Bad News Delivery

“You are a department manager in a mid-sized company that provides technology support services.  You have ten employees who are required to maintain a high level of technical expertise and deliver excellent customer service.  One of your employees, who have been with the company for two years, is performing at a substandard level and you have received numerous complaints from customers and coworkers.  In addition, this employee has displayed confrontational behavior, which has created a hostile environment.  You must now meet with this employee and deliver an ultimatum regarding the need for immediate improvement or dismissal.”

            When I first approach the employee will be in a place that may feel non-threatening to the employee. A conference room behind closed doors. I would first discuss the importance of the mission of our business and the services to our customers. Then I would explain the role of team players within a team.  After I set the stage I would systematically cover where their job performance is, the complaints from customers and coworkers, and then their behavior with coworkers.

            I then would advise them what the standard was for their job performance and work behavior. I would ask them why have been performing substandard and behaving the way they have. I will attempt to cover any issues they have and perhaps give recommendations to correct them. The employee will be given reasonable goals to help them change their performance and behavior with gauged evaluations perhaps every 30 days. They will be advised what will or could happen if they fail to make any change. I will then provide them a written copy of a letter of counseling and request that they sign one copy. At the end I will let them know that they are a need part of the team and that I have high expectations for change for the better with my help.

            The employee at first will feel threatened and backed into a corner. They may even feel resentful. After I ask if there are any reason for their actions and offer recommendations to correct them or solutions for their problems, the employee may see the light and a little less in trouble. The employee may feel better when I tell them that they are needed and that I want to help them improve.

            If the employee become hostile and fails to listen during the meeting I will document the situation and recommend that they take the rest of the off to think about what path they wish to follow, one that will take them to being a highly productive member of the team and one their coworkers will respect. The other path will be one that will be unacceptable and not needed in our business or workplace and that they will pay consequences. If the employee continues to be uncooperative and hostile towards me then I will take what ever action is acceptable by Human Resources, to correct the behavior, for example sending them home on leave for the rest for the day to think about their choices.

            I have no problem with conflict; I’m not the kind of guy to back down from the good fight.  I prefer though not to let it get to the fight. I preach the use of active listening. In active listening, with the minimum of two people involved in the conflict, one person starts as the listener. The listener lets the other person talk about their concerns. Then the listener only repeats back walk the other person said to ensure that their message was received correctly. The person talking will begin to feel like their concerns are important and that the other person has actually heard what they said. Then the listener may have to listen to several concerns before they can talk back. First they will address the issues with possible solutions or recommendations. After a while the roles are switched. This is a give and take method with all parties involved taking turns and all will have their issues addressed and understood.