| KEEP WRITTEN RECORDS: "Document !Document! | | | | boss up-to-date on the situation. For a manager who is |
| Document!" Keep a record of periodic performance | | | | also the owner of the business, of course, there is no |
| reviews, incidents of unsatisfactory performance, | | | | one else to turn to. However, if the executive director |
| conferences where warnings are administered or | | | | answers to a board, owner, or sponsoring group, the |
| terminations are announced. Issue warnings and | | | | appropriate party should be consulted as soon as the |
| terminations in writing as well as verbally. When dealing | | | | possibility of a termination arises. The privacy of the |
| with a particularly unstable or vindictive employee, | | | | employee must be respected, so prior consultations |
| request that the employee sign a written summary of | | | | should be made in confidence. One executive director |
| a warning or termination conference to attest to the | | | | kept the board's chairperson advised, rather than |
| fact that the summary is accurate (not that they | | | | discussing the situation with the full board. When the |
| necessarily agree with it). | | | | terminated employee appealed to the board, the |
| DOCUMENTATION SERVES TWO PURPOSES: | | | | chairperson was able to verify the director's account |
| First, it insures that the message has been conveyed. | | | | of the process. |
| All people's memories of conversations are distorted | | | | SUGARCOATING A WARNING: Since warning |
| by emotions and expectations. So it is quite likely that | | | | conferences can become quite emotional, key |
| an employee coming out of an emotional warning | | | | messages sometimes fail to get communicated. |
| conference will have a faulty memory of the specifics, | | | | Sometimes managers and directors try too hard to |
| unless the memory is aided by a written summary. | | | | cushion the blow by sugarcoating the warning. In one |
| Second, documentation provides insurance for | | | | instance a manager went to such lengths emphasizing |
| post-termination confrontations. If the employee | | | | the employee's strong points in addition to the problem |
| challenges a firing, either before an owner, a board, or | | | | areas that the employee left the meeting unaware |
| an unemployment claims officer, claiming that adequate | | | | that he was close to being fired. A second message is |
| warning was not given or that the firing was | | | | often necessary clearly outlining the specific steps the |
| groundless, a written record of the entire process | | | | employee needs to take to meet the manager's |
| should provide sufficient evidence to counter these | | | | expectations. To avoid miscommunication, have the |
| claims. | | | | employee state his interpretation of the manager's |
| KEEP EMPLOYEES INFORMED: A means of avoiding | | | | message to be sure he has an accurate |
| potential confrontation is for the manager is to keep his | | | | understanding of it. |