How do you put out a burning well-head?

You know the imagery here – a fire at an oil well, flames leaping into the air and a gigantic cloud shrouding the surrounding land.

Rather similar to what happens when gossip breaks out in a business.

An example of which was presented to me the other day as a coaching assignment.

“A new nurse has been appointed at a slightly higher salary than her established colleagues.

We had to do that because market forces, supply/demand, means that to attract the right person we had to pay a little over the odds.

Our intention was to “restore differentials” later in the year – but just now we are reinvesting £250,000 into the practice and there is no spare cash to give everyone a pay rise.

The new girl didn’t know any better – she blabbed her salary in the staff room.

We don’t talk salaries here – never have done in 25 years.

It has caused a commotion – none of the girls are talking to me and you can cut the atmosphere with a knife.”

Ever heard that story?

The principal sat in a city hotel with me the other day, head in hands.

“What do I do?”

The answer is to consider how to put out a burning well-head – although I’m going to slightly modify my metaphor.

Option 1 – starve the fire of oxygen

1. Call a meeting;
2. explain that discussion of salaries is not allowed;
3. issue a contract amendment that confirms the fact;
4. tell them all to go back to work
5. and that you refuse to take part in the conversation – now or ever
6. and that if people don’t like that then they need to be looking for another job.

Option 2 – create a controlled explosion, the force of which is large enough to extinguish the original fire

1. call a meeting;
2. ask them to explain their greivances in a team environment;
3. leave them alone for an hour and request that when you return they have designed a solution which incorporates the continued well-being and expansion of the business;
4. walk out of the room and shut the door;
5. return in one hour to listen to their business planning ideas;
6. having listened carefully – default to Option 1.

My client decided that option 1 was his favoured choice.

The points being:

1. don’t wrestle with the pig;
2. don’t give oxygen to a situation you cannot tolerate;
3. never justify the decisions you make to a aggrieved party
4. nobody is indespensable – nobody.

Harsh?

Yes.

Effective?

Yes.

The fire is out.