Delivering bad news is something that can be extremely uncomfortable. “The effective manager does not view conflict negatively but rather sees opportunities for personal and relationship growth in conflict management, (Cahn, 2007, p. 288).
I have been presented with the following situation...
“You are a department manager in a mid-sized company that provides technology support services. You have ten employees who are required to maintain a high level of technical expertise and deliver excellent customer service. One of your employees, who has been with the company for two years, is performing at a substandard level and you have received numerous complaints from customers and coworkers. In addition, this employee has displayed confrontational behavior which has created a hostile environment. You must now meet with this employee and deliver an ultimatum regarding the need for immediate improvement or dismissal.”
Below is how I would respond to this situation...
I would ask the employee into my office. I would start out my acknowledging that he has been with the company for two years and let him know I want to make sure he is with us as long as possible. I would be upfront with him and let him know of the complaints I had received from both customers and employees. I would ask him if he recognizes and can acknowledge that these issues are occurring.
I am anticipating that the employee may get defensive at first, so I need to make sure I would use the S-TLC system which stands for, Stop, Think, Listen, and Communicate, (Cahn, p. 69). In order for the employee to know I am not ganging up on him and that I am here to support him, I will ask him if he feels he needs any support to help him get the job done at the level that is expected of him. As his manager, there could a way of supporting him in a way that I am not yet aware of.
I will also let him know I notice that he has seemed frustrated and angry. I would try to understand where this hostility is coming from. I would let him know that it is effecting both customers and co-workers and that he needs to find a better and more effective way to communicate. We could talk together about ways to effectively communicate anger and frustration. I would let him know that if he cannot control his temper, that he will be terminated.
I would let him know my exact expectations of him. During this conversation I would also work with him in listing steps he needs to take to help him better meet the expectations of the job. I would be upfront in letting him know that if he is continues to fall short on the expectations that are clearly set, he will be terminated. This conflict approach is empathetic, but also straight to the point.
I feel that he will be receptive to my feedback since I am putting together a plan of action to help him improve his level of performance. I feel it is important to be forward and honest about the issues, but it is equally as important to present a possible resolution for the issues.
Resources:
Cahn, D. & Abigail, R. (2007). Managing conflict through communication (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.
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