Barbara Brown, PhD asked:


You are getting ready to do one of your least favorite management tasks: have a performance discussion with a poor performer. But before you have this discussion, you want to organize your ideas so you can clearly describe the problems and state your expectations for improvement. You have a standard approach that you use, but your past discussions have not gone particularly well. Consider trying the BID approach:

B-Behavior: Describe specific unsatisfactory behaviors. If the issue is “poor customer service,” describe what the employee does, or does not do, that makes the behavior unsatisfactory. Ask yourself:

1. Is it How the employee does something?

2. Is it When the employee does something?

3. Is it Where the employee does something?

4. Is it about the Quality of the work?

5. Is it about the Timeliness of the work?

I-Impact: Describe who and/or what the employee’s behavior impacts. One employee’s poor performance can have a negative impact on numerous areas. Consider these areas:

1. The employee’s ability to achieve personal, professional, or workload goals

2. The workloads of other coworkers

3. Your workload, as the employee’s manager

4. The delivery of products or services to customers

5. The achievement of team, office, or organizational goals

D-Discuss: Give your own ideas and seek input from the employee on ways to improve. There are several ways to handle the discussion at this point. Consider these four:

1. Discussion Plan One: You ask the employee for suggestions first, you give your suggestions, you both agree on a combination of suggestions, you conclude the discussion with a follow-up plan.

2. Discussion Plan Two: You give your suggestions first, you ask the employee for suggestions, you both agree on some combination of suggestions, you conclude the discussion with a follow-up plan.

3. Discussion Plan Three: Your employee has no suggestions, you give your suggestions, you advise the employee on implementation of those suggestions, you conclude the discussion with a follow-up plan.

4. Discussion Plan Four: Your employee gives you suggestions, you have no additional suggestions, you advise the employee on implementation of those suggestions, you conclude the discussion with a follow-up plan.

Your Approach Determines Your Discussion Success

Talking about performance improvement is never easy. But it has to be done. Your success often depends on your approach. If you use vague terms to describe poor performance, you are unlikely to get the results you want. And you will have a hard time measuring changes in behaviors. So being specific about what you want employees to do, or not do, is important. It’s equally important to describe the impact of unsatisfactory performance. Likewise, involving employees in the discussion about suggestions for improvements is useful.

If the approach you use to talk to employees about unsatisfactory performance isn’t working, or if you are looking for a way to be “just a little more effective” when you talk about performance improvement, give the BID approach a try. 



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Barbara Brown, PhD asked:


It’s time to sit down and talk to your employees about their performance. If your staff is similar to that of most managers, your employees perform at different levels. Some are high performers, some are average performers, and some are low performers. So you will have different discussions with different employees. 

To increase your success at motivating these employees to deliver the kind of performance you want, consider focusing on the “mutual benefits” of performance. That is, tell employees how their performance benefits them and how their performance benefits their organization. Here is what you do:

Before The Performance Discussion:

1. Know at least one professional goal each employee wants to achieve. Consider things like doing different types of work or working with different types of people. Of course, career advancement is something to be considered as well. But don’t overlook things like a desire for personal performance improvement or a desire to see improvements in how work is handled or how employees work together. If your employees continuously talk about things they would like to see improved or changed, these are their professional goals. 

This information allows you to remind employees about the “personal benefits” of good performance.

2. Know how each employee’s performance contributes to the achievement of at least one workplace goal: This goal could be for the team, workgroup, office, or department. Make sure employees are aware of the goal you select. If you have to choose a different goal for different employees, fine. You want employees to clearly understand the impact of their performance. So they have to know what you are talking about. 

This information allows you to make a direct link between individual contributions and something you AND your employees know “must” be achieved-a workplace goal.

3. Know how the one workplace goal of your team, workgroup, office, or department helps your organization fulfill its mission. If you have a specific mission for your staff or component, use that. If not, use the broader company mission. Review the purpose and other aspects. Every phrase, sentence, or paragraph may not have a direct link to the workplace goal you have chosen, but something in that mission statement will. So focus on that particular behavior or item. 

