Dealing with Difficult Dealing with Difficult EmployeesEmployees

Cal Poly PomonaCal Poly Pomona

Employee/Labor RelationsEmployee/Labor Relations

Focus of this Discussion:Focus of this Discussion:

Performance Management – Performance Management – How We Do BusinessHow We Do Business

Common Errors, Mistakes, Common Errors, Mistakes, and Misstepsand Missteps

Preparing for the DiscussionPreparing for the Discussion Talking to Your EmployeeTalking to Your Employee ““Tough Situations” – What Tough Situations” – What

Are They? Respond, Don’t Are They? Respond, Don’t React!React!

Understanding EmotionsUnderstanding Emotions Set Yourself Up for Success!Set Yourself Up for Success!

Performance Management – Performance Management – How We Do BusinessHow We Do Business

To Guide Employees toward Best Performance Practices

To Help Employees Understand and Achieve Established Work Performance Expectations

To Build Solid Working Relationships

“Performance Management Improves Performance and Benefits Everyone!”

Performance ManagementPerformance Management

Communicating your Department’s Mission

Each Employee Plays a Part in Achieving the Mission

Through Task performance, Communication, and Skills Utilization

Performance ManagementPerformance Management

Communicating your Department’s Mission (Cont.)

Their development, as well as performance, is a continuous process, requiring on-going feedback

Do Not Wait for the Annual Performance Evaluation to give feedback. It should NOT be the only communication the employee receives about their performance or contributions.

Not-so-great Moments Part 1

HEY BOSS!

UH, YEAH?

?

THAT PROJECT IS NOT GOING TO WORK. WE TRIED IT 10

YEARS AGO AND IT FAILED! IF IT’S NOT BROKE, WHY FIX IT?

SO YOU’VE DOOMED IT TO FAILURE? THAT’S

JUST TYPICAL. I CAN’T RELY ON YOU FOR

ANYTHING!!

Performance ManagementPerformance Management – – Common Errors, Mistakes or MisstepsCommon Errors, Mistakes or Missteps

Avoidance - You Do Nothing, perhaps Avoidance - You Do Nothing, perhaps hoping it will go away or resolve itself, but hoping it will go away or resolve itself, but the behavior continues.the behavior continues.

Procrastination - You Intend to get around Procrastination - You Intend to get around to it, but You Don’t. Time slips away and to it, but You Don’t. Time slips away and dealing with it is no longer timely, or the dealing with it is no longer timely, or the problem has gotten worse.problem has gotten worse.

“Knowing where you can go wrong will help you avoid the pitfalls”

Performance Management – Performance Management – Common Errors, Mistakes or MisstepsCommon Errors, Mistakes or Missteps

You Don’t Know What To Do in a You Don’t Know What To Do in a Union Environment; Afraid to Look Union Environment; Afraid to Look Silly, So You Don’t Ask Silly, So You Don’t Ask

You’re Concerned that You Will “Rock You’re Concerned that You Will “Rock the Boat” or that its the “Way Things the Boat” or that its the “Way Things Have Always Been” Have Always Been”

You hope the Lead will deal with it, You hope the Lead will deal with it, but You’re the Manager! but You’re the Manager!

Performance Management – Performance Management – Common Errors, Mistakes or MisstepsCommon Errors, Mistakes or Missteps

It’s Conflict and it could get Ugly. It’s Conflict and it could get Ugly. Why Can’t People Just Do Their Job…Why Can’t People Just Do Their Job… Procrastination…Procrastination…

“Knowing where you can go wrong will help you avoid the pitfalls”

““Preparing” for the Preparing” for the DiscussionDiscussion

Be prepared to LISTEN!

