Reading the Mood
The first time I step into any business, I read the mood instantly. Is it a positive workplace, full of energy and purpose? Does the receptionist or salesperson greet me with a genuine smile? Does their can-do attitude give me the confidence I need to open my wallet?
Or does it feel like there’s a cloud hanging over everyone? The smiles seem forced, the staff avoid me when I ask for help, or blame their useless wholesaler when the item I came to buy is out of stock. It’s like the staff all loathe each other, and are working full-time to keep that tension under wraps.
You know exactly what I’m saying. You make the same intuitive assessments each time you walk into a shop or showroom or professional suite. But here’s the challenge. Can you read the mood in your business as accurately as you do when you’re a first-time customer?
If you can’t, you’re risking it all. Your customers can read the mood, too. And if it’s negative, many of them will take their business elsewhere.
Red, Yellow, Green
I believe most people come to work each day wanting to make a difference. That’s how we are. We want to contribute.
Some folks are different. Remember that cloud I mentioned earlier? They take their misery with them wherever they go, like a balloon on a stick. And they enjoy making others feel as bad as they do.
There can be plenty of reasons why people sour on life. Past trauma, conflicts at home, addictions, unrealised dreams. At work, though, the result is the same. They don’t just underperform—they revel in conflict, actively undermining and disrupting their colleagues.
I have a simple label for these individuals. Reds. Like a stoplight. Because if left unchecked, they’ll destroy everything you’ve worked to achieve.
One Red in your workplace is one Red too many.
Then you have staff members who are still learning the ropes, who haven’t proven themselves yet. Or people who spend too long hanging around with a Red, so their negativity starts to rub off on them.
These folk are Yellows. Like an amber light, warning you to take care.
Yellows can go either way. They can turn Red. Or Green. Which brings me to the last group.
In a healthy workplace, most people are Greens. They perform well, they add value, they assist their teammates. They don’t demand a whole lot of attention. You feel positive around them.
Poor performing teams are infested with Reds and Yellows. High performing teams are mostly Green. They may have some Yellows, who are beginning to turn Green. If there are any Reds, the team has learned to insulate itself from their negativity.
So, as a business owner, where do you invest most of your energy? In your Greens? Your Yellows? Or your Reds?
Who’s Indispensable?
Remember how I read the mood anytime I enter a new business? I do the same with my clients. Sometimes, I could cut the atmosphere with a plastic fork. As soon as I’m alone with my client, I ask, ‘Which of your team members is indispensable?’
Indispensable sounds like a badge of honour. Who wouldn’t want their boss to hold them in high regard? But for business owners, indispensable spells trouble. If they truly can’t do without a staff member, what happens if they quit? The whole business falls apart.
Most times, my clients haven’t thought that far ahead. They have the answer on the tip of their tongues. ‘Why, it’s Geoff!’ (Or Jenny. Or whomever.) ‘He’s my 2IC. I can’t do without him. He makes things happen!’
Usually, they praise Geoff to the heavens. But when I speak with the staff in private, a different picture emerges.
‘Geoff? He’s a bully, to be frank.’
‘A yes-man. He tells the boss what he wants to hear.’
‘Geoff plays favourites. Once you cross him, he never forgets.’
‘He knows where all the bodies are buried.’
So what’s going on? Is Geoff a saint or a devil?
Answer? He’s neither. Geoff is a Red.
Pulling The Wool Over Your Eyes
I won’t mince words here. Geoff represents a failure of leadership. Here’s what’s happened.
Geoff has convinced his boss he is hyper-capable. Indeed, he’s across every aspect of the business. Because he reports directly to the owner, he highlights his own exceptional performance, while blaming any shortfalls on his incompetent underlings.
But the staff have no chance. Geoff divides and conquers. He withholds information from them, believing this strengthens his hand. He rules by fear and intimidation, favouring some staff while pitting others against each other. Often, he takes charge of hiring and firing, so the workforce begins to reflect his dysfunction. And no one is game to speak up against him.
To the boss, Geoff is a Green. If only all the employees were as proficient and dedicated as he is.
To the staff, Geoff is a Red. He makes every working day a living hell.
There’s a word for Geoff’s behaviour. Grooming. He has manipulated his boss into believing his lies. And the more the business struggles, the more the boss believes in Geoff.
So: think hard. Have you allowed a Geoff to take control of your business?