It often pops up on my LinkedIn feed: people difficulties in the workplace. Sometimes it’s called drama, disruption, or even dysfunction. However, I would rather call these moments and situations people complexities.
Not because every workplace issue is complicated. And certainly not because every difficult situation has some deeper explanation. Rather, I think the word complexities better reflects the reality of managing people.
People bring experiences, beliefs, expectations, priorities, values, and yes, sometimes their own challenges to work with them. Managers do, too. And when all of those things intersect in the workplace, what we see on the surface isn’t always the whole story.
If we are honest with ourselves, we all come to the table with our own set of complexities for a million different reasons. These complexities can also be subjective, and I think all successful managers must recognize that.
Discussing a workplace concern with a co-worker may be interpreted as gossip by a manager who doesn’t share the same experience. The inability to hit a quota or production number may be a performance failure if a manager only looks at numbers and not the nuances of the work. Absenteeism may appear lazy and irresponsible on the surface and may stem from a number of family or health experiences of the employee.
And vice versa, the people on our teams may notice the complexities we, as managers, bring to the table too. Maybe we are the ones slowing production, need to adjust the schedule, or simply need to make more time to connect and discuss lingering issues.
Now, in saying all of this, just because many times there is more to the story doesn’t mean there always is more to it. That distinction matters.
People complexities should not become an excuse for poor performance, inappropriate behavior, missed expectations, or avoiding difficult conversations. Empathy and accountability can exist at the same time.
What I do want to suggest is that people complexities can and should be met with empathy. As managers, we must do our due diligence to get to the bottom of the workplace concern, examine performance goals, review scheduling, and so many other things that can make dealing with these complexities and getting to the bottom of the issue much less painful than letting them linger.
And sometimes, getting to the bottom of it simply confirms what you initially thought. But sometimes it doesn’t, and that is the part of management that requires judgment.
I must add, there are quite a few employment laws that support this approach that managers should be aware of. What may initially look like an attendance issue, performance issue, or interpersonal issue can sometimes intersect with a legally protected matter. That doesn’t mean every people issue is an employment law issue. It means managers need enough awareness to know when to pause, ask questions, and involve HR.
Three quick tips:
1. Get curious before getting frustrated.
When something doesn’t make sense, ask questions. What happened? What have you observed? What does the employee see differently? Is there information you don’t have?
This isn’t about excusing behavior or avoiding accountability. It is about making sure you are responding to the actual issue rather than the story you have created about it.
2. Separate the person from the problem.
An employee who is struggling with attendance may still be a valuable employee. A manager who is frustrated with an employee may still need to look objectively at the situation.
Address the behavior, the expectation, the work, or the specific concern. Avoid turning a complex situation into a judgement about someone’s character.
3. Don’t let complexity become avoidance.
Empathy does not mean letting issues linger indefinitely.
Sometimes the most empathetic thing a manager can do is address the concern directly and clearly. Clarify expectations. Review the facts. Document appropriately. Identify what support may be available. Set a reasonable path forward. And follow up.
The goal isn’t to make every workplace issue easy. People are complicated. Work is complicated. Life is complicated. The goal is to become better at navigating the complexity without adding unnecessary complexity of our own. And for those in management, that means moving beyond the temptation to reduce every difficult situation to a label.
People complexities require honesty and consideration, not only for us and the work we are trying to accomplish, but for those around us as well. This is where effective management begins.
If your management team could use a practical conversation about navigating people complexities, I welcome the opportunity to connect and learn more.
