Hey. It’s Bob Negen. And in this episode of Real Retail TV, we’re going to explore HPAs in the high cost of drama.

So do you have somebody on your team right now who is really good? Maybe they’re a great salesperson. Maybe they have a really big book of business. You know, they have customers who are loyal to them and they come in and see them and they spend a lot of money with them. Or maybe they have a specific skill that is really valuable. And because they have this performance dynamic, because they’re good at something, they don’t feel that they need to do the things the way that you want them to be done.

And our friend Jessica Bettencourt has a term for those people. They are HPAs, high performing.

Right? They are the people who are causing all the drama. And so I am encouraging you. If you have an HPA on your team, I’m encouraging you to really, really grow up as a manager, have a difficult conversation with that person, or even get rid of that person.

You see, one bad apple does indeed spoil the whole bunch. This is what I mean when I say the high cost of drama.

If you have someone who is holding you hostage, meaning they don’t do what you say they should do because they don’t think you will discipline or fire them because they have this skill or because they have this book of business. Everybody’s watching, aren’t they? You know this to be true. Those people are holding you hostage and everybody’s watching.

And the mentality is if they aren’t doing it, why should I do it? And that’s what I mean by the high cost of drama Because you’re never going to get that great team that you deserve until you get rid of those people. And I know, I know the I I can hear I can hear people’s minds going, but I’m having a hard time finding people. But, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, buts.

No buts here. Let recognize this. First of all, you are never going to get a good person into that line on your schedule until you get rid of that person that is holding up that line in that schedule. You can’t replace the bad person with a good person until you get rid of the bad person.

Now, know what you can say. I’m gonna bring a good person in, then I’m gonna get rid of the bad person. And I know that you won’t. Right? The way to do it is to have the difficult conversation or to do the difficult deed.

Have the difficult conversation or get rid of that person.

A wise person in the Platinum Mastermind group said something really great. She said, culture is what you allow.

And when she said that, when Ken in January said that, it was like a mic drop moment. Everybody in the room went, oh my gosh, that is exactly right. And if you allow drama, the drama will grow.

That person will feel more and more entitled. That person will feel justifiably like they can hold you hostage. And again, everybody else is watching. So again, I’m going back and I’m repeating it and I’m repeating it.

The name of the game is to have the difficult conversation and if that doesn’t work to get rid of that person. Now, let’s talk to another elephant in this room. And that elephant is someone saying, but I I I I don’t have enough people. I can’t find good people.

Nobody wants to work for me. And I’m going to suggest to you that when you create a great culture, people do want to work for you. And recruiting is a skill. So if that is your excuse is I won’t be able to find somebody good to replace this HPA, I’m suggesting that you need to learn how to become a more skillful recruiter.

If you have the retail mastery system, go into the staff development module, learn how to write a red hot help wanted ad. Once you attract more people through marketing your store with a great marketing piece, help wanted to add that’s a marketing piece, then you need to train them skillfully. Then you need to coach them. Then you need to build this culture.

But you see, it’s a virtuous loop when you get rid of the wrong person and replace them with the right person. All of a sudden you are on your way to creating the kind of culture that you deserve. The kind of culture that your other team members deserve. The kind of culture where the team members who want to do a great job feel good about doing a great job because everybody’s doing a great job.

You know, Seth Godin defined culture as people like us doing things this way.

And that’s what a great culture is. So if you’re feeling some nervousness or nervousness watching this episode of Real Retail TV, I’m gonna suggest to you that this is a great feeling because that feeling is the precursor to change. That feeling is an acknowledgement that I’m right and you know I’m right. So anyway, my encouragement with this episode of Real Retail TV is to when you identify an HPA, do the hard work.

Have the difficult conversation. Let them go. And here’s the final thing that I wanna say about this whole thing. Is every time you have that difficult conversation, every time you have to let somebody go because they are not adhering to your standards or they are being an HPA.

Every time you do that, it becomes easier. Every time you do that, you become better at it. Pretty soon it’s automatic. Pretty soon, it’s just part of your skill set.

Pretty soon, it’s part of your mature manager’s mentality. That person isn’t working out, that person is gone. You know, you must get rid of the bad to bring in the good. So if you agree with me, put some comments down below.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of Real Retail TV. Talk soon.