By Joanne G. Sujansky
There are certain problems that most managers would like to avoid. Calling angry customers or presenting unhealthy sales numbers to higher-ups, for instance. And yes, dealing with slow-moving, low-achieving, rule-breaking employees.
Seifert Systems Invests in Energy Efficiency to Strengthen Operations
For manufacturers, energy is more than just another operating expense. It plays a critical role…
Learn More
Interestingly enough, however, if you take care of the latter problem, the other two might just work themselves out.
When you confront your poor performers, you will find that one of two things happens: either they improve or they move – hopefully, to a new company. Either result keeps customers satisfied and business brisk. And it keeps your good employees happy.
So, how do you confront these offenders? Here are some tried-and-true rules of engagement:
Be specific: If an employee has been consistently late, specify the number of times (frequency) or amount of time (intensity). Avoid exaggerated statements, such as “You are totally unreliable.” Instead, try “This is the third time in one week that you have been 10 minutes late.” If this has arisen in the past, remind the employee that you have pointed out the offense previously.
Always, always, always re-focus the employee on the stated goal. Say something like, “It is important for you to be here at the designated time, since customers rely on our immediate responsiveness.”
Focus on what’s required: For example, if you need to correct something like inappropriate casual dress, make sure that you reiterate the guidelines that have been outlined for the workplace – not the personal taste of the individual. Straying into areas that have nothing to do with workplace performance will result in a loss of credibility with the person you are confronting.
Consider the receiver: Everyone handles feedback differently. Some people want it straight, while others are sensitive to any kind of feedback that might be construed as negative. Regardless of the poor performer’s personality, however, you should always be clear and straightforward in your communication.
Focus on performance the receiver can control: Poor performance isn’t always the result of an employee’s carelessness. If, however, an employee has not conducted the activities needed to attain a goal, work on identifying things that person can do – make more follow-up calls, for instance, or aim for 10 appointments a week instead of eight – to make progress. Always take the time to brainstorm ideas for how the employee can improve performance or avoid repeating a mistake.
Give timely feedback: Usually, there’s no reason to hesitate about giving feedback to poor performers. Make them aware of what they did immediately, so they’ll have total recall.
However, pay close attention to the person’s mental state. If he or she is too emotional or preoccupied at the moment, wait until the employee has calmed down and can really think about what has happened. Just don’t wait to provide feedback until days later – or worse, weeks – when the low-performer’s behavior has become a hazy memory.
A common pitfall is failing to provide feedback on a regular basis. Rather, managers bombard employees at their year-end appraisal. The appraisal should be a review of previous discussions throughout the year. Nothing mentioned at that time should come as a surprise.
Check for understanding: Avoid asking close-ended questions during the discussion or when summarizing. You never want to ask, “Do you understand?” If the employee says “Yes,” you will not know if your message actually got through. Instead, ask employees to summarize their understanding of the situation. Have them lay out actions, steps, or accountabilities that should be implemented while moving forward.
Keep a paper trail: After each meeting with the poor performer, take notes that summarize the discussions. In your documentation, include the problem, the action taken to correct or eliminate it, the dates, the results that occurred, and any comments that will help you to recall feedback sessions when you do your year-end appraisal. But avoid creating a “little black book” of mistakes and errors. Documentation should reflect all levels of performance and feedback discussions, both positive and corrective.
Use the ABC format: Here’s how the ABC format for giving feedback breaks down: A is for accurate. Be accurate by reflecting an objective description of what occurred. B is for behavioral. State the problem in performance terms – what was seen or heard. C is for consistent. Be sure to include what was done, its impact, and how it will be eliminated (negative) or repeated (positive).
Confronting poor performers may not be easy, but once they have a system in place, managers usually find that getting such employees back on track is far preferable to ignoring the problem.
Joanne G. Sujansky is founder and president of KEYGroup, a consultancy that helps corporate clients create productive workplace cultures, and a past national president of the American Society for Training and Development. For more information, visit keygroupconsulting.com or joannesujansky.com.
