Don't know where to get started? Here's an easy talent strategy you can implement right away.
At your next leadership team meeting, print out this short article, Rude, Late, and Unprepared: How to Manage Up the Soft Skills of Your Team, written by Patrick Ward for the Fistful of Talent blog, and bring it to the meeting. Either read it aloud to the group or have people take turns reading passages. (Whichever way is fine, as long as you're certain everyone has read it.) Then discuss how each of your managers/people leaders will implement these best practices with their respective teams.
Each of your managers will then commit to implementing one of the practices the following week with their direct reports, and then report back to the group at the next meeting.
The message is simple yet profound: You don’t have to--and you shouldn't--put up with rude, late, and unprepared employees. But, as managers, the onus is on you to help break bad habits and instill in your employees the habits you want to see. In six months, revisit the article to see how your managers and their people are doing.
Let me know how it goes ... and if you want to chat about other talent strategies you can implement.
