'Step Up to Leader' Post > Tangential Question

[Stuart Burnfield]

Suzette's suggestions are good. It would be worth going to your boss and 
saying, "I believe it's bad for the team/company to let this person 
continue to ignore or contradict our plans, schedules and standards. Do 
I have authority to deal with this? If so, this is what I propose to do. 
Do you have any other advice or suggestions for how to handle this? If I 
don't have authority, will you deal with it?"

If you "know they are doing it intentionally to be defiant" then delay 
will only make things worse. The subordinate has surely learned that 
defiance is both rewarded and justified. The next time this happens you 
can either reinforce this harmful impression or start to overcome it.

Unfortunately some people make it all the way through childhood and into 
the workforce having been told they're special, talented, important, and 
that it's their thoughts and feelings that really matter. It's possible 
this is the first time they've been told than, even though they would 
prefer to do things their way, in fact the people who's job it is to 
decided these things want it done a different way. (I'm sure you'll find 
a more tactful way to put this :^)

It's a hard thing to let go when you firmly and genuinely believe that 
your way would be better. It's certainly a bitter lesson to learn, but 
necessary, as you and I and most people on this list found back when we 
were about four years old. Help this subordinate grow and mature and 
learn how to play nicely with the other kids in this big day-care centre 
we call adult employment.

I wonder if this person has ambitions to manage people some day. If they 
can't direction, how can they expect others to?

Stuart