If you have an employee who seems to be trying to measure up, but is falling a bit short, then it is time to do some coaching. Effective coaching and providing constructive feedback can be difficult and challenging, but they can pay off:

• employees learn more about their jobs and perform better
• employees develop loyalty toward you and the business
• working conditions are improved
• productivity is enhanced

Obviously, some people are better suited to coaching than others. Accept the fact that coaching comes with the territory when you have employees. The most important thing is to communicate effectively. This includes listening and a fair measure of patience. Try to keep the discussion focused on goals, and on what you want the employee to achieve. Consider what business objectives will be better achieved if the employee’s performance improves. The coaching process has certain perspectives and behaviors that can be duplicated in the workplace. They are:

• Mutual respect. Both you and your employees must accept the mutual dependence each has on the other in order for each of you to succeed. From that relationship, respect can grow based on the contributions of each party.
• Supportive environment. Where there is respect, it follows that the working environment will be supportive. The opposite is true where there is distrust or conflict.
• Trust. Where there is fear, there is no trust. The workplace must encourage an atmosphere of trust, which includes candor and an acceptance of an initial level of failure.
• As the coach, you must:
  • set clear expectations
  • set performance standards
  • measure performance
  • correct deviations from performance standards
  • make it clear that you are on the same side as the employee
  • provide guidance while preserving the employee’s self-esteem

A coaching session to improve poor performance might contain the following steps:

1. Express the performance standards for the job and review past performance of the employee.
2. Explain why the employee's performance is important to the business's success.
3. Describe the areas of performance that the employee needs to improve.
4. As much as possible, describe desired performance in terms of results to be achieved.
5. Explain the business consequences (e.g., lost sales) when the employee doesn't perform well.
6. Describe what good performance looks like, providing concrete examples of good work, if possible.
7. Ask for the person's view on why performance doesn't meet standards. Does the employee believe there is a problem?
8. Discuss possible solutions. What does the person propose to do to solve the problem?
9. If possible, have the employee develop steps to solve the problem to create a sense of ownership in the solution. Suspend the session if the employee needs more time to develop a plan. If the employee can't develop a plan, develop one for the employee.
10. Agree to a written action plan containing specific goals and timetables for meeting those goals.
11. Have the employee orally commit to the action plan and provide the employee with a copy of the plan. Retain another copy as documentation of the meeting.
12. Follow up on performance based on the goals stated in the action plan. Provide feedback on how the employee is doing. Offer suggestions to improve performance. Praise instances where performance has improved.
13. Coaching to improve poor performance is often the first step of the progressive discipline process. If the employee’s performance doesn't improve, however, explain that you may be required to take more severe disciplinary steps.

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