“I’m not looking forward to this conversation,” Rachel confided. “I have been dreading this for weeks.”
“So, you have been putting this off?” I answered (with a question).
She nodded. “I hate dealing with misbehavior. I would prefer to drop a few hints and hope they get the message.”
“So, hope is your strategy?”
Rachel chuckled, in pain. “I want to do this right. This conversation is treacherous. As the manager, if I screw this up, it could make matters worse.”
“How about three ground-rules?” I asked.
“Okay, I’m all in,” she replied.
“Now, if your purpose is to simply fire someone, cut them off at the knees, you don’t need this. But if your objective is for the team member to correct the behavior, put the performance back on track, then start here.
Three Groundrules credit to Pat Murray
- No surprises
- Re-visit the deal
- Be slow to understand
No Surprises
The purpose of this conversation is to re-place the team member on stable ground so that corrective adjustments can be built. People have difficulty coping when the rug has been pulled from underneath.
Revisit the Deal
There was always a deal. Sometimes people forget the deal and that’s why their behavior gets out of whack.
Be Slow to Understand
Managers often jump to conclusions without the facts, trying to solve the problem before they understand the problem. Be slow to understand.
The next Subject Area in our Working Leadership Online program is Coaching Underperformance – Time Span and the Employee Contract. We have a few open slots available if you would like a Free Introductory Membership. We kick off on September 7. Wait, that’s today!
Could not agree more with the “Be Slow to Understand” part. You might look like a 3 yr old trying to understand a complex problem, but i think its worth it.
Nice post Tom! Of your three ground rules, I think rule one is the most important. There is nothing more detrimental to employee performance management than surprising a team member with a conversation that is already uncomfortable to begin with.
I have included your post in my Rainmaker ‘Fab Five’ blog picks of the week (found here: http://www.maximizepossibility.com/employee_retention/2010/09/the-.html) to share your ground rules with my readers.
Be well!
Chris, thank you for the kind words. Keep in touch. -TF