Episode #1 - Telling a coworker he smells bad
Hello and welcome to Tricky Management Situations !
Onirio kicks off this series of articles in which we explore, for you, all those tricky, even improbable (and yet real!) situations that the manager's job can throw at us.
In each episode, you'll find tips on how to step back and manage your problems 😉
To begin this series, we're not going to do things by halves...
If you haven't already done so, you can :
Read all episodes published to date
Discover theOnirio team and follow us on LinkedIn
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive future articles by email
Tricky Situtation of the day: How do you tell a coworker that his or her smell disturbs the entire openspace?
You're a manager, and one of your team members has strong body odor... You've noticed it multiple times during meetings. Others have come to you about their difficulty working next to this person. Yet, no one dares to address it.
Is it really your role as a manager to bring it up? How do you approach this topic?
Yes, you should dare to address it!
The topic is personal, and discussing it requires courage. But two reasons should compel you to tackle the issue:
You're doing the person a favor: they might become aware of an issue that could harm them throughout their professional, or even personal, life.
You're doing the team a favor: this situation can cause tensions and affect the team’s performance. By addressing these sensitive matters, you create an environment where issues are dealt with before they turn into major conflicts.
⛔ Mind the mistakes!
First instincts aren’t always the best... Clearly, in this situation, let's forget about:
Thenot-so-subtle allusion during team meetings: "It smells bad in here, doesn't it? Can someone open the window?"
The sneaky question: "Have you been eating a lot of spicy foods lately?"
Blame followed by the directive: "this can't go on, you've got to find a solution!"
Shift the problem onto others: "I personally haven't noticed it, but several people in the team have told me that...".
Wise advice such as "you know, with proper hygiene, these things just don't happen".
✅ How to approach the conversation respectfully?
The worst thing that can happen is to approach the subject awkwardly and make the person feel personally attacked, or even humiliated...
So how should you handle it?
Choose the right moment and place
Ensure both of you are available for a discussion in a location where the conversation remains private. Avoid discussing in between meetings, calling from your car, or chatting in the middle of the open space…
Present facts and express your feelings
In this situation, good feedback practices apply! Use sentences that start with “I” to be factual and convey your personal feelings about the situation. Don't mention what others might feel.
Ask if they're aware of the issue
This crucial question can kick-start a meaningful dialogue! If appropriate and if the person is receptive, you can offer help or advice (only if you genuinely have sound advice, of course!).
Example of a message to start a discussion
I'd like to address a topic that makes me uncomfortable, but I think it's important to talk to you about it.
Recently, I've been bothered by your smell, especially during our meetings. I'm concerned this might impact your relationships with the rest of the team, and I think we should discuss it.
Are you aware of it?
What's next?
Being the action-driven manager that you are, you might be tempted to consistently address the issue in your one-to-one meetings until it’s resolved. Hold on! This isn’t like tracking an operational project’s progress...
You had the courage to bring it up to the person and that's great.
Leave it up to the person to act...or not.
See you soon for the next episode!
In each episode, Onirio explores a managerial situation and gives you advice on how to take a step back and adopt the right reflexes!
What's next? Presenting your company's strategy to your team when you don't understand it yourself.
To find all the episodes already published, go to here !
To discover discover upcoming management challenges, you can follow us on our LinkedIn page or subscribe to our mailing list below.
Have you experienced managerial difficulties? Inspire us!
We're sure you've been in plenty of situations that would merit an article 😉. And we're always looking for inspiration for our next episodes. So drop us a line with a description of your troubles! We'll be delighted to explore your situations!
Onirio 's 💙 exploration of this management galley was brought to you by Jérôme Labastie.