This is certainly not a new concept. Unfortunately it is not commonly practiced. There is a simple reason for this, and it’s not because we don’t have the time. I’ve seen managers do almost anything to avoid giving an employee honest, timely feedback. We neglect doing it because it makes us uncomfortable. Being humans, we don’t like confrontation. As managers we swear up and down that it’s not a problem for us, but it is. We don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. Unfortunately, this thinking rewards poor performance, which cheats the company. It also cheats the employees, depriving them of the opportunity to grow and improve.

While there is no easy way to give negative feedback, it simply must be done if a manager is to be effective. While it does get easier with practice, it will never be an enjoyable activity.

Below is a method for successfully addressing a performance issue with an employee.

• Meet in a private place. Let the person know she is a valued employee. Sometimes it’s good to start with a positive comment. Never yell, threaten, or publicly criticize.
• Respectfully and objectively discuss the gap in performance and the impact on the organization. Do not assume intent. Avoid reacting emotionally.
• Ask the employee for an explanation. If this is the first time addressing the issue, give her the benefit of the doubt. There may be a valid reason. It may be a skill issue, or there may be some other roadblock. If so, you need to help.
• Give explicit instructions on how the employee must improve, to include measurable goals (e.g. The error free client report must be delivered by Friday at noon). If you
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  giving an employee honest, timely feedback. We neglect doing it because it makes us uncomfortable. Being humans, we don’t like confrontation. As managers we swear up and down that it’s not a problem for us, but it is. We don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. Unfortunately, this thinking rewards poor performance, which cheats the company. It also cheats the employees, depriving them of the opportunity to grow and improve.

  While there is no easy way to give negative feedback, it simply must be done if a manager is to be effective. While it does get easier with practice, it will never be an enjoyable activity.

  Below is a method for successfully addressing a performance issue with an employee.

  • Meet in a private place. Let the person know she is a valued employee. Sometimes it’s good to start with a positive comment. Never yell, threaten, or publicly criticize.
  • Respectfully and objectively discuss the gap in performance and the impact on the organization. Do not assume intent. Avoid reacting emotionally.
  • Ask the employee for an explanation. If this is the first time addressing the issue, give her the benefit of the doubt. There may be a valid reason. It may be a skill issue, or there may be some other roadblock. If so, you need to help.
  • Give explicit instructions on how the employee must improve, to include measurable goals (e.g. The error free client report must be delivered by Friday at noon). If yo
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    s, depriving them of the opportunity to grow and improve.

    While there is no easy way to give negative feedback, it simply must be done if a manager is to be effective. While it does get easier with practice, it will never be an enjoyable activity.

    Below is a method for successfully addressing a performance issue with an employee.

    • Meet in a private place. Let the person know she is a valued employee. Sometimes it’s good to start with a positive comment. Never yell, threaten, or publicly criticize.
    • Respectfully and objectively discuss the gap in performance and the impact on the organization. Do not assume intent. Avoid reacting emotionally.
    • Ask the employee for an explanation. If this is the first time addressing the issue, give her the benefit of the doubt. There may be a valid reason. It may be a skill issue, or there may be some other roadblock. If so, you need to help.
    • Give explicit instructions on how the employee must improve, to include measurable goals (e.g. The error free client report must be delivered by Friday at noon). If yo
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      n a private place. Let the person know she is a valued employee. Sometimes it’s good to start with a positive comment. Never yell, threaten, or publicly criticize.
    • Respectfully and objectively discuss the gap in performance and the impact on the organization. Do not assume intent. Avoid reacting emotionally.
    • Ask the employee for an explanation. If this is the first time addressing the issue, give her the benefit of the doubt. There may be a valid reason. It may be a skill issue, or there may be some other roadblock. If so, you need to help.
    • Give explicit instructions on how the employee must improve, to include measurable goals (e.g. The error free client report must be delivered by Friday at noon). If yo
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      s the first time addressing the issue, give her the benefit of the doubt. There may be a valid reason. It may be a skill issue, or there may be some other roadblock. If so, you need to help.
    • Give explicit instructions on how the employee must improve, to include measurable goals (e.g. The error free client report must be delivered by Friday at noon). If you are to assist, explain what you will do by when.
    • Ask the employee to summarize what you’ve asked of her to ensure understanding.
    • Close the meeting by reiterating the employee’s value and providing encouragement. The important thing is to show you care about the person and demonstrate that it in her best interest to improve.
    • Document the meeting. Stick to the observations. Do not interpret them (e.g. Instead of “Jane was uncooperative. She didn’t listen to anything I had to say,” write, “Jane said I was mistaken. She interrupted frequently. It took 3 attempts before she successfully summarized the required steps for improvement”).
    • Set up a follow-up meeting to review the performance. Document this meeting as well.

    Most will respond positively to this approach and attempt to improve. If this is the case, make sure to praise the employee for her good work. After all, timely, honest feedback applies to good performance as well! Be sure to explain that while you are pleased with her progress, regressing is not acceptable.

    Those who do not respond well to the feedback may not be a good fit for the organization. If your company has a documented procedure for handling such issues, follow it. Regardless, it is important to act quickly. Good managers fire underperformers. Even with judicious feedback and active coaching, there is no avoiding a dud every once in a while.

    Team members watch closely how per