“Dealing Effectively With
Unacceptable Employee Behavior”
Presented by:
Pat Lang, Director of Operations
Brady Flaherty, Facility Manager GSL Schools
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4/12/2020

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Do you have employees who exhibit unacceptable behaviors?
What have you done about them?
Today’s goal: To obtain tools to help you deal with those behaviors
Even if you’ve been a manager for a while, it is hoped that you will come away with some new insight into how you deal with these behaviors.
– Notice, we are talking about behaviors, not the people themselves
Interactive, please feel free to interject with comments or suggestions.
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4/12/2020

 Identify the Root Causes of Performance
Problems
– Tips for Maintaining a Clear, Open Communication
Channel with a Problem Worker
 How to Deal with Performance Issues
– Positive Intervention Techniques for Turning
Performance Problems Around
 When to Terminate
 How to Protect Yourself and Your Organization
From Grievances and Legal Problems
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 Performance Issues
– Issues related to actual job performance
 Employee Behaviors
– Behaviors that can cause performance issues
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 Performance Issues
– Diminishing or inconsistent work quality
– Lowered productivity
– Unexplained absence from work area
– Resistant to change
– Doesn’t volunteer for assignments
– Shows little or no initiative
– Doesn’t make contributions in meetings
– Poor concentration
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 Reasons employees may not be performing up to standards:
– Lack of Training
– Poorly defined roles
– Insufficient feedback
– Shifting organizational priorities
– Incapability of achieving the target tasks
– Improper understanding of priorities
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 Employee Behaviors
– Avoids Friends and colleagues
– Blames others for faults or errors
– Complains about problems at home
– Disheveled personal appearance
– Complains about illness
– Gets upset without provocation
– Frequent financial problems
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Inadvertent Contributions to Performance
Problems
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Consider whether you’re an approachable manager
– Does your staff feel comfortable discussing issues that are effecting their performance?
– When it comes to personal matters…remember:
 DO NOT GIVE ADVICE
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DO NOT DIAGNOSE
DO NOT GUESS WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM OR WHAT
HAPPENED
Problems outside of work
– Contact Cheri at HR for options regarding help Dashir can provide or recommend to employees who are struggling outside of work.
When a “Problem” employee really isn’t the problem
– Be sure your “perception” of the employee isn’t the problem.
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 Make a list of performance issues
– What does employee do well?
– What does the employee need to improve?
 Review the list and separate:
– Employee’s performance
– Employee’s personality or background
 Assess your relationship with the employee using: CART
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 C onfidence in the employee?
– To what degree to you have faith in them?
 A ffection toward the employee?
– To what degree do I like or dislike this person?
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(If you dislike them….why?)
 R espect toward the employee?
– To what degree do I have respect and confidence in them?
 T rust the employee?
– Ultimately do you trust them to do their job?
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4/12/2020

Inadvertent Contributions to Performance
Problems
The most profound way in which managers contribute to employee performance problems is by becoming disengaged from their employees.
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Balance negative with positive consequences:
– Positive consequences increase frequency of desired behavior
– Negative consequences will decrease frequency of desired behavior
Examples of unintentional negative consequences for good performance:
– The employee who gets work done gets reduced hours and less pay
– The worker who gets extra work because he or she works harder.
What are intentional negative consequences?
– Criticism
– Disciplinary action
– Lack of interaction with employees
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Why Managers fail to recognize/address
Performance Problems
Managers may fail to recognize because:
– They prefer to avoid conflict
– Employee’s strength in some areas mask weakness in others
– Personal Friendships
– Employee deception
Managers may fail to address because:
– They are uncomfortable as a disciplinarian
– They hope problem will resolve itself
– The process didn’t work before
– Fixing one problem may bring out another
– Lack of time
Managers may fail to coach because:
– They fear failure - They lack confidence in their abilities
– They fear employee resentment - They fear the situation getting out of control
– Lack of time
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4/12/2020

