This document provides guidance on performance management and addressing problem behaviors in employees. It begins by advising managers to start performance discussions on a positive note by acknowledging strengths before identifying specific problem behaviors. Examples are given of behaviors to address rather than personal traits. The document then outlines steps for discussing problems with an employee, including setting clear expectations for improved behaviors and follow up. It also provides tips for effectively listening to the employee response and dealing with a resistant employee. Finally, it suggests identifying employee strengths and leveraging them to turn a problem employee into a star performer.

1. facilitated by:
Dindy Robinson
Director of Compensation/HRIS
Performance Management:
Challenges
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2. It is literally true that you can
succeed best and quickest by
helping others to succeed–
Napoleon Hill
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3. HOW TO START…
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4. “You know, Jim, your work hasn’t been up to
it’s usual high standards lately. I’m
wondering if we can talk about the reason
for this. I’m concerned about you.”
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5. Start with a positive
 Thor can be a very effective member of
our team.
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6. Identify Problem Behaviors
Behaviors!
Not characteristics!
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7. Behaviors not Traits…
 Sloppiness: Missing errors when
proofreading, mispacking orders,
performing inaccurate accounting work.
 Disruptive: Complains. Criticizes other
departments. Tells staff how they are
being taken advantage of.
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8. What Can You Say Instead of:
 Lazy?
 Not a team player?
 Bad attitude?
 Intimidating?
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9. Describe the behavior
Unfortunately, Thor is often late to work and
not fully engaged until 45 minutes into the
workday. During the last three week period,
there were 7 times when Thor was 15
minutes or more late to work. When he
arrives at work, he takes 30 minutes getting
coffee and talking to his co-workers before
getting to his desk to work.
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10. IDENTITY ALTERNATE BEHAVIORS
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11. Identify Appropriate Alternate
Behaviors
 Involve the employee: What do you think
you can achieve? How can we help you
achieve this?
 What should we say to Thor?
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12. Getting Thor to Work
 Over the next 3 months Thor needs to
focus on attendance: be at his desk and
ready to work by 8:00.
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13. Summarize and Thank the Employee
Thor, I appreciate your willingness to
address the performance issues we
discussed today. I have every confidence
that you can and will succeed in making the
changes needed to assure your success on
the job.
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14. THE STORY OF HULK
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15. 1. Start with a positive
 The Hulk is a very enthusiastic team
member. He is the first person at his desk
every morning and remains focused
throughout the day.
 What comes next?
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16. Identify the Problem
However, the Hulk exhibits poor customer
service techniques. He has been observed
slamming the phone onto the hook when
frustrated by a caller, and last week he
punched a student in the nose. He also was
overheard telling a parent, “Nanny nanny
boo boo it sucks to be you. You pay your bill
or I smash your face.”
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17. Describe the Problem
What do you say to Hulk?
1. Your customer service skills need
improvement.
2. I have heard you slam the phone down when
you get frustrated with the caller.
3. I overheard you telling a parent, “Nanny nanny
boo boo it sucks to be you. You pay your bill or
I smash your face.”
4. Last week you punched a student in the nose.
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18. Identify Alternative Behaviors for Hulk
 Attend customer service training
 Work with a more experienced customer
service mentor
 Review calls with his supervisor once per
week
 Participate in outbound customer service
surveying calls
 Sit as a call reviewer with team leads to
listen to how they perform on the phone.
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19. The Problem
Employee responded inappropriately to an
email from the Dean. Employee was rude
and nasty, referring to the Dean as “your
loftiness” and telling the Dean that if she had
planned better, she wouldn’t be needing this
report at the last minute.
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20. Practice
Come up with an action plan for the
employee who sent the rude email to the
Dean.
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21. FOLLOW UP
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22. Follow up
 Set up a follow up meeting to discuss
progress.
 Shows the employee you care
 Gives employee a time frame
 Holds the employee accountable
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23. THE EMPLOYEE RESPONSE
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24. The Employee Response
 Acceptance
 Resolution
 Improvement
 Anger
 Denial
 Defensiveness
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25. The Most important Thing
You Can Do Is Listen!
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26. Show that You Are Listening
 Open posture
 Eye contact
 Nodding receptively
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27. Listening Roadblocks
 Advice: You should get up earlier in the morning.
 Why: Why did you do that?
 Reassure: You’ll feel better tomorrow.
 Criticize: That’s what happens when you
procrastinate.
 Interrupt: That’s nothing! Listen to this!
 Related stories: I had the same thing happen to
me!
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28. Ask Open Ended Questions
 What happened next?
 What was your reaction?
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29. Reflective listening
 So you believe that if your work hours
were adjusted, you would have an easier
time getting to work on time?
 So what you are saying is that it is difficult
for you to work in our office because of the
background noise?
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30. Ask “what next” questions
 What have you done to resolve the
problem?
 What else do you think could be done?
 What have others tried in similar situations
that worked?
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31. THE RESISTANT EMPLOYEE
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32. The Resistant Employee
 Argumentative
 Denial
 Hostile
 Angry
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33. How to Respond to the
Resistant Employee
 Remain calm.
 Focus on behavior.
 Broken record.
 Step away and reschedule.
 Ask for help.
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34. “It's not what I say; it's the way that
I say it. It's not what I do, it's the
way that I do it.”~ Mae West
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35. Factor Yourself into the Problem
 What am I doing wrong?
 How do I contribute to this problem?
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36. Factor Yourself into the Problem
 Enabling
 Poor communication
 Lack of clarity
 Reactive
 Failure to get all the details
 Projection
 Protection
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37. Characteristics of Effective Supervisors
 Took time to listen to me.
 Saw me as a person, not just an
employee.
 Cared about me personally and helped if I
had personal problems.
 Set a good example.
 Let me know I could do more than I
thought I was capable of—stretched me.
(cont)
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38. Characteristics of Effective Supervisors
(cont)
 Never pulled rank—rolled up his or her
sleeves and pitched in.
 Didn’t keep me in the dark—let me know
what was going on.
 Praised me for a job well done and let me
know in a straightforward manner when I
didn’t do a job well.
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39. ICING ON THE CAKE
Turning a Problem
Employee into a
Star…
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40. Identify strengths
 Thor exhibits excellent customer service
skills. He takes the time to listen to each
customer and to carefully explain the
situation, working with the customer to find
a satisfactory resolution.
 The Hulk is wildly enthusiastic about TCU.
He wears purple every day, attends every
sporting event and volunteers to mentor
students in his spare time.
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41. Put those Strengths to Work
 Ask Thor to put together training on how to
handle difficult customers, to mentor Hulk
on improving his customer service, or to
join the customer surveying team to help
design follow up questionnaires.
 Ask the Hulk to chair the department’s
Campaign for TCU.
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