Recalculating the Road to Dismissal

Summer is on a road trip, driving through a state she has never visited before. The destination is mapped by her smart phone navigation app and the calm voice tells her what turns are ahead. The longer she drives, the more the scenery and the roadways change, and the more reliant Summer becomes upon the confident voice. The directions are precise. The next morning, when rush hour traffic backs up on the freeway and the navigation voice tells her to merge too late for her to safely do so, she takes a different exit. “Recalculating” says the navigation, kindly reminding Summer that she didn’t exit as directed. And when Summer misses the left-hand turn to her hotel that evening, another recalculation takes Summer on a scenic trip, but gets her to her destination just a few minutes later. 

Sometimes in work, we too need navigation. Perhaps we encounter a detour, but the navigation advises us we are still on the right track. Or perhaps the navigation is telling us to make a U-turn. We may not have realized we missed a turn, thinking all the while we were on Breezy Drive, when really, we were on Rainy Lane. And if we keep going this direction, we’ll be on Dismissal Way.

Employees finding themselves on the road to dismissal need two things: A calm and accurate voice letting them know they are no longer on the roadway desired and signs to help them see their location. In the ideal situation, the calm voice is that of a supervisor, giving coaching and direction. The street signs are documentation, describing how the employee has missed a turn and providing a map to the preferred road. Navigation apps don’t wait until we are incredibly lost to give feedback; the feedback is immediate and specific, so you know how to get back on the road. The same should be true for redirecting employees.

On Wednesday, Winston comes to HR with a large file folder. He tells his HR department, “I need to fire Michelle. Today’s error was the last straw.” The file folder contains documentation containing job descriptions, memos of expectations, email summaries of performance conversations, a work plan, written reprimands and a suspension. The documentation shows progressive discipline — all the road signs Winston showed Michelle to let her know that her performance was not successful. 

What are some keys to providing effective navigation?

• First, acknowledge the behavior quickly, even if you need to discuss the issue at length later. Always address issues in private.  “Michelle, you missed a deadline today and our team pitched in to meet the customer’s needs. I want to discuss this with you tomorrow.”
• Second, there are always two sides to a story. Set a meeting time and ask for the employee’s perspective. “Michelle, thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.  I’d like to hear your perspective on what happened yesterday afternoon.” 
• Third, talk about impacts to customers and the team. Share your opinion and give the direct feedback that lets the employee know they are off track. Sometimes, this information is best shared with a transition phrase, the navigational equivalent of “recalculating.” It might be “I need to share with you,” “This is a learning opportunity,” or “This type of performance does not meet my expectations.” 
• Fourth, ask what they learned, how they will prevent this from happening again, and how they will correct this situation. Let the employee share solutions without blaming others.  Like the navigation voice, stay calm, factual and focused on the topic at hand. 
• Fifth, summarize what you have heard, take time to reflect on the information, and follow up. Depending on previous behavior, time with the organization and previously established expectations, discipline may be required.  This is a good time to reach out to HR regarding policy and next steps.

Sometimes, supervisors use the “compliment sandwich” approach, where they start with a compliment, give honest feedback and criticism, then end with another compliment. This approach is problematic for a few reasons: First, the employee may only hear the compliments.  Second, even if the employee hears the criticism, they may feel that the compliments outweigh the criticism. Third, leaving the meeting on the compliment may lead the employee to believe they do not need to change or alter their behavior. Sometimes it can be tempting to soften the conversation by using complimentary adjectives that do not align with the ultimate message of the conversation, such as “You do outstanding work …. You are being placed on administrative probation.”

Documenting the performance conversation with an informal email acknowledging the conversation, a note in a work plan, or with a disciplinary memo, ensures the central message was clearly communicated and heard by both parties. The document acknowledges that behavior change must be made for the employee to be successful in the role. Strong documentation will include a clear opening sentence indicating the reason for the meeting, a specific example of the behavior that needs to change, the policy violation and the expectations for behavior moving forward.  The document should be signed and dated by the employee with the signature line indicating receipt, not agreement.  Often, employees appreciate a second chance to improve performance; they just needed to know which path they are on, the path to success or the road to dismissal. 

The road of public service is like a great road trip — the journey, the people you meet, the friends you travel with and the things you learn and experience are as enriching as the destination, even if you missed a turn along the way. With honest navigation feedback and documented mile markers, we can ensure everyone on the team makes it to the destination.