How to deal with confirmed performance issues:
 Level 1: Coaching
 Level 2: Counseling Meeting, (Verbal)
 Level 3: Disciplinary Meeting, (Written)
 Level 4: Termination
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C:
Clarify your position
A:
Assert your position
S:
Seek Solutions
E:
Evaluate options and create agreements
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Coaching is:
 Constructive feedback - Characteristics
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Start with a positive
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Be specific rather than general
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Focus on behaviors, not the person
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Offer alternatives
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Descriptive instead of evaluative
– Use “I” statements
– Own your feedback
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Leave the employee with a choice
– Commit to a follow up meeting
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Coaching is:
 Avoid making emotionally charged statements
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Critical Statements:
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“That was a stupid questions.”
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“Only an idiot couldn’t have figured that out.”
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“This is garbage work.”
– “You” Statements:
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“You always come to work late.”
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“You always have to blame our shoddy work on others.”
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“You never help your co-workers when asked.”
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Avoid Communication Breakdowns
 Use active listening skills
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Slow down, repeat their last point, use listening trick
 Praise employee in a timely manner, (daily)
 Set common agreed upon goals
 Follow up on previous goals
 Document, Document, and then Document again
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Avoid Communication Breakdowns
DON’T:
 Ignore potentially problematic employees
 Set unrealistic goals
 Be vague when giving feedback
 Give criticism or negative feedback in passing or by leaving a note.
Listen, first. Then think. Then speak.
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Positive intervention techniques to turn problems around
 Preparing for counseling meeting
– Avoiding the most common reasons improvement plans fail to work
– Avoiding common Managerial tendencies when dealing with problem employees
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Corrective vs Punitive actions
– Developing a performance plan
 One vital step to gain employee acceptance for solutions
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 Counseling meeting
– The most common reasons improvement plans fail to work:
 Employee follow up. An active relationship must be maintained.
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Common Managerial tendencies to avoid:
 Avoiding problems
 Forgetting to listen
 Wasting time on insignificant problems
 Lecturing
 Losing control when an employee becomes upset
 Failing to adequately prepare for disciplinary meeting
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4/12/2020

 Corrective vs Punitive actions:
– Corrective actions focuses on helping the employee improve through additional training
 Using this, the manager will gain the respect of the employee and get better results
– Punitive action focuses on “punishment” for incorrect work and doesn’t help the employee improve through training
 Using this, the manager will experience resentment and resistance from the employee.
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 Elements of a successful Performance Improvement
Plan:
– Improvement Area
– Action Plan
– Top two or three objectives that employee will work on during given time period
– A list of attainable goals you’ll work on during same time to help the employee improve performance, make job less frustrating and more enjoyable.
– Consequences for success and failure
– Follow up / evaluation method and time frame.
 Note: anything in writing should go in personnel file including “Good job” notes
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 One vital step you must take to gain employee acceptance for the solution to a performance problem:
 Involvement
– When coaching or counseling employees, the vital element that will impact whether they resist your coaching or counseling is how involved you make them in the process.
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Counseling Meetings:
What to say – and not to say
 How to ask the employee to meet with you:
– Confidentially set up the meeting yourself
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Let the employee know what the meeting is about.
– Reaffirm date, time, and location. End on a positive note.
 What not to do when requesting a meeting:
– Don’t have someone else set up the meeting
– Don’t request the meeting in a note to the employee
– Don’t say too little or too much
– Don’t set it up on the spur of the moment.
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4/12/2020

Preparing for an effective Counseling
Meeting
 Review reasons for meeting
 Review your goals and any prior reviews with the employee
 Allow 30 minutes
 Ensure there are no distractions during the meeting,
(visitors, phone calls, etc.)
 Sit with employee, not at your desk
 Write out a script for yourself and rehearse
 Make sure you have items to take notes
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4/12/2020

