I’ve got a member of my team who has “retired in place.” No matter what I try, I can’t get him to engage. Any thoughts?
Frustrated
Dear Frustrated,
I think the only thing to do in this situation is to have a serious sit-down with your disengaged team member. First, put the facts as you see them on the table and let him know you’re looking for a substantial change in attitude and behavior. Be prepared with:
A clear vision of what it would look like if he were to “come out of retirement”—a picture of a job well done.
Concrete observations of how his disengagement is affecting both the team and the results the team is trying to achieve.
Clear requests for the changes you want to see, with a timeline. This is a critical piece—there has to be a deadline.
Unambiguous consequences—what will happen if you see no change?
Now I’ll add a second component.
All the latest research about motivation makes it clear that people can choose to be more engaged—it is an internal proposition. Blanchard’s research into Optimal Motivation focuses on three key psychological needs all people have—needs for Autonomy, Relatedness, and Competence.
Continue to read more:- “Dealing With Someone Who Has Quit and Stayed: Ask Madeleine”
