Delivering Bad News Tactfully and Effectively

Delivering Bad News Tactfully and Effectively

By Katherine Esparza: March 28, 2011

Review the case study below and in 350 – 700 words explain how you would approach this employee, anticipate the employee’s response, and discuss which conflict resolution techniques you would use.

“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.”

After a series of complaints on employee Joe Smith who has been employed by our company for the last two years I decided it would be best meet with Joe to discuss an action plan. I decide to send Joe a meeting request via our internal email system. I was able to view Joe’s online calendar to ensure I was scheduling a meeting when Joe was free. I also wanted to be certain that Joe would not be able to say he had a conflicting meeting. I was sure set the meeting within my office. I wanted to be sure that Joe understood the seriousness of the meeting.

Joe responded to my email later in the day, he accepted the meeting without question. To prepare for the meeting I decided that I would not “jump” right into discussing the problem. I decided that I would spend a few minutes just talking with Joe, it did not matter the subject, and I simply wanted to build rapport with him. I gave Joe the opportunity to provide his achievements and process during the past few months. I wanted to give Joe the chance to bring up his areas of improvement.  I was very careful to call them areas of improvements and not weakness.

I then discussed his performance from the past few months and input on his areas of development and improvement.  We had some areas were we agreed and some were disagreements, however consensus was reached. Joe was very honest about his lack of involvement with his coworkers; he admitted that he had been short with everyone. He shared something with me, something he hadn’t told anyone at work. He shared that his father was very ill. He broke down. It reminded me that things are not always the way they seem. I felt as they we really had a break through.

We revisted Joe’s job responsibilities and reached some standards of service with both his internal and external customers, this included his coworkers. I reminded Joe of the consequences connected with poor work performance.

The meeting was ended on a positive manner. I expressed my confidence in Joe. I reminded him of why I chose to hire him in the first place.