| Sometimes you have to talk to employees about what | | | | customers. How does an error affect the delivery of a |
| they say as well as what they do or don’t do. | | | | product or service? How does an error affect the |
| When that happens, you want to keep the focus on | | | | goals you are trying to achieve? Use these and other |
| “work” and not be sidetracked by value | | | | questions to emphasize the value of positive |
| judgments or personal perspectives. You can do that | | | | performance. |
| by talking about the negative or positive impact on | | | | 4. Not Following Directions: Do you have employees |
| work. Consider these four examples: | | | | who always want to do things “their way” even |
| 1. Communicating: Sometimes you have to talk to | | | | though their way is not efficient or effective? If so, |
| employees about how they talk. This might include | | | | you already know how such behavior negatively |
| using profanity, talking loudly, or discussing off-limit | | | | impacts productivity and quality. So when talking to |
| topics (e.g. politics). Inappropriate communication can | | | | these employees, you have two choices. You can |
| cause disruptions in workflow, productivity, and quality. | | | | describe how following the rules leads to more positive |
| During your discussion, emphasize “how” the | | | | results. Or you can explain how not following the rules |
| communication negatively impact workloads. | | | | leads to less positive results. |
| 2. Not Doing Work: Employees sometimes don’t | | | | Work Is A Common Denominator |
| do what they are supposed to do. Such behaviors can | | | | There are many ways to describe the negative or |
| have a chain reaction. For example, if your employees | | | | positive impact of what employees say or do. But |
| do not do their job, you cannot do your job and other | | | | regardless of the approach you use, the common |
| employees cannot do their job. When encountering this | | | | denominator is “work.” Your employees come |
| type of performance problem, discuss the impact | | | | to work to do work, and that’s what your |
| (large and small) on the work of others within the | | | | organization needs and expects. So whether the topic |
| organization. | | | | involves communication or cooperation, if you keep the |
| 3. Doing Work Incorrectly: Employee mistakes can | | | | focus on “work” you increase the chance of |
| have a broad impact. Think about internal and external | | | | getting better performance. |