ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Eight Tips in Dealing with Performance Problems

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The process for dealing with performance problems requires quick action upon the part of the manager. Co-workers want you to do something with an individual who just can't get their act together. The longer you the manager waits to deal with a problem employee the less respect your people have for you as their manager

1. Deal with It Quickly: Never procrastinate with a performance problem. If you don't address the issue when it arises, staff will question whether you are doing anything at all.

2. Attack the Problem, Not the Person: Make it clear that your comments pertain to behavior or performance, and not the person. Restrict your comments to particular instances of inappropriate performance and avoid inferring cause (lazy, uncaring, and incompetent).

3. Don’t Take the Monkey off Their Back: When talking to an employee about a problem, phrase your comments in terms of how it is their problem to deal with. Use the inappropriate performance as a jumping off point, indicate why it is problematic, and then quickly move on to preventing reoccurrence. This moves the focus from blame to improvement.

4. It’s Their Problem to Solve: Whenever possible, elicit the employee’s suggestions about how they are going to solve and prevent the problem from recurring. Put the responsibility for suggesting solutions with the employee. When possible, help the employee implement their solution.

5. Use Logic, Not Fear: Remember that to improve problem performance it is often necessary to “drive out fear.” Some think that putting the fear of God into employees will spur them on to better performance. Fear is more likely to reduce performance, loyalty and effort. Explain why it is in their best interest that they solve their problem.

6. Don’t get caught in a “He Said/She Said” Situation: If an individual is complaining about the actions of others, encourage them to try and work it out between themselves. If that does not work, quickly bring the two parties face-to-face and have them work things out in your presence. There will be those rare occasions where you will have to step in to resolve the problem situation, but they should be few.

7. Provide a Short Time-frame to Fix: Make it clear they need to deal with and resolve the problem in a short period of time. Everyone is too busy to have a negative situation last very long. Stress how much problem behavior affects the productive culture the organization needs to be successful.

8. Set High Expectations: Make sure the individual understands that you don’t expect to be dealing with the problem (or similar problems) ever again. It is their responsibility to deal with and fix it. Your time and the time of others is too important to be rehashing the same or similar situation at a later date.

Caution: Above all, remember that even the best of employees will find a discussion about inappropriate performance to be unpleasant. Some will take it personally, some will not. Be prepared for some defensiveness, and do not rise to the bait. Stay in control of yourself, and the situation.

Praise in public – Persuade in private: As much as possible recognize effective performance, and praise those who perform well in public. You will always be more effective in dealing with problem performance in private.


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Coach and author Roger Ingbretsen is a certified executive coach and organizational developer, providing organizational and career guidance to professionals, managers, supervisors and all individuals looking for "real world" career development and business information. His entrepreneurial approach will help you learn how to plan, lead and succeed in your career. Roger is the creator of the “Leadership Development Coaching Experience©” and author of the personal development reference eBooks, “Plan Your Career Now: The Survival Guide for the American Workplace” and “Master Your Career: Proven Strategies for Career Success©.” To know more and claim dozens of Rogers free articles go to www.ingbretsen.com or call 509 999 7008.

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