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How to Handle Star Employees With Bad Attitudes Six entrepreneurs share their best methods.

By Entrepreneur Staff

This story appears in the December 2019 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »

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1. Don't excuse it.
"This is an interesting question -- and the way it's phrased says a lot about how we view productivity. It's all too often that we make excuses for "performers' who have a temperament that negatively impacts those around them. I'd approach them with a true desire to understand what's driving the bad behavior, but if it doesn't improve with the support I'm able to give, I'd remove the employee." -- Stephanie Nadi Olson, founder, We Are Rosie

2. Consider the source.
"Identify the reason for the attitude. Perhaps it's in response to his or her manager's bad attitude. In many cases, an employee may not feel comfortable or know how to deal with this kind of a situation, and that unhappiness may manifest itself in a negative demeanor. It is so important to always take the opportunity to learn of gaps in our business operations. These conversations give us a glimpse into areas for improvement that we would otherwise miss." -- Johanna Zlenko, CEO, The Closet Trading Co.

Related: Six Ways to Get Your Productivity On Track

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