Confronting Poor Performance

Earning the rank of senior executive, manager, or supervisor took a lot of work, didn’t it? You probably had to endure a number of trials along the way and perhaps even a few painful learning experiences. In the process, you amassed a tremendous reservoir of business acumen, political savvy, and street smarts – the combination of which positions you to provide invaluable critical input to your subordinates. Yet this priceless information often never reaches your employees.

In an effort not to offend, business leaders and managers can withhold constructive criticism from their employees. This can cause damaging results for both employers and employees. Here are just 3 of the 7 negative consequences of withholding constructive criticism:

• Employees are forced to learn from their own experiences – which is much more painful than learning from the experiences of others
• Because employees are unaware that their performance is suboptimal, this outcome is perpetuated
• Professional careers can be stunted
  

Critical input needn’t be offensive or hurtful. The process for constructively delivering criticism is formulaic; it can be learned. Here are just 3 of the 7 methods included in this session:

• Preface critical input with phrases that mitigate their intent to err
• Link criticism to the achievement of their articulated career goals
• Use the Socratic method to help employees discover how to improve
  

Choose to value the development of your employees over your own temporary discomfort. Create a legacy of having shared your wisdom and experience, of having actively contributed to the growth and enrichment of your employees. All that’s required is constructively confronting poor performance. This session will teach you how to do so by providing a safe learning environment in which to practice using the formulaic techniques.

Available in individual coaching and workshop formats.