How to handle harping in the workplace
We all know that person, the one who always presents a million reasons why something won’t work, without suggesting a workable solution themselves. In psychoanalytical parlance, such people are called harpers.
“It is helpful to have somebody who is able to identify risks, stumbling blocks and problems,” says Evalex’s Hendrik Bronkhorst. “However, when someone identifies stumbling blocks with little attempt to provide a solution, this person will be perceived to be obstructive rather than helpful.”
Harping is one of 44 behaviours identified by Evalex as performance inhibitors.
“These behaviours have the potential to impact an individual’s ability to resolve problems, manage relationships, manage themselves and execute and deliver on their tasks and objectives,” explains Hendrik. “Harpers are over-analytical, critical and cynical, while not balancing this out by actually doing something about the problem.”
So what do you do when you come across a harper? Hendrik proposes the following strategies for dealing with harping in the workplace:
- Run with their thought process and see where it ends
Play out the possible scenarios of your suggestions with the harper in your team. Say the following, “Tell me, how do you think it will play out if we do it this way.”
They might actually have a valid point.
- Convince them your way is worth a try
Try saying the following, “Good thinking, and thanks for your contribution. Your points are noted. But let’s try it this way anyway and see how it works out.”
- Issue a challenge
Hendrik uses a personal story to illustrate this point.
“A friend of mine became MD of a printing company at the age of 35. He sat in his first Exco meeting with a group of war horses who had been doing things the same way for decades. His job was to shift the operation fundamentally and technologically into a new digital age.
“Many of his fellow Exco members were resistant, harping on about how things worked fine just as they were. ‘Why should we change?’ they asked. “This new technology will never work.’
“So he issued a challenge. He explained what the business needed to aim for in order to remain viable, and challenged the team to plot a course that would get them to that point. He gave them a week to put a detailed presentation together.
“Ultimately, after thinking it through, they realised it would be best to buy into the MD’s vision.”
- Call them out
“There is also a more direct way of dealing with harpers, and that is by calling them out,” says Hendrik. “Let them know that this is how things are going to be and asking them if they’re in or out.”
This is obviously a last resort and should be used carefully as it could backfire.
Ultimately, it boils down to knowing your team.
“Knowing your team really well is key when it comes to deciding which of these approaches to take,” says Hendrik. “There will always be nuances, and the way you handle each individual harper will have a direct impact on the eventual outcome.”
Evalex measures performance inhibitors (and their opposites, performance enhancers) as part of the Evalex20 battery of psychometric assessments. Evalex20 also maps archetypes, styles, potential and leadership indicators, job fit and talent.
Read more about performance inhibitors and enhancers on the Evalex blog:
Why you should be measuring your team’s performance inhibitors