Focus on the actual job performance &/or behaviors—stick to the facts and what you “know” (avoid rumors or hearsay, verify facts before you meet)

Identify—and prepare enough time to focus on the positive attributes of the employee’s performance

““Preparing” for the Preparing” for the DiscussionDiscussion

Identify—and be ready to discuss—the next steps in employee development, whether remedial steps, goals, or growth-type activities

If Goals, Development, or improvement actions were identified previously, be prepared to discuss progress

You and Your Employee are “Invested” in the Organization.

Make the Investment Work For Both of You!

Not-so-great Moments Part 2

EVERYBODY SAYS YOU HAVE A

PROBLEM GETTING ALONG WITH

OTHERS, AND YOU ARE LAZY!!

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I WORK TWICE AS

HARD AS EVERYBODY. THEY’RE JUST JEALOUS!!

THAT’S NOT WHAT I HEAR. I

NEED TO GO TO A MEETING NOW…

Talking to Your Talking to Your EmployeeEmployee Tell the truth, in a respectful but

direct manner. Remember to focus on the actual job-

related issues and behavior based on data, or what you “know”

Do not attack the employee’s character under ANY circumstances. Always maintain Mutual Respect.

For each issue, solicit the employee’s ideas about how to adjust and improve—but also have a plan of your own

Talking to Your Talking to Your EmployeeEmployee

Ensure you communicate clearly what the expectations are, what the employee needs to do, specify timeframe, how it will be measured and how you will support/aid the effort

The most effective improvement plans are those in which both supervisor and employee share ownership.

I have made clear what the department expectations are, and you are expected to comply with them.

The answers to each of the denial statements above are:

You are being evaluated based on the classification standards for your position and your performance, and not against other employees.

If you believe you are not adequately trained to perform a task, you can always come to me and express your concern.

When it Gets When it Gets HotHot——Respond, Don’t ReactRespond, Don’t ReactLack of Accountability or Denial: Lack of Accountability or Denial takes

many forms: “I should not be expected to do that,” “well, I’m better than so-and-so,” “I didn’t get trained well,” among others excuses

Keep the focus on the employee and department requirements, and keep “returning the ball to their court.”

When It Gets When It Gets HotHot—Respond, —Respond, Don’t React!Don’t React!

The Angry EmployeeThe Angry Employee – – Blames or Blames or

AttacksAttacks Stay Focused Stay Focused Do Not Let It Get PersonalDo Not Let It Get Personal Refer Discussion Back to the FactsRefer Discussion Back to the Facts Remind the employee that you have Remind the employee that you have

a plan for the employee to improvea plan for the employee to improve

When It Gets When It Gets HotHot—Respond, —Respond, Don’t React!Don’t React! The Disagreeable Employee - The Disagreeable Employee -

ArgumentativeArgumentative Disagreeing can be healthy; respect Disagreeing can be healthy; respect

differences of opinion, but stay on differences of opinion, but stay on topictopic

Disrespecting you is NOT healthy. IF Disrespecting you is NOT healthy. IF the conversation gets “ugly” stay the conversation gets “ugly” stay calm and focused, but firmly let the calm and focused, but firmly let the employee know that unprofessional employee know that unprofessional behavior will behavior will notnot be tolerated. be tolerated.

When It Gets When It Gets HotHot—Respond, —Respond, Don’t React!Don’t React!

The Whiner - The Whiner - Finds fault in EverythingFinds fault in Everything

Listen, acknowledge, paraphraseListen, acknowledge, paraphrase Avoid accusation-defense-accusationAvoid accusation-defense-accusation Ask specific Q’sAsk specific Q’s Engage them in possible SolutionsEngage them in possible Solutions

When It Gets When It Gets HotHot—Respond, —Respond, Don’t React!Don’t React! The PessimistThe Pessimist - - It won’t workIt won’t work

Don’t Offer Solutions until the Problem Don’t Offer Solutions until the Problem has been thoroughly discussedhas been thoroughly discussed

When Discussing alternatives, Ask Q’sWhen Discussing alternatives, Ask Q’s Be Prepared to Give Clear and Specific Be Prepared to Give Clear and Specific

InstructionsInstructions

When It Gets When It Gets HotHot—Respond, —Respond, Don’t React!Don’t React!

