If the boss is given attitude or back talk how are they dealt with?

Hi there! This is a good question, and as a manager of employees, one that I feel like I'm qualified to answer!

I currently have 13 employees, and believe it or not, they are not always happy with me, or new policies that I may have to roll out. A good manager will set clear expectations of how to communicate in a business setting, and on a team, but if not there are a few rules to follow.

1. Be respectful
2. If you have a complaint, also provide a potential solution
3. Save your complaints or concerns for a private setting/vs a group setting so you can discuss your concerns with your manager without taking time away from the team or team's learning

As a manager, if I have an employee who is complaining a lot, or seems to be having trouble, I will pull them and talk to them on the side. I will ask what I can do to help them, and then set clear expectations about how to behave going forward. If, after discussing, the employee continues to exhibit the undesirable behavior, there may be some type of corrective action administered - like a warning, or a performance improvement plan.

Hope this helps!

Remember for every reaction there is a thought and for every thought there is a reaction. Remember to remain calm you don't have to get on their level (attitude wise) to have a Great conversation.

Joshua,

I am one of those people who sometimes pushes the limits, so I can speak from experience! I think a lot will depend on how long the employee has been with the company. If they are fairly new/still on probation there's a good chance they will lose their jobs. That is because the company does not have a lot invested in them, and, this is a period of time when most employees are on their best behavior.

With a more senior employee, a good boss will try to get to the bottom of it. There is usually an under-lying issue that is causing the problem. As an example: when I was a police officer, we had different assignments every day, but they were mostly foot patrol. One officer would get vehicle patrol. Let's say I had been on foot patrol a lot, and I noticed "Paul" was getting to drive more than his share. I wouldn't directly question the supervisor, but perhaps I developed an attitude. If he called me in, I would be honest. Perhaps he had a good reason for what he was doing. Perhaps Paul was leaving his district and going home for extended lunch breaks, and they were trying to catch him at it. Of course, they would not tell me that. But, he would reference our past good working relationship, tell me there was a necessary reason why Paul was driving, and ask me to trust him and support that decision.

Why do good employees get attitude? All sorts of reasons! Personal problems, boredom, they think the task assigned to them is "Stupid" or "menial," perceived unfairness/favoritism, etc. Supervisors need to find ways to keep good employees, but they cannot allow subordinates to "take over." At some point, even a good employee will be fired if he does not "check the attitude."

Most good bosses would take the situation offline with the individual as not to include other team members initially and secure a more private and open communication line with the person.  Many times an individual needs time to vent their frustrations and just needs a manager that is encouraging and that will listen to their grievances.