Sometimes, a little snip is necessary, even though it may seem a tad painful to the recipient.
Yes, I’m talking about plants, but the corollary to some unproductive work colleagues may also be applicable.
Consider the rose bush which requires an annual hard prune, intertwined with the occasional cutting tweak throughout the year to achieve its maximum blooming potential. Why the need to prune? Well, it is said to; eliminate that recalcitrant dead wood that has a habit of restricting new growth, discards damaged branches that drain limited plant resources, and it also stops infections from spreading, just to name a few.
Now for those working in the corporate office, this pruning activity does indeed sound beneficial, even if you have never practiced this skill on an actual rose bush.
No, I’m not at all suggesting that you physically prune anyone, particularly as it will result in you experiencing a lengthy time in jail. However, there are some procedural learnings that if followed will assist in your business having a much rosier future.
- Remove Dead Wood – these employees are typically blockers that will be a source of frustration for your better workers.
- Discard Damaged Branches – these employees are a massive drain on limited resources.
- Infections – some bad employees can quickly contaminate others with their negativity so it’s best to eliminate them quickly before it spreads.
Your roses will also need some inspiration. For the rose bush this comes in the form of fertilizer, for your employees, I would suggest you follow a less smelly approach. Maybe a dose of training, education, or mentoring that is regularly applied throughout the year.
Try the above simple methodology in your workplace and I’m confident that the results will be readily achieved.
You can then sit back, put your feet on your desk, and more importantly, have time to smell the roses.
Thoughts that might just be useful in the future 