This season’s down-time presents a great opportunity to gain an extraordinary advantage for the coming year.
The people who could most benefit will undoubtedly be managing partners, business owners, leaders, executives, supervisors and managers at all levels.
That extraordinary advantage will be the ability to confidently and competently conduct difficult conversations that get desired results without causing conflict.
Concerns about causing conflict, worsening the situation or it simply not working, are the main reasons why those difficult conversations are avoided.
The failure to conduct crucial difficult conversations with the right people at the right time is the single biggest cause of persistent problems in all organisations.
It’s also the reason why those persistent problems become bad habits, adding hard unnecessary costs to the organisation.
Being able to have those conversations with confidence and competence is a most desirable and potent skill, worthy of mastering during this season’s downtime.
Five Often Avoided Difficult Conversations
- Dealing with an Under Performing Long Term Employee
- Dealing with a Case of Poor Hygiene
- Your First Sequence of the Firing Conversation
- Dealing with Your Own Lack of Accountability as a Leader
- Dealing with a Potential Workplace Sociopath
A Difficult Conversation Case Study Script
So below is a case study script for dealing effectively with a long-term employee who is under-performing to the detriment of the business.
You can adapt the script to suit your situation.
The Scenario
Liz is a long-term employee of the company, serving as a claims assessor for the insurance company.
Whilst her work in the past has been consistently acceptable, if not stellar, it has over the last twelve months steadily worsened, creating settlement delays and increased customer complaints.
Liz is non-confrontational, defensive and a plodder. She is an introvert who likes the status quo.
David is her supervisor. David is an extrovert, fast paced, action oriented, is largely task and results driven and has an influencing style and enjoys being with people.
He is regarded as a firm and fair leader, who harnesses the best in people to get results.
David must manage a tendency to become controlling when challenged.
David had overlooked Liz’s deteriorating performance due to close involvement with a complex system upgrade. He has now realised he needs to have a crucial conversation with Liz to get her back on track or some other alternative.
The Conversation
David comes to Liz’s cubicle.
David: Hi Liz, how’s it going?
Liz: Good thanks.
David: Liz, I need to discuss possible changes to our workload, can we go to the café downstairs and chat about that?
Liz: Why, what’s the problem?
David: I’m not sure, that’s why I need to get some input from you, let’s go.
Liz: I’ve got a heap on my plate now, can we do it later?
David: I understand you have, and I need your input ASAP, because it might just impact on your workload too. So, let’s go.
Liz: OK.
They sit down in the café after ordering their coffee.
Liz: So, what’s situation?
David: Well firstly I want to know how you are going. I notice you haven’t taken any holidays for over twelve months. How come?
Liz: No reason, I just haven’t given it any thought, what with my workload and all.
David: OK, so when do you plan to take annual leave?
Liz: I need to discuss that with Adam and we haven’t as yet.
David: How is Adam, I haven’t seen him for ages?
Liz: We’re all good. Adam has a year to go before he stops work, he wants to go back to uni.
David: Oh, what’s he going to study?
Liz grimaced: His favourite subject – Ancient Greek mythology.
David nodded: It’s great to be doing something one loves. What about you, how are you enjoying the job?
Liz: Oh, it’s OK. Plodding along as usual.
David: Are you actually enjoying it though, you’ve been doing it for, what, five years now?
Liz: Yeah, sure you know me, I like steady.
David: So, you’re happy continuing on as is?
Liz: Absolutely. Why, is that system upgrade going to cause changes to my work?
David: Only that we’ll be processing quicker. That’s what I wanted to get more understanding about from you. How effectively do you feel the process is going right now?
Liz: Yeah, good, it’s going OK.
David: Have you had any feedback from customer service about delays?
Liz: A couple of people have complained but that’s because of my workload.
David: How will that be impacted when the system delivers work quicker to you?
Liz: I’ll cope, but I can only do what I can do. If anything, you might have to get me an extra person.
David: OK, though what I’ve noticed is that your output has dropped by about 30% in the last year. Is that something you can help me understand?
Liz paused: Oh…so that’s what this is about. Well the fact is that I’m going as fast as I can without causing errors.
David: Much of the change we are designing is based on your past rate of output. What’s happened that’s caused you to take this extra time?
