dismissal: Sometimes you need to fire a person to protect the staff and the organization.

Time in the wilderness: Working alone on some noncritical project can give a person time to calm down, reflect on past behavior and prepare for reintegration into the group. An i

mportant special assignment: Have him work on his own, but give him a project that is genuinely critical to the group.

Meltdowns happen. How you handle them not only helps those in distress but communicates your values to the rest of the organization. When you’ve got one on your hands, think carefully, but don’t think for too long before acting.

Paul Glen is the Founder and Editor of GeekLeaders.com.  He is also a columnist for Computerworld and the author of the award-winning book "Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead People Who Deliver Technology."  You can read more about his speaking and consulting at www.paulglen.com.

Comments (2) >>

First, Talk to the Person
written by Wayne Mack, March 19, 2007

Although it was implied by the first item in the list, "Why is this happening?", I want to make it specific that the first course of action needs to be to sit down and talk through the situation with the affected individual.

These situations are often a cry for help, the person is acting inappropriately because he does not know how to deal with the situation in an appropriate manner. To simply isolate the individual and hope he comes to his own solution is unlikely to resolve the underlying problem, it is merely a delaying tactic.

When someone is acting out, it is normal to want to avoid the person and the situation, but one needs to immediately address it. This may mean putting everything else on hold in order to spend some time with the person, now. Sometimes, just listening will be enough, but other times, the manager will need to help the individual create some sort of action plan. Do not throw the onus back onto the individual to create his own action plan; if he could have done this, there would not be a problem.

The first step, as with any type of problem, is to determine the underlying cause. In this case, it means sitting down and talking to the disruptive person.

Talk yes, but sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind ..
written by Paul Francis, April 02, 2007

I had one of my managers in this situation fairly recently, and unfortunately had to resort to option 1: dismiss him. Ironically, the thing that caused his meltdown related almost solely to his fear of being fired and that his department was going to be dissolved (it wasn't, but he was actually using the words 'we are doomed' to his staff).

Nice guy, but the situation was totally unsalvageable. His credibility was also shot with his team, peers and the exec team. Hopefully he found a happier place.

Paul..

Write comment

You must be logged in to post a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.