When is it time for a PIP?

My brain has really been on overdrive this week thinking about PIPs (performance improvement plan.) I know….I need to get out more.

But it’s a topic that comes up regularly with my clients and it causes them much pain and frustration.

I always think the solution to underperforming employees is simple.

In my mind…..

· The leader has had several real time conversations about what’s not working

· They have been collaborating to find solutions

· They both understand what’s at stake

· And they both know what the next step will be in the process

So when the time comes to make a very impactful decision, it may be emotionally hard but it is not complicated. It’s an organic ending.

I don’t think this is a Pollyanna approach.

In fact….I recognize how hard all the actions leading up to organic endings really are.

But the willingness to be this deliberate and connected is what makes great leaders. And it's hard.

Untrained leaders will let things build and then bring HR in to administer a painful PIP.

Sadly, leaders have been erroneously trained to do is gather evidence against our employees.

Rather than give feedback immediately, we wait until we can build a case. We want that confrontation to be lock tight. When the employee says give me examples we want to have several.

But this is inherently flawed.

It’s flawed because this approach means that your goal as a leader or manager is to be “right.” Which doesn’t leave space for help you employee be better. If our goal was to be better, we wouldn’t go into the conversation ready to litigate our findings. We would simply want to bring an issue to light. We would be collaborative.

And we would be willing to be wrong.

So if you are sitting at the crossroads of yet another PIP…..I can help.

2 options. I can work with your employee to help them take accountability for themselves. And/or I can work with the leader to teach them how to effectively give feedback and avoid PIPs forever. Ideally, we do both. The work and curriculum is exactly the same.

Then, both employee and leader have gained the skills to support a healthy long term relationship.

My goal is simple. Help everyone lead better. Leading yourself, leading others and leading entire organizations.  Learn how we do this at www.bauerhousecoaching.com.

May you live and LeadWell,

~E