The disruption of disengagement

I have seen few finer examples of strops in the workplace than Arjen Robben’s reaction to being substituted at Euro 2012 last night. It had the full fireworks, beginning with him stomping past photographers so his antics could be captured and ending with him parking himself outside the team dugout, rather than joining the rest of the squad.

The incident gives rise to the type of challenge and issues faced by managers in many workplaces, in every part of the world. How do you seek to re-engage a talented team member, who has blown a gasket for whatever reason, so that they re-commit to the enterprise and play their part in the team? And how do you strike the balance between indulging him/her and ensuring the rest of the team is not angered or de-motivated by the antics (or the attention you’re giving them)?

Not easy. Particularly if you have one or two other, shall we say ‘temperamental’, members of your team. But it’s not the kind of thing that can be left to fester. From the individual’s point of view, the issues leading to the outburst may still be eating away at them and could destroy their future performance/productivity. From the team point of view, the disruption could spark resentment and further disagreements that spread a malaise across the whole enterprise.  

So managers have to address these incidents head on. They have to deal with the individual face- to-face, addressing the grievance he/she feels but also – crucially – holding the line on required behavioural standards. They have to ensure the rest of the team knows that the situation is being handled, proactively and sensitively, without divulging the details of what is discussed or agreed. And they have to re-integrate disaffected individuals quickly, ensuring they are included – and participate – in scheduled team meetings, planning sessions, feedback discussions, etc.

The Dutch management team faces a major challenge this morning. They have to deal with it quickly and proactively, so the team can regroup and prepare for its most crucial match of the last two years. If they don’t, they could well find that one individual’s behaviour has effectively brought down the walls of team spirit from within.