workplace prima donna employees| handling them

Eric Frei · 25th October 2010, 08:17 AM

A great article about a very real situation many tree businesses experience.

Handling prima donna employees

What is a "Prima Donna"?

Quote:

Prima Donna was the term given to the leading lady in Italian operas, the star soprano. Adored by the cast and fans, she always got special treatment. Like the late Joan Sutherland, and richly deserved too.

There's 4 basic types of Prima Donna

Quote:

Tim Gould at HR Morning says there are four types of prima donna:

Joe or Josephine Cool - urbane, confident, knows everything and everyone and who never misses an opportunity to point it out to people;

Vincent or Vivian Van Gogh, the one who is just so creative and who can’t be expected to follow the same rules as everyone else;

the Founding Father or Mother who has been around forever and who thinks they have already done all the hard yards and doesn’t have to produce in the same way they used to;

and Conan or Connie the Barbarian, the office bully who makes everyone miserable, but gets results.

But regardless of the category, they have two things in common: they’re not team players and they are full of themselves. Gould says it’s hard getting rid of these people but sometimes you just have to if they are more trouble than they are worth.

In tree busineeses often the climbers are the Prima Donna!

The two I find you come across most often are:-

In larger crews especially council crews where firing is harder you have the Founding Father, some bloke who's been around longer than Moses not pulling his weight.

In smaller crews where getting fired is highly likely but due to the difficulty in replacement of the climber you'll likely have the Conan the Barbarian.

If the boss fires Conan then he has a serious productivity issue.

The article talks of how to manage them and there's some great reader comments too. I like the finishing paragraph:-

Quote:

Or as Star Trek’s Spock put it, logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

Sunraysia Tree Solutions · 25th October 2010, 08:51 AM

I've never found Conan the Barbarian types a problem, in the tree game, tree people are generally not easily intimidated ( as compared to say office environments) so they just tell types like this to F off. They then go and whinge to the boss to say so and so is hopeless but the boss usually has heard this before and ignores them.

Garry Brockley · 25th October 2010, 09:19 AM

That list is missing one.
the guy or girl who has been in the industry for 5 mins and knows everything there is and lets everyone know it, then wont take advice from the long horns in the team.

Jeff Darby · 25th October 2010, 05:12 PM

lol..I've experienced all of them at one place.....grown men acting like 2 yearolds..power hungry, lifers, yes men, and God

forgive me god..for I have studied hard !

Apocalypsse · 26th October 2010, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galbee

That list is missing one.
the guy or girl who has been in the industry for 5 mins and knows everything there is and lets everyone know it, then wont take advice from the long horns in the team.

Hmm, thought I posted here. I've worked with one of the above in a previous job. Come to think of it I worked with Conan too for 2-3 days before I quit over his bs some 4 years ago in another completely different industry.

treelinx · 26th October 2010, 07:07 AM

A very big generalisation, but this is an industry problem.
The situation arises because there are too many businesses that have to rely on hiring/using climbing 'contractors'. Most of these 'contractors' have learn't on the job from others who know little of what they are doing. These 'contractors' believe that they are the business, without them that tree co. cant operate. It's a circular argument and not untrue in a lot of cases.
I have had my share of climbers telling me how great they are!
I have had this business for the better part of thirty years and I've seen all types. You name it I've probably seen it!
I don't know of an answer, easy or hard.
I believe it starts with the person.

25th October 2010, 08:51 AM	#2
Sunraysia Tree Solutions Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mildura Posts: 117	Re: workplace prima donna employees\| handling them I've never found Conan the Barbarian types a problem, in the tree game, tree people are generally not easily intimidated ( as compared to say office environments) so they just tell types like this to F off. They then go and whinge to the boss to say so and so is hopeless but the boss usually has heard this before and ignores them.

25th October 2010, 09:19 AM	#3
Garry Brockley Bayside Tree Care Brisbane Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Brisbane Aus Posts: 1,641	Re: workplace prima donna employees\| handling them That list is missing one. the guy or girl who has been in the industry for 5 mins and knows everything there is and lets everyone know it, then wont take advice from the long horns in the team. __________________ My business:- Brisbane Bayside Tree Care

25th October 2010, 05:12 PM	#4
Jeff Darby Moderator - Previously known as JayD Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: TreeWorld, Sydney Australia Posts: 2,059	Re: workplace prima donna employees\| handling them lol..I've experienced all of them at one place.....grown men acting like 2 yearolds..power hungry, lifers, yes men, and God forgive me god..for I have studied hard ! __________________ Member: Australian Tree Association Join the Australian Tree Association...Have your voice heard ! Arboriculture, A life long study for some, a passing phase for others © Jeffrey J Darby 2011

26th October 2010, 07:07 AM	#6
treelinx Sappling Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 26	Re: workplace prima donna employees\| handling them A very big generalisation, but this is an industry problem. The situation arises because there are too many businesses that have to rely on hiring/using climbing 'contractors'. Most of these 'contractors' have learn't on the job from others who know little of what they are doing. These 'contractors' believe that they are the business, without them that tree co. cant operate. It's a circular argument and not untrue in a lot of cases. I have had my share of climbers telling me how great they are! I have had this business for the better part of thirty years and I've seen all types. You name it I've probably seen it! I don't know of an answer, easy or hard. I believe it starts with the person.

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