The Story of the "Sick Chicken"...

A Tale of Wisdom from "The Smartest Man I Know"

If you've read any of my previous posts you know I am a story teller.  I got this from "The Smartest Man I Know" who I worked for and was an important mentor in my career and life.  

He never answered your question, he always told a story.  That could sometimes be frustrating but...  The stories stuck, the lessons were learned and good things usually came from understanding the story.  On this Friday I'd like to share a short one but an important one...

The Sick Chicken in the Hen Yard

Occasionally in a labor intensive business like metal finishing the masses will find an a fellow employee that is struggling for some reason or just doesn't fit in. That employee may be a valuable contributor, have skills or abilities that you need and is actually very good for the company but...  They are kind of a square peg in a round hole.  You as a manager may value the employee but the masses do not and they react.  

This is where the story comes in.  When there is a sick chicken in the hen yard, the other chickens will peck it to death.  When there is a sick chicken in your company, the other employees may do the same.  And that may be as hard for you to deal with as the employee.

You, as the manager, need to look out for this effect and be wary of letting the masses drive way someone who you may find value in.  If an employee can plate, paint, rack or mask all day long with great results but for some reason doesn't click with the others, you may lose that employee because of that.  And that's bad for the company, for you and possibly for the employee.  

Moral of the Story

So the moral of the story?  Don't let it happen.  You can't force that square peg into the round hole but, you can be sure that the other employees don't make it a sport to torture this person.  You can be sure in many ways to emphasize the value and the positives and you can mange the team around that person.  

And if you do this, that valuable employee that does a great job but needed you to make a difference for them, they become a more dedicated, more loyal, harder working employee and that's good for you!  Because as we learned in another story:  When it comes to employees "you can buy the body but they have to give you their mind".  Help this employee and you have a friend and someone you can always count on to give you that extra that makes a difference.