Many managers find themselves responsible for staff without ever receiving training in the communication and interpersonal skills needed to manage underperformance. Performance management is critical to organisational success but some managers avoid it because they find it too hard or worry it will affect the relationship with their staff member.  

Avoidance is never the answer because not dealing with performance issues will only lead to bigger problems which affect productivity and weigh on organisational morale.

Many organisations have a policy or process for situations of underperformance but often a policy or process might list steps to take without telling the manager how to have conversations that engage and support staff members while delivering effective outcomes.

How I can help

I specialise in normalising difficult performance conversations and enabling managers to feel comfortable having discussions in a natural, conversational and non-confrontational way.  The result is managers feel empowered, gain a greater understanding of the issues and staff feel supported as the situation is resolved.

This makes one of the harder parts of being a manager easy by taking the pain out of managing difficult people and having difficult conversations.  I help managers understand the importance of engaging genuinely and productively with staff to ascertain why someone is not performing in their role. The factors contributing to poor performance can be complex and I can help you to diagnose this effectively. 

“Performance management” can sound ominous but it’s not just a pathway to termination and, when done correctly, it helps the manager, the employee and the company.

Through performance management coaching, I can help your business with:

• Conflict resolution – by understanding how to resolve conflicts more effectively you can enhance staff productivity and collaboration.

• Enhanced engagement – through improved communication you will be able to understand and respond effectively to employee concerns. Employees feel more valued and engaged, boosting performance, creativity, and productivity.

• Staff retention - losing valued employees can be a significant cost to the business.  Communicating effectively with staff via regular feedback and clear communication of goals can lift engagement and reduce the risk of valued employees leaving the organisation.

• Best practice employment relations - work legislation requires businesses to demonstrate procedural fairness when a difficult situation, such as dismissal, arises.  Understanding best practice procedures ensures compliance with Fair Work legislation, avoid disputes and reduce risks.