Liz: I’m being more careful.
David: What’s caused you to be more careful?
Liz: Well, I’m concerned about the increase in fraud. I don’t want to be responsible for paying false claims.
David: OK, I appreciate your concern. Our data shows there are no more false claims than normal. The increase is occurring in the industry, and not in our client base. So what else is causing your concern?
Liz: As I said I’m being more careful.
David: Yes, so can you please help me understand why, when we’ve had no false claims recently?
Liz: I just want to make sure.
David: OK, so here’s the problem. Our system is going to deliver work for you at a faster rate. I need you to ensure that your output is at your usual higher standard. Can you do that?
Liz: I’ll try but I don’t want to be held responsible for false claims slipping through.
David: Do you think ‘trying’ is fair and reasonable when you’ve proven you’re capable of a much higher standard?
Liz remained silent.
David: When you delivered work in a quicker time, there were no payments made on false claims, so please help me understand what’s changed with you. Is there a problem I can help you with?
Liz shook his head: Nope
David: Liz I’m here to help you and improve the business, hence the upgrade. Now if there’s something more than what you’ve explained so far, then tell me so I can help. Help me get to the root cause of this change in your output, please?
Liz took a deep breath: I don’t want this going any further than you David. With Adam quitting work in a year, we’ve been arguing like hell and things aren’t good at home and I’m not getting any sleep. I’m really worried. I can’t focus on the work properly and I’m scared of making errors, so I’ve been taking longer. And with Adam going back to uni, my being employed is more important. I feel like I’m being squeezed from both ends.
David listened carefully, nodding as Liz spoke.
David: What else is concerning you?
Liz: I’m worried that what you’re doing with the system and the coming technology, that my position will become redundant.
David: Liz, technology can’t do the work you are doing. At best it’ll give you more time to dig deeper and do more enquiring. It’ll take the boring routine stuff and make your work more enjoyable. But that’s provided you can up the ante on your current output. What do you say?
Liz: I suppose so.
David: Regarding your fears and issues at home, have you considered getting help?
Liz: No, what do you mean?
David: Our employee assistance program is designed to help you with this type of issue. That’s what you can do. You and Adam can access them and get some help.
If you don’t want to use them there are other counselling services available within your means.
Will you commit to getting that help?
Liz: Yes.
David: OK, so can we agree that you will increase your output, maintaining the quality and get back to the levels you are capable of, and to getting help with Adam?
Liz: Yes, I suppose so.
David: Liz I need you to be committed and accountable for your sake, and the business. What do you think is fair regarding the consequences of you not doing as you’ve agreed?
Liz: I will, don’t worry.
David: Liz, a lot is riding on all this working, so I prefer the consequences to be me acknowledging you for doing great work instead of me having to intervene or worse. Promise me you won’t let yourself, and all of us down please.
Liz: What do you mean ‘or worse?”
David: I mean I’d be delighted to acknowledge your great work instead of having to performance manage you. As I asked, promise me you won’t let yourself, Adam and all of us down please.
Liz: Alright I hear you, I’ll not let myself down.
David: Thank you. And if you strike any more hurdles will you promise to come to me immediately?
Liz: Yes, I will.
David: Thanks. Let’s get back to work. You can get the EAP details from HR.
Postscript: Liz and Adam got help and sorted themselves out. Liz’s output increased to agreed levels without loss of quality. The platform made Liz’s work more useful and interesting and claims got settled in the appropriate time.
Based on real events from coaching my client (An insurance claims manager)
Private Practice of Your Difficult Conversation
If you like what I’ve given you and you want to master a particular difficult conversation that you might be facing, one that will make a significant improvement to your business (or your personal life), you can book a one hour Zoom meeting with me to get skilled for that particular conversation.
Click here to book that meeting.
On that meeting we will plan and practice all the possibilities and you’ll leave the meeting confident and competent to have the conversation.
During the meeting I’ll also e-mail you my workbook on crucial leadership conversations which will be a powerful resource for you.
With the one-hour session and the workbook, you’ll be able to start the new year knowing you can nail your most difficult conversations and make a positive impact on your business.
The one-hour session, including the workbook is discounted to US$497.00, which you pay online at the time of booking the meeting.
You can check me out here and here
To book that session with me click here.