This information allows you to reinforce the value of positive performance by using something you AND your employees can embrace-the workplace mission. 

During The Performance Discussion:

1. For high performers, describe how their “continued outstanding performance” will allow them to successfully achieve their professional goal. Also connect this continued performance to the workplace goal and mission.

2. For average performers, describe how “doing a little more” will allow them to have greater success at achieving their professional goal. Additionally, link their elevated performance to the workplace goal and mission.

3. For low performers, describe how “major improvements” can lead to the achievement of their professional goal. Likewise, make the connection between improved performance and the workplace goal and mission.

Employees Want To Know HOW and WHY

If you only focus on HOW you feel during performance discussions, you limit your chances of encouraging continued or improved performance. To increase your opportunities of getting the performance you want, tell employees WHY their performance matters as well. And when you do, make sure your explanations are meaningful. They will be meaningful if you explain how employees’ performance affects the achievement of a professional goal they feel is important; a workplace goal they know is important; and a part of the workplace mission they can embrace.



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Barbara Brown, PhD asked:


Consider this scenario.  You have an employee who is constantly complaining about how others communicate.  This employee could also benefit from better communication approaches as well (unbeknownst to the employee of course!).  You have decided to talk to this employee, but you are unable to offer clear and concise suggestions for improving the situation. While ironic (not being able to communicate about communication), this happens.  

If it’s happened to you, one reason might be that you did not enter the discussion with a clear list of performance—improvement behaviors to recommend to the employee.  These could range from explaining that the employee needs to engage in more active listening or perhaps she or he needs to do better at asking open—ended questions. 

Another reason could be that you did not frame the discussion in way that encouraged the employee to see the value of trying your recommended behaviors.  Try getting employees to think about what they “want” from the coworkers they have difficultly communicating with.  Do they “want” others to stop being defensive, to listen more, or to just be more cooperative?  It’s all about results!  

Once you get employees to recognize the results they want, you can offer some behaviors to help them achieve those results.  Consider these three hypothetical results and recommended behaviors:

Result 1: One of your employees complains that coworkers are defensive and not cooperative during conversations. Your employee “wants” certain coworkers to be more civil.  

Your Recommended Behaviors Might Include:

• Stop using phrases such as ‘you always’ or ‘you never’ when discussing other coworkers’ mistakes.

• Allow coworkers to finish speaking before interrupting.

• When giving feedback, restate key points given by coworkers.

Result 2:  One of your employees is responsible for distributing assignments to other coworkers. But these coworkers seem to frequently misunderstand instructions or make unnecessary mistakes.  Your employee “wants” coworkers to do a better job of grasping instructions.

Your Recommended Behaviors Might Include:

• Use probing questions such as: 1. How might this task be accomplished quickly?  2. What are some possibilities for accomplishing this?

• Ask the coworker to explain the approach for handling the assignment.

• Give more specific instructions to the coworker by explaining ‘when, where, or how’ something needs to be done.  Then ask the coworker to restate the instructions.

Result 3:  One of your employees complains that when conflicts occur, they tend to escalate and evolve into discussions about personalities and non-relevant issues.  Your employee “wants” disagreements to be more civil.

Your Recommended Behaviors Might Include:

• Address ‘professional issues’ rather than ‘personal issues’ during difficult conversations.  Keep the topic on WORK, WORK, WORK!

• Address ‘behaviors’ rather than ‘beliefs’ during difficult conversations.  Keep the topic on what the other coworker DID or what the other coworker SAID.

• Address ‘facts’ rather than ‘feelings’ during difficult conversations.  Keep the topic on DATA and INFORMATION.

The main point to this process is to move the employee who is doing the complaining away from focusing on what’s wrong with other coworkers to focusing on what she or he wants.  An equally important point is to know the kind of behavioral changes you want to recommend.  When you approach performance discussions in this manner, you have a much better chance of getting employees to see the value of performance improvement.



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