Ever feel that you spend too much time shoring up the performance of some of your people? More time with one or two than with some of the others.

And doesn't that just drain you? So think about those employees and how they are draining you and damaging the energy you have. The energy that could well be directed much more productively.

There are people in your business who just seem to be way off where you want them to be. They are behaving as they are and it's perfectly their right to be the way they are. But not in your business.

If it doesn't fit what you want, then you have two options (apart from just tolerating it, which I'm sure you don't want to do):-

1. Make very clear what your expectations are in words of one syllable and write them down. Manage it closely and be prepared for 2.
2. Work out a way to take them from your business (remember - you are doing them a favour, because if they are in an job which is way different than they are, they will be very unhappy underneath).
3. There's a 3. Recruit a lot more carefully in future.

• What do you observe in your team today?
• Who are the 'keepers'
• Who are the 'losers' (the ones who suck you dry of energy)
• Who are the 'Oooops, I should never have taken them on in the first place'.

And just think about what you will do with the time! One of my clients, when asked to note the people who wasted his time in one week found that one person alone accounted for 30% of his time!

Solving that issue, which required a little focused attention, within two weeks had created that space for him. Space that he used to build his business way above target.

Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, \rmainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He \rhas hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, \rhttp://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. \r(Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)

\r...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...