Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
People with a high ego usually get on that ego and commit suicide by throwing themselves out of the ego. No matter that, what is not admissible, disrepect or things like that. Saving Changes...
Prepare yourself for the conversations. They're going to be difficult, they may be rude and even insulting, and you are going to have to change your approach.
Communicate with facts and data, not feelings. Instead of "I think we should..." say, "Based on the current data we should..."
Be polite but firm. If you apologize for things, they may take that as weakness. If they're prone to ramble endlessly, you may have to figure out how to cut off their long winded speeches. Repeating their words back to them may help indicate you listened and acknowledged they said something and are moving on.
If it is a senior employee like a manager or director, sometimes they are unwilling to give you credit for an idea and rephrase your suggestion to use it as their own idea. After being shouted down for controversial suggestions, I have had department heads rephrase my own suggestion back to me as if it was a counter proposal. Everyone else still knew it was my idea, so I smiled, agreed to my own plan, and achieved my goal successfully. Saving Changes...
VIJAY GUPTAAsst. Manager| Chambal Fertilizers & Chemicals LimitedKota, Rajasthan, India
In my opinion, meeting with them personally and having one to one discussion can give you some relief while dealing with people inflated with ego. Not always agree to their perception but simultaneously not resist their ideas. Mostly we feel ego clash problem while dealing with seniors. In that case, we can finish the argument by just saying, " ok, just let me check with facts".
Moreover, stay connected with egoist employee personally. Sometime we can discuss about out of the office work. See our ultimate target is to finish the job at scheduled time within mentioned scope. If something is unjustified, say it politely and figure out alternative way to close the point of discussion. Saving Changes...
I think there are simple and strategic solution is that assigned them a task and rate their efforts / performance weekly or biweekly.if it need reveal the result Infront of Human resources department. Saving Changes...
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
Having a rotten apple in a team is not a good thing. If a one to one conversation does not work out, and if escalating the issue to his line manager does not have any effect either, you might very well consider to calmly discharge this person from the team. Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Before you go down this road, make sure you are not the one with the ego problem. Big problems when both parties believe they are the only one with the right solution. Saving Changes...
Adela TataruSenior Project Manager| Self EmployedVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
As stated before, you can try a one on one discussion and be transparent about the issues that took place because of the way the person acted.
First make sure you understand why the person thinks he/she is better or has the better solution than everyone else and try to listen. Maybe it comes from a place where they feel misunderstood, so try to repeat to them what they are saying to show that you actually hear them.
Be calm and detached when exchanging with them to remain factual and not to be driven by your own emotions.
And make sure that when things need to be cut short, you are doing just that. Saving Changes...
Dear colleague
This type of personalities requests special coaching to advocate and encourage them to embrace a collaboration-driven behaviour.
However, the coaching plan should consider the stakeholder function within of decision-making process. So, implement a program according to whether the person has a leadership position or is part of a work team. The level of responsibility within a decision process and governance system could lead a leader to have a defensive position.
Thus, if you understand the cause of their reactions, you could provide them with support and coaching adequately. It helps design a program assuring a better implementation.
In general, my recommendation is to deliver an effective emotional support individual or collective is to let them experiment by themselves, so it enables failure in a safe environment, where new ideas are welcome. The problem is not failure, is to prevent this failure will be recurrent. Indeed, the coaching should include practices to make a retrospective, with learned lessons sessions, where all team understand what was wrong and what was right. The primary objective is to coach individuals to reflect on their behaviour, learn and adapt better practices that they test by themselves.
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1 reply by Peter Rapin
May 11, 2021 8:58 AM
Peter Rapin
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Some would argue that this goes above and beyond the role of a Project Manager. However, we all agree that a successful project delivery is entirely dependent on the team and its members. Managing that team and its individual members is typically more than 50% of a PM's effort, its a critical part of leadership. Yes, you need to know about cost, time, risk and scope control/management but don't neglect your people skills.
Your first efforts when assigned or introduce to a project as PM is to understand the project deliverables, read the team and plan the implementation in that order. Don't forget, your job is to effectively deliver the project within the constraints - including available human resources.
Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Use them, contain them or get rid of them.
As a great leader you can use any talent in a project. So you may think to create a role where they can utilize their ego, self-confidence, aggressiveness. Like as a sales person or in charge of interfacing with a difficult supplier. The secret is not to build the team based on roles but to define the roles from the team you have.
To contain them, you could create pairs of people that are quite the opposite and give them a common goal. For example you could pair them with an introvert double checker and ask both of them to grow and support the other one. This concept is used in several movie plots, when a bully and a underdog achieve wonderful results - together -, when boys and girls from different backgrounds fall in love (like in Titanic) etc.
If you despair and do not know how to handle the situation, it may be the best to give up on them. Diversity is a good thing, but it has to be managed. I always felt sorry when I did not take the time to morph people into a valuable member of team.
Whatever you do, you are the leader.
Thomas Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
May 11, 2021 6:16 AM
Replying to Elena Sandoval
...
Dear colleague
This type of personalities requests special coaching to advocate and encourage them to embrace a collaboration-driven behaviour.
However, the coaching plan should consider the stakeholder function within of decision-making process. So, implement a program according to whether the person has a leadership position or is part of a work team. The level of responsibility within a decision process and governance system could lead a leader to have a defensive position.
Thus, if you understand the cause of their reactions, you could provide them with support and coaching adequately. It helps design a program assuring a better implementation.
In general, my recommendation is to deliver an effective emotional support individual or collective is to let them experiment by themselves, so it enables failure in a safe environment, where new ideas are welcome. The problem is not failure, is to prevent this failure will be recurrent. Indeed, the coaching should include practices to make a retrospective, with learned lessons sessions, where all team understand what was wrong and what was right. The primary objective is to coach individuals to reflect on their behaviour, learn and adapt better practices that they test by themselves.
Some would argue that this goes above and beyond the role of a Project Manager. However, we all agree that a successful project delivery is entirely dependent on the team and its members. Managing that team and its individual members is typically more than 50% of a PM's effort, its a critical part of leadership. Yes, you need to know about cost, time, risk and scope control/management but don't neglect your people skills.
Your first efforts when assigned or introduce to a project as PM is to understand the project deliverables, read the team and plan the implementation in that order. Don't forget, your job is to effectively deliver the project within the constraints - including available human resources. Saving Changes...
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