Silent isn’t safe! How often do you bite your lip rather than give an honest opinion? Have you ever crossed the street to avoid meeting a person you didn’t want to confront? We choose to stay silent because speaking up carries the risk that we might damage a relationship. We overlook the certain risk that in the long term, silence does far more damage to the trust on which good communication, and relationships, are based.
How do I confront a history of poor performance? “I’ve recently taken over managing someone whose performance has been poor for some time, but who has received little honest feedback on how they are doing. How do I convince a person to improve their performance when they have been paid – and promoted – for years, for what I consider to be sub-standard performance?” When a person has been rewarded for behaving in a way that is later deemed to be unacceptable, some careful planning needs to go into what could become a very difficult and unpleasant conversation. Start by looking to yourself. Is it just you? Are you the only one who is unhappy with this person’s behaviour? Are your expectations and standards realistic? Unless you have hard data on the person’s performance and your view of it is shared by others, the solution to the problem may be that you will have to change your expectations. Next, look to the person. Do they intentionally come to work for a free ride? Do they have a malicious intent to pull down the performance of the department? Isn’t it just as likely that by withholding feedback, others have contributed to this person’s lack of performance? Giving the other person the benefit of the doubt is the most respectful and safe way to approach a difficult conversation like this, and is least likely to provoke an angry defensive response. Lastly, don’t drag up all the history. You have to start from where you are now. Use a few clear, specific facts to describe the current situation as you see it. Explain the gap between what you expect and the person’s current performance. Explain the implications of this level of performance. Agree on an action plan for improvement. It may take a little time, and may require some ongoing management support, but there’s every likelihood that the person will be grateful for your honest feedback and will respond by trying their best to change their behaviour. If you would like to receive Straight Talk tips on a monthly basis, email us!
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