The Overcommitted Employee – When No Amount of Training Will Help
By Michelle Malay Carter on November 29, 2009
Mismatch to Role
As much as Americans hate to admit it. There are some jobs that are beyond the cognitive reach of some employees. No amount of training, coaching, or personal effort will help the situation. Today we will look at the behaviors a manager might see in this instance.
What to Do?
We all mature in cognitive, problem solving capability over our lifetimes. Eventually this employee might mature into being capable of a higher level role, but it will not be training that gets him there.? In the meantime, when this situation is encountered, it is in every one’s best interest to reassign the person to a role that matches their current capability.
This post is number three in a series of four. The series titles and links are listed below.
- Possible Negative Manifest Behaviors of an Underutilized Employee
- Possible Positive Manifest Behaviors of an Underutilized Employee
- Today’s Post – Possible Negative Manifest Behaviors of an Over committed Employee (not yet cognitively capable of the work level required of the role)
- Possible Positive Manifest Behaviors of an Over committed Employee
No Need to Fire, No Need to Label
When a employee is over committed, it does not mean they cannot contribute.? It means they cannot contribute as needed in their current role.? When managers see this type of behavior, it’s time to consider redeploying the employee into a position where they can shine.
- Doesn?t get started on assignments in due time
- Needs excessive hand holding or detailed assignments
- Doesn?t connect the dots like peers
- Relies on peers to get work done
- Doesn?t take into consideration everything you would like him to
- Doesn?t understand what you want from him
- Spends time on less important tasks; ignores or procrastinates on more complex tasks
- Focuses too closely upon detail
- Turns in sub-standard work believing it to be acceptable
- Gets less work done than peers (despite long hours and commitment)
- Takes more time than peers
- Is in a different class than peers?(they ridicule/reject or pity and protect him)
- Doesn?t respond to training
I’m OK.? You’re OK.? Let’s fix the system.
Filed Under Accountability, Corporate Values, Employee Engagement, Managerial Leadership, Requisite Organization, Talent Management, Work Levels
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