The first time it occurs you might say to an employee, “Your report was due in yesterday. It’s not yet on my desk. What’s happened?” Sometimes this is all it takes for the problem to be solved. Some problems don’t go away so easily however, and deadlines continue to be missed.

Your next conversation on this topic should open differently. This time you need to tackle the pattern of missed deadlines, not the specific reason any one was missed. You might say,” I’ve noticed you’ve missed two of your last three deadlines. I’m concerned there might be an underlying problem here. Can we talk?” This approach often solves the problem: for a while.

If it recurs, in your next conversation you have to move the discussion to relationship issues such as reliability and commitment: “I am starting to wonder about your commitment to this job”. These three conversations each deal with a performance problem at a different level: a once-off problem, a pattern of behaviour, and an underlying problem in the employee’s relationship with the job.

If none of these is effective in obtaining the desired performance, then the rules change, and the next conversation moves into the disciplinary procedure with a verbal warning. Use these guidelines consistently and you will soon find yourself surrounded by a team of high performing people.

If you would like to receive Straight Talk tips on a monthly basis, email us!