How often have you heard someone criticize another when you know that they have the same bad habits themselves? As a team leader, it’s best to foster an atmosphere that isn’t judgmental. I think it was John C. Maxwell that summed it up when he said: “Most people’s natural inclination is to judge themselves according to their best qualities while they measure others by their worst.”

For example, just because someone is late all the time doesn’t mean you have to talk about it endlessly when he or she isn’t around, or even when that person is around. If a team member gets into a habit of being late for meetings, business outings, and/or conferences…after the second or third time you should address it directly with that person. The team shouldn’t waste time and build negative energy by complaining about it before the person gets there, or even later in a smaller group. Make it clear to the person when he or she finally arrives that they’re late and that being late is unacceptable. The offender should be put on notice that if the poor behavior continues there will be consequences for being late.

Don’t let meetings devolve into a place where people sit around and talk about others viciously. Unfortunately, it’s a part of human nature to try and pump oneself up by bringing someone else down. But this personality trait isn’t attractive at home or at the office. It’s your job as a team leader to squash this behavior before it grows out of control.

What kind of things do you do, to help tame the “bad habit beasts?”