Some of the hardest employees to manage are people who are consistently oppositional. They might actively debate or ignore feedback, refuse to follow instructions they disagree with, or create a constant stream of negative comments about new initiatives. Most often, these behaviors are meant to make the employee look strong and mask a fear of change, an aversion to anticipated conflict, or the worry that they will look stupid or incompetent. I’ve found in my 30 years of consulting for both public and privately held companies, that there are three distinct approaches that can help you get the best from oppositional employees.
How to Manage a Stubborn, Defensive, or Defiant Employee
Managing a defiant employee isn’t easy. To get the best from them, try three tactics. You might be able to adjust their job responsibilities to leverage their strengths. If they have deep technical expertise but lack management skills, for example, try putting them into a subject matter expert role. Some employees become oppositional when they feel insecure, especially if their role is changing. You might temporarily overlook their negative style while they adjust to their new circumstances and then work on stylistic problems once they’ve settled in and feel more familiar with the new expectations. Lastly, consider whether their resistance is appropriate. Perhaps they are pointing out process changes that need to be made or alerting you to problems no one else is willing to raise. Don’t outright dismiss negative behavior but also don’t let it go on too long. If none of these tactics work, it might be time for the person to move on.