Great Performances: Coaching and Counseling for Results

Robin Schooling, SPHR

Conversation between a leader and

an employee that leads to

improved performance

Purpose

•  To improve performance

•  To stop negative behavior from continuing

•  To allow employee to understand how his/her behavior impacts the business/team

•  To maintain the employee’s confidence/self-esteem

COACHING

Mutual Trust

Mentoring

Consistent and ongoing

COUNSELING

Open Dialogue

Course Correction

Performance Management

CORRECTING

When counseling has not had the desired result

When more than a “word to the wise” is needed

When there’s a policy or procedure violation

Focus on the situation,

issue or behavior –

NOT on the person

The Basic Elements

–Anonymous

“Act or Accept”

•  GOAL

•  Commitment…not compliance

•  FOCUS

•  The issue/problem…not the individual

•  RESPONSIBILITY

•  The employee…not the manager

•  TIME FRAME

•  The future…not the past

•  COMMUNICATION STYLE

•  WITH the employee…not AT the employee

•  DYNAMIC

•  Adult-to-adult…not parent-to-child

THE “PUNISHMENT”

PROBLEM

• Anger • Apathy

• Absence

CATEGORY

• Performance

• Work rule or policy violation

WILLFUL VS. NON-WILLFUL

•  Does the employee have the knowledge or skills?

•  Does s/he have the ability? Has s/he been trained?

•  Does the employee have the necessary resources?

•  Is s/he aware of the rule/policy?

SEVERITY

• Continuing or escalating issue

• Once is one times too many

• Once is enough

THE DISCUSSION

• Behavior

• Effect

• Expectations

• Results

BEHAVIOR What is the difference

between the employee’s current level of

performance and the standard or expectation?

EFFECT What is the effect/impact

the behavior, action or performance is having on the business or the team?

EXPECTATIONS What are the expected

performance or improvement standards?

RESULTS What are the consequences

if performance doesn’t improve or behavior

continues?

IT’S OK…

•  … to seek the employee’s input and ideas on how they can correct the situation or improve performance

•  … to express your confidence that the employee can correct the situation

•  … to offer your support and assistance

D-FENCE

Shifting blame - “it’s not my fault!”

Sarcasm/ridicule - “that’s a stupid policy”

Hostile silence … it’s not always golden

DOCUMENTATION

it’s not just for HR anymore…

DOCUMENTATION TIPS

• Be timely

• Be factual

• Be specific

THINK ABOUT…

When is it necessary to move along the continuum from coaching to counseling to correcting? """"What steps can you take when you have to counsel an employee about a performance issue?""""What are some ways to follow up after you’ve corrected someone?

–Manolo Blahnick

“Maintenance is terribly important .”

Robin Schooling, SPHR @RobinSchooling

robin@silverzebras.com