Conduct.
- Paul Hopkins
- Dec 1, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 25, 2023

I would hope that all companies have a behaviour policy. Of course, we all try to employ key people that fit the culture of the organisation and represent the company well. However, interviews are hard and hiring the right person can go wrong. What you see is not always what you get. Psychometric testing has been designed to help (not a fan myself, and I think this process can actually help companies lose good people), but we can still get the wrong person nevertheless. It happens! When the person is in situ (whether they have been there long term or new), it can be difficult to identify a capability problem from behaviour problem in the first instance. However, time and good management will reveal the true identity. The whole managing conduct process takes effort, but we have to go through the motions to manage behaviour and either help make the change, or correctly manage poor behaviour out of the door.
There are tools to help:
Yearly appraisals (if used correctly)
1:1s
Training
Mentoring
Staff feedback
Good communication
Processes and policies
Understanding staff needs
Bullying is a big NO! Power tripping as a manager does not work and is not acceptable, it will come back to bite the manager and give the company a bad name. A manager that is a bully, is not a good manager and there are often reason for their behaviour to begin with. Poor qualifications, poor training, personality, feels threatened, a person put into the position incorrectly etc. A poor manager can be the reason for poor staff conduct, or a reason why good staff leave.
A great manager does not need to and will not power trip. Quality management shines through. Performance management, File notes, one to ones, appraisals, policies and determination are all vital to a good ending. Be patient, follow the process, learn and deliver what is needed to eventually say goodbye to the problem, in the team. Sometimes the problem is resolved and the person makes the changes needed. Maybe stress, health or wellbeing cause the issue. These can sometimes be neglected by a manager or just not recognised as KPI's take over. Sometimes the problem is simply the person. No matter what you do, you just will not be able to help them and it will be recognised that they are not a fit for your company. At times there is just a rotten apple. Training is key. Managers need training and development just like everyone else. This training helps direct the manager and helps them provide consistent and strategic pathways when dealing with conduct. If your managers are not trained I suggest training them. We may be slick in business, but we can be slicker. https://study.com/academy/lesson/behavioral-management-theory-understanding-employee-behavior-motivation.html Talking about being slick. Next blog, Lean management.
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