Do upcoming difficult conversations with employees gnaw at you and make you uncomfortable? Although most managers dislike confronting employees about performance, it does come with the territory. Without confrontation, many situations worsen over time.
Here are a few things to remember:
• Think about what is at stake and what an ideal outcome might look like.
• Recognize that your view of the situation may be one-sided and be prepared to hear a different point of view.
• Practice stress-reduction techniques such as breathing exercises that you can use before, during, and after the conversation.
• Be prepared with concrete examples.
• Practice your opening remarks in front of a mirror.
• Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, empathizing with his or her feelings.
• Take responsibility for how you may have contributed to the situation.
• Summarize the conversation with a proposed solution to see if there is some agreement.
• Follow up with an email that will serve as documentation of the conversation and proposed actions.
Helping to turn around a declining work situation may be one of the most rewarding experiences in a manager or supervisor’s life.
Is this a good time to talk?
