As you most probably have felt during your work experience, there are people who make team meetings difficult or unpleasant.
We call them “bad apples”. The definition of a “bad apple” member is a person who chronically displays behavior, which impairs teamwork. These “bad apples” have their own kit for ineffective meetings – take over the discussion, interrupt others, ironic and/or sarcastic comments, bring down the team with their bad or sad moods, they are not focused and try to defocus others as well.
All of the above lead to ineffective meetings, loss of time and bad team climate.
In order to deal with the “bad apples” in the team, fist you have to recognise and determine who they are. When looking for the “bad apple”, keep in mind:
1️⃣ There are 3 types of “bad apples”:
The Jerk
a person who violates interpersonal norms of respect: making fun of someone, saying something hurtful, making an ethnic or religious remark, acting rudely, and publicly embarrassing someone.
The Slacker
a person who intentionally free-rides off the efforts of others: not completing tasks, not taking on risks or responsibilities, or not disclosing aptitudes in the hope that others will compensate.
The Downer \Eeyore\
a person who continually expresses a negative mood or attitude: pessimism, anxiety, insecurity, and irritation.
2️⃣ Keep an eye on the nonverbal/body language as well, and try to determine if there is one or more of the above behaviors – observe their posture, mimics, gestures.
Observe the signals and act well timed!
This vitamin is inspired by Daniel Coyle’s bestseller “The Culture Code”.
Dive deeper and get leadership insights on how to handle bad apples on your team.