The Know-It-All – The Know-It-All – The Expert on The Expert on EverythingEverything

Listen & ParaphraseListen & Paraphrase Do your homework: they want Do your homework: they want

answersanswers Don’t Challenge Their ExpertiseDon’t Challenge Their Expertise Don’t OvergeneralizeDon’t Overgeneralize Watch Out for your Own Know-It-All Watch Out for your Own Know-It-All

responsesresponses

When It Gets When It Gets HotHot—Respond, —Respond, Don’t React!Don’t React! The Bomb – The Bomb – Loses control & Temper Loses control & Temper

TantrumsTantrums

Allow venting, but move to Problem-Allow venting, but move to Problem-SolvingSolving

Set Respectful BoundariesSet Respectful Boundaries Show that you take Them and their Show that you take Them and their

Concerns SeriouslyConcerns Seriously Use Active ListeningUse Active Listening

When It Gets When It Gets HotHot—Respond, —Respond, Don’t React!Don’t React!

The ClamThe Clam – – No reply, grunts, just ‘Yes” No reply, grunts, just ‘Yes” or “No”or “No”

Ask open-ended questionsAsk open-ended questions Wait for response: don’t fill the Wait for response: don’t fill the

silencesilence Comment on what’s happening in Comment on what’s happening in

the interactionthe interaction Be patientBe patient Allow plenty of timeAllow plenty of time

When It Gets When It Gets HotHot—Respond, —Respond, Don’t React!Don’t React! The DawdlerThe Dawdler – – Indecisive, stalls, Indecisive, stalls,

procrastinatesprocrastinates

Listen for issues-engage them in Listen for issues-engage them in problem-solvingproblem-solving

Don’t take on their problems Don’t take on their problems yourselfyourself

Concentrate on examining the factsConcentrate on examining the facts Give support for any decision they Give support for any decision they

offeroffer Clarify who’s responsible for whatClarify who’s responsible for what

Understanding EmotionsUnderstanding Emotions

Recognize that People have Different Recognize that People have Different

Motivations, Needs, Styles, & FearsMotivations, Needs, Styles, & Fears

Anger & ControlAnger & Control Understand that Stress and Fear lead to Understand that Stress and Fear lead to

angeranger He Who Angers Me Controls MeHe Who Angers Me Controls Me We cannot be in Control when AngryWe cannot be in Control when Angry He Who’s In Control WinsHe Who’s In Control Wins

Understanding EmotionsUnderstanding Emotions Mutual Respect Mutual Respect If people If people PerceivePerceive that Others Do Not that Others Do Not

Respect them, Respect them, the conversation the conversation Become Unsafe and EndsBecome Unsafe and Ends

Watch for defensiveness, highly Watch for defensiveness, highly charged, fear turns to charged, fear turns to anger, anger, pouting, name-calling, yelling, and pouting, name-calling, yelling, and threats.threats.

Do Others Believe that You Respect Do Others Believe that You Respect Them?Them?

Much Better Moments Between You and Your Employees!

…I”VE ANSWERED ALL OF YOUR CONCERNS, AND WE BOTH AGREE ON THIS ACTION PLAN. NOW IT

IS UP TO YOU TO CARRY IT OUT…

WELL, IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL WORK. I’LL TRY. I

APPRECIATE THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME AND YOUR

SUPPORT I KNOW YOU CAN SUCCEED. LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN

HELP!

I LOVE THIS

JOB!!!

For Helpful Assistance, For Helpful Assistance, Contact…Contact…

Angie HernandezManager, Employee/Labor RelationsExt. 5392 arhernandez@csupomona.edu

Fred TandyEmployee/Labor Relations SpecialistExt. 3729

Nolan DyoEmployee/Labor Relations AssistantExt. 5391nidyo@csupomona.edu