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Addressing Employee Behavior or Performance IssuesWhat do you do when your employee is falling short of the expectations you’ve shared with him/her? Follow these tips to get things back on track without angst or drama.Nip it in the bud. The first time there’s an issue, casually mention it to the employee. “Don, don’t forget that I want you to proofread your reports before you give them to me.” Don’t wait to address an issue, hoping the behavior will change. Chances are, it won’t. And, chances are, your employee will strive to meet your expectations after it’s brought to his/her attention.If the issue crops up again, have a more formal conversation. Sit down with the employee and indicate that you’ve already addressed the issue once. Ask for feedback on the possible cause of the issue. “Don, when I trained you on completing the report, I stressed how important it was to proofread before submitting it to me. Last week, I mentioned that again. This week’s report still has errors that you should have noticed when you proofread it. What’s going on?”If these steps don’t solve the problem, you probably need to take more formal action. By following the steps below, you will ensure that the employee understands the importance of meeting your expectations and will gain his/her buy-in on solving the problem. Formal Coaching SessionIndicate purpose and importance of the discussion. Open the discussion in a positive, nonthreatening manner. Be specific about the situation you want to discuss and what you want to accomplish. Refer to any available data or information that indicates a problem or opportunity exists. If the person has initiated the discussion, indicate the purpose by summarizing his/her description of the situation, and checking that your summary is correct. Focusing on the problem or opportunity rather than the person will maintain the person's self-esteem. In doing so, you'll avoid a defensive reaction and set the stage for an open, productive discussion. Indicating the importance of the discussion is another way to maintain or enhance the person's self-esteem. Point out the positive impact that the effective handling of the situation/problem will have on organizational objectives, costs, productivity, etc. Give the person every indication that you know he/ she wants to do a good job.Discuss and clarify details about the situation. This is the "fact-finding" portion of the discussion. The information you gather here will help you throughout the discussion. The more facts you can uncover, the better you'll be able to coach the individual. Bring out as much information as you can about the situation. You can do this in two ways:?Seek the person's input. The individual will know key details. Use open-ended questions to bring out all the facts. By taking notes and highlighting important points, you indicate that the person's input is valuable. If the person has already used some effective behaviors, make a point to commend him/her. This will enhance the person's self-esteem and avoid defensiveness.?Clarify information. You may be able to provide details the individual wasn't aware of. It is important, at this point, to identify and discuss any constraints which may affect the handling or resolution of the situation.Avoid making value judgments or responding with disapproval at this point in the discussion. Such responses will interfere with communication and with fact finding. If the person voices concerns or feelings about the facts, listen and respond with empathy. This will encourage open communication.Summarize details and agree on desired outcomes. Both you and the individual need to be clear on exactly what's been discussed. Recap the details to make sure (1) all the facts have been identified, and (2) you both understand the information.Now you're ready to decide on the outcome you both want to achieve. It's important that you jointly agree on the desired outcome- if either of you doesn't have a clear objective or is confused about what is to be accomplished, there likely will be problems in selecting the most effective approach. Seeking the person's active participation also will build his/her commitment to achieving the desired outcome.Discuss possible behaviors to achieve desired outcomes.This step is the "heart" of the coaching process. You'll strategize with the individual, anticipate potential problems, and identify effective behaviors. This is especially critical when the situation requires the person to interact with others or apply newly learned skills on the job. Seek the individual's ideas to build commitment to using the behaviors. To gain this active participation, ask open ended questions like these:How do you plan to handle ....? What will you do if ....?How do you think we should proceed if .... ?What were you planning to do about ....?What reaction might you expect if .. .. ?Discuss the pros and cons of each approach or idea and examine their implications. Maintain the person's self-esteem by acknowledging good suggestions. If the person offers a suggestion that doesn't seem workable, examine it closely to determine if some parts of it may be used to develop another idea. If the person voices concerns or apprehension about a particular idea or approach, listen and respond with empathy. Bring out as many ideas as possible before deciding (in the next Critical Step) which actions to take.Agree on most effective behaviors and develop a plan of action.Now that you’ve identified what can be done, you're ready to decide what should be done. Incorporate as many of the person's ideas as possible. This will enhance self-esteem and build commitment to carrying out the actions. During the course of your discussion, you'll cover many issues. Summarize the actions you've both agreed upon. Check for understanding and seek the person's commitment to the action plan. Review who is responsible for taking each specific action and when it is to be completed. You may find it helpful to set checkpoint dates; they help keep actions on schedule and provide a good means of monitoring progress.Express confidence and set a follow-up date.End the discussion on a positive note. Let the individual know you think he/she can handle the situation. This will boost self-esteem and confidence. Set a follow-up date to review progress. In doing so you'll also communicate your availability and willingness to provide support. ................
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