“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.”
My
first thought as a manager would be to look back onto this employee’s track
record and how well this employee has performed over the past two years. I will
take into account the employee’s past achievements, work ethic, and potential
displayed during their tenure. This will help to establish not only the expectations
of myself and the company, but the level of performance the employee is capable
of achieving. When approaching the employee, I will display genuine concern and
use empathy to determine why this employee is acting in such a way. Likely,
there are some external factors contributing to the employee’s behavior and
triggering a reaction.
I anticipate an emotionally-charged reaction, but as to what that emotion will be I cannot say. The response can range from sadness to anger. As much as I would expect a violent outburst from the employee, the potential for an emotional breakdown would be there as well. This especially if the actual reason is from devastated from a circumstance beyond their control, such as a death in the family or another traumatic situation. It would bring a new dimension in explaining the sudden change in behavior and work ethic. Instead of coming down on this employee with autocratic authority, I would attempt to find the problem by cutting through the person’s communication barriers into the source of the miscommunication.
This is, of course, assuming I can succeed in exposing the issue. Should I fail and the individual become indignant or shut me out, then I will have to turn the conversation back to a professional tone and state the ultimatum that was given. The hallmark of an efficient working environment is the ability to work together comfortably. This is established by how we communicate with one another. Unfortunately, if an employee is not interested in promoting a positive work environment, then for the sake of other employees the individual may have to be released.
I will first and foremost be using active listening to hear anything the employee wishes to say to clarify the situation. Using a respectful tone and phrases created to draw out answers about feelings and emotions may help to expose any influences by outside stimuli. If a link to outside stimuli is found, perhaps the resolution would be some time off for bereavement, mental recuperation, or time to refocus priorities. I feel like this communicates willingness on my part to accommodate for the person’s personal situation, and show them the company is compassionate to their situation. If no link can be found, then I will have to make sure to clearly and calmly state the situation and ultimatum so the individual understands the gravity of their actions. The sternness of the delivery of the message will be completely dependent on the individual’s overall disposition and outward attitude. I hope that the employee will not force my hand into additional reprimands by communicating with hostility towards me, as this will cause a communication breakdown between me and the employee on a professional level and possibly a personal one. Whichever the case, the employee will be notified that they must improve on their performance or they will be released from the company.
I anticipate an emotionally-charged reaction, but as to what that emotion will be I cannot say. The response can range from sadness to anger. As much as I would expect a violent outburst from the employee, the potential for an emotional breakdown would be there as well. This especially if the actual reason is from devastated from a circumstance beyond their control, such as a death in the family or another traumatic situation. It would bring a new dimension in explaining the sudden change in behavior and work ethic. Instead of coming down on this employee with autocratic authority, I would attempt to find the problem by cutting through the person’s communication barriers into the source of the miscommunication.
This is, of course, assuming I can succeed in exposing the issue. Should I fail and the individual become indignant or shut me out, then I will have to turn the conversation back to a professional tone and state the ultimatum that was given. The hallmark of an efficient working environment is the ability to work together comfortably. This is established by how we communicate with one another. Unfortunately, if an employee is not interested in promoting a positive work environment, then for the sake of other employees the individual may have to be released.
I will first and foremost be using active listening to hear anything the employee wishes to say to clarify the situation. Using a respectful tone and phrases created to draw out answers about feelings and emotions may help to expose any influences by outside stimuli. If a link to outside stimuli is found, perhaps the resolution would be some time off for bereavement, mental recuperation, or time to refocus priorities. I feel like this communicates willingness on my part to accommodate for the person’s personal situation, and show them the company is compassionate to their situation. If no link can be found, then I will have to make sure to clearly and calmly state the situation and ultimatum so the individual understands the gravity of their actions. The sternness of the delivery of the message will be completely dependent on the individual’s overall disposition and outward attitude. I hope that the employee will not force my hand into additional reprimands by communicating with hostility towards me, as this will cause a communication breakdown between me and the employee on a professional level and possibly a personal one. Whichever the case, the employee will be notified that they must improve on their performance or they will be released from the company.
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