Preparing for an effective Counseling
Meeting
 Checklist for conducting meeting:
– Use positive body language and make eye contact
– Explain purposes of meeting, be objective
– Be aware of employee theatrics
– Ask open-ended questions to engage employee
– Listen, paraphrase their responses
– Give specific examples of work performance, do not repeat rumors
– Obtain employee input prior to offering solutions
– Develop a written plan
– Express confidence in employee
– Use what motivates the employee to come to work to motivate them to change
– Provide appropriate resources or support the employee needs
– Explain company policy if appropriate
– Schedule a follow-up meeting
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Disciplinary Meeting, use the GREAT problem solving model
G – Goals:
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Behavior goal(s) you would like to achieve
The purpose for these goals to be implemented
R – Roles:
 Define, in behavioral terms, roles you want to play and have the other person play in your work situation
E – Expectations:
 Expectations for satisfactory performance
 Expectations for outstanding performance
A – Abilities:
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Is the problem a “Don’t Know”, “Can’t Do” or “Won’t Do”?
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– Always assume it’s a “Don’t Know” first, then escalate – You’ll be more successful
Don’t Know – The employee needs instruction / training
Can’t Do – The employee needs more training or give task to another person
Won’t Do – Consider what are the rewards and punishments (from the employee’s point of view) for refusing to do the job correctly
– Performance is punished, (list negative consequences of doing the job correctly)
– Failure is rewarded, (list positive consequences of not doing the job correctly)
T – Time:
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Consider your timetable
Does the situation call for immediate or gradual change?
 Consider the support you will provide and how you will measure progress 30
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 Step 1: Document efforts to help employee improve
 Step 2: Document verbal warnings
 Step 3: Document performance improvement plan
 Step 4: Issue a written warning as a result of a disciplinary conference.
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 Checklist to determine when Termination is the best course of action:
– The employees work record
– The overall treatment of the employee
– The severity of the present disciplinary actions
– The consequences of firing the employee
– Any legal implications
– The source of the problem
– Consult employee handbook for what violations constitute misconduct
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Are final warnings a good idea / practice?
 No
– An employee who has already had three chances to improve is unlikely to turn things around on the fourth try.
– Cut your losses (in time and energy) than to keep trying to inspire improvement.
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Three things you must do before terminating and employee for reasons other than gross misconduct:
 Check with supervisor to be sure all procedures have been followed
 Ensure all documentation is in place
 Conduct the termination meeting when you are calm and able to remain in control.
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Schedule a short meeting, no longer than 15 minutes
Plan what you’ll say in the meeting
Ensure that the conditions of termination have been made known to the employee
Avoid any reasons for firing that may lead to charges of discriminations
Escort employee off the premises
Document the meeting
After the meeting:
– Inform rest of the employees while maintaining the former employee’s privacy
– Notify customers if appropriate, (consult with supervisor)
– Determine how to handle any future communication with former employee
– Develop a transition plan
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Protecting yourself and company from legal problems
Five Potentially Explosive Scenarios to Avoid at all Costs:
– Terminating an employee without documentation
– Terminating an employee because of issues related to sex, age, religion or other possible areas of discrimination
– Conducting the termination meeting without someone else attending
– Conducting a termination meeting without preparing for it
– Losing your temper in the middle of the termination meeting
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Protecting yourself and company from legal problems
To reduce the risk of a lawsuit:
– Avoid embarrassing the terminated employee
– Avoid arguing with the employee during the termination meeting
– Have at least one witness present
– Have employee sign and date all documentations
– Have the company’s policies and procedures manual in the meeting
– Show the employee that the company cares
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The Progressive Disciplinary Process
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Level One: Coaching
– Done daily
 Clarify their position
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Assert your position
Seek solutions
Evaluate options and create agreements
Level Two: Counseling Meeting
– A platform to inform the employee that their performance needs improvement
Level Three: Disciplinary Meeting
– Goals
– Roles
– Expectations
– Abilities
– Time
Level Four: Termination Meeting
– Must follow policy procedures along with proper documentation methods
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Discussion and activity
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Implement team building ideas:
What motivates them to come to work?
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Enjoyment
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Pay
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Who they work with
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Who they work for
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Because of their children
How do they view appreciation / acceptance?
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Words of affirmation
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Gifts
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Pay
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Quality time with team members
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Acts of service, help
Developing team mission and vision statement
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4/12/2020
Dashir Management Services, INC
Mission
To provide a service that instills pride in our partners, who consist of management, staff, and customers, all committed to constantly improving the environment for working, teaching and learning.
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Passion Births Vision
Ability is not enough to enable us to reach our potential. Opportunity alone will never get us to the top. Knowledge is a great asset, but comes up short helping us "be all that we can be." Even putting together a good team is not sufficient. Passion is the difference-maker.
In my years of observing people, I have never seen an individual reach his potential without passion. Horst
Schultze, former COO of the Ritz Carlton says:
You are nothing unless it comes from your heart. Passion, caring, really looking to create excellence. If you perform functions only and go to work only to do processes, then you are effectively retired. And it scares me most people I see, by age 28, are retired... If you go to work only to fulfill the processes and functions then you are a machine. You have to bring passion, commitment and caring - then you are a human being.
Without passion we stop dreaming and settle for survival. We relinquish heartfelt vision in exchange for security and comfort.
One team of researchers followed a group of 1,500 MBA's over a period of 20 years. At the outset of the study, the participants were divided into two groups, Group A and Group B.
Group A, 83 percent of the sample , was composed of people who were embarking on a career path that they had chosen solely for the prospect of making money now in order to do what they wanted later in life.
Group B, the other 17 percent of the sample , consisted of people who had chosen their career paths so that they could do what they wanted to do now and worry about the money later.
The data showed some startling revelations:
• At the end of the 20-year period, 101 of the 1,500 had become millionaires.
• Of the millionaires, all but one - 100 out of 101 - were from Group B, the group that had chosen to pursue what they loved.
In summarizing the research for his book Getting Rich Your Own Way , Srully Blotnick observed the following: "A missing ingredient had to be present if someone was going to become rich: they had to find their work absorbing.
Involving. Enthralling." The success stories choose passion over predictable earnings. They had a vision for life
41 beyond material riches, and ironically, they ended up generating the most wealth.
4/12/2020

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You are the key to your team’s success
 It is how you know and view your staff that determines how successful your team will be
 It is how well you know your staff that will create “buy in” from the district you serve.
 Remember everyone you encounter in your job is who you serve.
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