It’s reasonable to say that the worst part about being a boss is having to address poor conduct and performance. There are a few reasons for that. The first is obvious, it can feel bad to talk to someone about what they’re not doing well. Many managers and employees feel embarrassed during performance conversations and because of this, managers often avoid the discussions.
Second, today's workplace moves swiftly. If performance conversations (both positive and corrective) aren’t happening routinely, then talking about performance can turn into “added work”, piled on top of all the other responsibilities. Finally, many managers never properly learn how to have a conversation about correcting performance, let alone know what the process is when someone’s behavior doesn't change. They then go to HR for help which often sucks them into an abyss of corrective action policies and procedures.
My biggest piece of advice to any leader is to stay away from HR corrective action procedures. (My HR colleagues might feel pained to hear this. Though, some may be overjoyed.) Corrective action processes are often a time suck for managers and a humiliating experience for the employee. Many require so much documentation and meetings that the manager just opts to deal with or ignore the behavior.
Instead, managers need to do everything they can to prevent poor conduct and performance. Read this, 4 Ways to Prevent Performance Issues to learn how.
But if prevention doesn’t work, then a manager just needs to know how to have a conversation about performance. That’s all it is, a conversation.
This article walks you through how to do just that.
Addressing Poor Performance and Conduct Issues
When prevention isn't enough, and you still have someone who isn’t performing well, it's crucial to address problems promptly and effectively. Here's a general best practice.
High Stakes Issues
There are some transgressions that require swift correction. They look like safety violations or misconduct that puts the company at risk. These are severe and they fall into the camp of “zero tolerance”. Address these situations right away and use corrective action processes if organizational policy requires it. Don’t mess around here.
Take care of high stakes issues quickly.
First Occurrence
For low-stakes issues (e.g. mistakes or a bad day), you may choose to let it go if it seems to be a one-off occurrence. These are situations like you notice someone host an unproductive meeting. It started late and the materials weren’t prepared. Or, someone sounded rude or condescending in a meeting. These situations could be the result of a bad day. You can usually let this kind of thing go the first time it occurs.
Here's the thing, you don’t have to address everything. Managers who address every transgression can risk creating an atmosphere of micro-management. Allowing space for mistakes is ok. Certainly, notice it and maybe jot it down in your notes so you don’t forget about it. But it’s important to know that it’s ok to let low stakes stuff go the first time.
Second Occurrence
If it happens again, such as they host another meeting where they’re unprepared, now it’s time to have a conversation about it. You address it. Meaning, just give it attention. This is feedback-land not necessarily the doom and gloom of “poor conduct and performance”. Have a conversation, make it light.
Use this feedback framework to guide you:
Notice there is a question after every step. This encourages dialogue. Remember, if you’re focusing on prevention and having meaningful one-on-ones with your direct report already (i.e. demonstrating that you care about them), you likely have trust built between the two of you. This conversation will go better than you think.
Here’s more information about giving feedback: 3 Steps for Giving Valuable Feedback
Third Occurrence
It happened again. Another meeting that was unorganized. Now there is a pattern. This requires more detailed attention from you, the manager. Follow the same format but shift the language to be a little more direct.
Notice in step 4 the manager asks for commitment to the expectation. They say "Will you do this from now on?" This is an important step for correcting the behavior. Then, you'll notice an additional step is added to document the conversation.
A Magic Step
The additional step above, documenting by way of an email to the employee right after the conversation, is sometimes magical. Managers routinely report that when they send a prompt follow-up email for documentation, the direct report makes the correction or changes their behavior.
Fourth Occurrence
Let’s continue with this example about a direct report who is not performing related to executing organized meetings. That is, there is a repeated pattern of behavior of starting meetings late without materials prepared. Here’s where we ‘re at:
1st occurrence – You let it go and chalked it up to a bad day.
2nd occurrence – You addressed it, reset the expectation, and chalked it up to a misunderstanding. Maybe you weren’t as clear about your expectation as you thought.
3rd occurrence – You reset the expectation more directly, asked for agreement, and followed it up with documentation.
Now, let’s say it happens again. If you feel annoyed and perplexed, it’s understandable. You might say to yourself, “How hard can this be? I’ve addressed this twice.” A lot of managers give up at this point, don’t. Now it’s time to have a more in-depth conversation and try to diagnose the root cause of the issue.
(Yes, you could have done this in the 1st-3rd occurrence but you’re busy and you didn’t think it would go this far.)
Diagnose whether this is a “will” or “skill” issue.
Will Issues
These occur when an employee can meet expectations but chooses not to. It’s a motivation problem. They can do it, but don’t (or won’t). In these cases, try to uncover motivating factors and find ways to meet the employee's needs while still achieving the required outcomes. Here’s the next steps:
Have a candid conversation, a heart-to-heart. Simply state the number of times the expectation has been discussed and ask directly, “What is getting in your way of doing this?” Be kind and supportive. Then ask broader questions like:
How satisfied are you in your job?
What aspects of your job do you find most/least engaging?
How can we maximize your skills and talents?
What is preventing you from performing at your best?
How do you feel about your current workload and responsibilities?
Feel free to empathize. Maybe the employee fesses up and says they’re bored. Share stories of when you’ve been bored at your job and strategies you put into place to overcome it. Seek to foster the relationship with the employee. Also, do not feel as though you must rescue them from the expectation and change it. The performance expectation remains. In this case, it is to conduct organized meetings.
Ask what steps they can take to improve their work. What support do they need?
Send an email after the conversation documenting the conversation and next steps.
Skill Issues
When an employee wants to meet expectations but lacks the ability. They want to do the task, but they can’t. In these cases, focus on identifying skill gaps and providing appropriate training, mentorship, or coaching.
In our scenario, maybe the person has poor organization and time management skills. Going to a training class could be helpful. Maybe partnering them with a buddy on the team would help. Sometimes peer support is more effective than manager support. Whatever is decided, document it and send that documentation to the employee.
Fifth Occurrence
At this point, as a manager, you’ve done just about all you can do. If the problem persists, it may be time to initiate formal corrective action procedures. Talk with the employee about that. Give them a heads-up that you’re doing down this route so that they’re informed, on the front-end, that corrective steps are now taking place.
Here’s the good news, you can demonstrate to HR a clear path of support for the employee. You have:
Met with the employee regularly, via meaningful check-ins
You have at least 2 or 3 documented coaching conversations.
Identified and addressed the root cause (will vs. skill) and co-created a plan to remedy performance.
Met regularly with the employee to provide support and guidance
With this documentation in hand, you can approach HR for support in moving forward with corrective action.
By implementing these strategies and maintaining a proactive approach to performance management, you can create a more productive, positive work environment.
Remember, the goal is not just to address problems, but to help your team members grow and succeed in their roles. With patience, consistency, and clear communication, you can effectively manage poor conduct and performance while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
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Until next time!
Amy Drader is a management consultant and credentialed coach with over 20 years’ experience in HR and operations. She knows first-hand the joys and challenges of leading people and is dedicated to helping managers and teams advance their performance. She is the owner of Growth Partners Consulting, a boutique leadership and team development consulting firm that provides customized training and coaching.
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