Dealing with underperforming staff
Planning for action and managing self
Common difficulties- preparation
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Lack of preparation
Lack of knowledge about industrial/legal/local policy issues.
Not having all the facts or evidence of the facts
Not having first hand information
Not leaving enough time for discussion
Not providing an appropriate space (eg seating arrangement)
Not being clear about the agenda and the consequences
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You are supervisor not key
emotional support
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Common difficulties - emotional
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Fear of conflict
Fear of upsetting the person
Talking about how you feel (it’s not about you!)
Taking responsibility for others
Making assumptions
Expecting to change or ‘save’ the person
Not being honest about the situation or possible outcomes
Wanting to save them from pain, humiliation, the truth or consequences of
their actions
Understating or overstating the situation – keep it in context
Exhibiting emotional responses
Allowing a “negative advocate” or “friend” to hold the floor.
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Common difficulties - communication
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Be careful of hearsay - ‘he said, she said’.
Trying to deal with the matter through email, either initial interview or follow
up
Not keeping file notes (records of conversations)
Interrupting
Talking more than listening (and not listening actively)
Getting into direct confrontation with high conflict personalities.
Being disarmed or bamboozled as new information is brought forward, often
without substance
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Preparing for discussion/mediation
• Be clear on the issues and facts
• Prepare a timeline and details of the history of the dispute/complaint/
unsatisfactory performance
• Ensure that you have all the relevant documents at hand
• Be clear on the process on the policies and procedures
• Understand and act on industrial and legal realities
• Interview any others involved in the dispute/complaint
• Set very clear guidelines as to time, place and length of the meeting
• Ensure that you leave enough time
• Do not leave the time open ended
• Provide an agenda in writing (specifying location and timeline) with
any information required from participant/s
• Indicate that you are happy for them to bring ‘a friend’
Recognise the personality issues
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Specific approaches for
High conflict individuals
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Realise they react aggressively because they are threatened
Be modest and matter of fact
Listen respectively and actively
Speak clearly and calmly
Provide moderate reassurance and empathy
Be realistic about boundaries and expectations
Avoid anger or emotional overreaction and do not react to staff member’s
intense emotions
Remain neutral – don’t take their outbursts/blaming personally
Explain consequences calmly
Don’t interrupt, ignore of terminate too quickly
Don’t compromise in the face of anger if it doers not provide a lasting
solution
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Neutral professional bonding
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Importance of “bonding”
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Listen to fear and anger and empathise
Be consistent, calm
Set clear boundaries about what will and will not be done
Validate the person, but not the behaviour or performance
Avoid anger
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Create structure
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Set relationship boundaries and expectations
Clarify roles
Listen to emotional reaction, but limit time spent on emotional issues
Engage staff member in problem solving
Use some mediation principles, eg mutual identification of best and worst
alternative outcomes
Aim to reach agreement on a way forward
Ensure that consequences are understood
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Communication style
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Maintain a professional distance
Remain neutral
Be respectful and empathetic
Validate the person not the complaint or action
Be honest and direct
Listen actively
Ask questions to clarify their position
Test assumptions claims made by seeking evidence
Use summaries and reframing
Use clear simple language
Check that they have understood you
Use reality checking
Identify their needs and interests and their ‘BATNA’ and ‘WATNA’
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Look for solutions not problems
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Reaching an outcome
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Recognise real strengths and accomplishments
Be honest about weaknesses (and unrealistic outcomes)
Share the decision making
Explore all the options
Avoid reaching a decision or outcome too quickly
Explain the consequences of future performance issues/misconduct or not
sticking to agreements
Create a process for follow up and stick to it.
Follow up with attention to detail of agreement
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Protecting self
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Preparation
Clear understanding of your role and responsibility to the university, the staff
member and colleagues
Anger/aggression of the staff member is an instinctive response and not
necessarily directed at you personally
Be empathetic, but not close to the staff member
Do not promise unrealistic outcomes or assistance
Attempt to anticipate likely reaction of staff member
Rehearse the interview/ your responses to likely negative reactions
Ensure that staff member’s friend or advocate is clear on role
Sometimes a staff member’s friend or the union can assist resolution
Ensure that Dean ( senior staff) is aware of your meeting and the grounds
for it
Debrief with senior colleague, HR or Dean
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Final Points
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Deal with the situation promptly and positively
Prevention is better than cure
It is not in the interests of the organisation or the individual to procrastinate
because it is difficult
Sometimes the people are grateful for your intervention
Remember it is about them and the workplace not you.
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