Timely Topics — Past Archives

Handling Emotional Behavior in a Corrective Interview

Preparing for the Corrective Interview The following outline may be helpful for managers preparing for a corrective interview: 1. Review the history of the work     problems and indicate why you     are concerned. Refer to the specific date to describe the behaviors you have observed. Focus on the facts and not the employee him/herself. 2. Ask for reasons and listen openly     to the explanation. It’s important to hear the employee’s side of the story. Ask general questions and don’t judge the explanation. 3. Indicate that the situation must     change and ask what the     employee can do. Stress that correcting the work problems you’ve observed is not negotiable. Enlist the employee’s help in finding solutions. 4. State the consequences if work     problems continue. Let the person know that the purpose of the discussion is to solve problems, not punish. However, the individual needs to understand exactly what actions will be taken if the problem isn’t corrected. 5. Discuss ideas that will correct     the problem. 6. Decide on specific actions to be taken. Document agreed-upon actions and set a follow-up date to review progress. Express confidence in the employee’s ability to solve the problem.

As a manager, one of your hardest jobs is conducting the corrective interview. Most managers have not been well trained in how to supervise employees, especially employees who are having work performance problems.

Anticipating how your employee may react in the corrective interview can be extremely helpful. If a manager knows how to handle certain behaviors, the corrective interview will be more effective. The following guidelines will help in your preparation for the interview and will help you keep your cool in a potentially tense situation.

---

Behavior: Aggressive/defensive

How to Handle:

• Don’t lose sight of the fact that it’s your responsibility to direct and control the interview. Remain calm and resist the impulse to counter in the same aggressive/defensive tone shown by the employee.
• Try to diffuse the anger by commenting directly and calmly about it. For example say, “Do not raise your voice” or “Do not use obscene language”.
• If the situation gets too tense, consider:
     calling a short break
     sending the employee home until
        you call him/her back
     calling the Human Resources
        Department for immediate
        assistance

---

Behavior: No response (“Stone wall”)

How to Handle:

• Recognize that silence is just another way of gaining control.
• Continue to talk, covering your points. You can periodically say something like, “I assume you understand and agree with what I’m trying to say because you’re listening.”
• Ask the employee to provide a written summary of the identified problems and a plan of action to resolve them.

---

Behavior: Crying

How to Handle:

• Take a few minutes to allow the employee to get him/herself together.
• If the employee continues to cry after the break, talk through the crying and make your points. Do not call the meeting off.

---

Behavior: Buddy/buddy routine

How to Handle:

• If the employee is a friend, anticipate ahead of time that this may happen.
• Diffuse the situation at the outset by stating how difficult this is because you are friends, but right now both of you must dissociate friendship from business. If necessary, keep returning to this point.

---

Behavior: Blame-shifting

How to Handle:

• Say you’ll look into the other person’s work problems, but that today the discussion is about him/her.
• Ask for specific steps he/she is willing to take to improve regardless of whose fault the performance problems may be.

---

Behavior: Pleading personal problems, but insisting can handle on own

How to Handle:

• 1st interview: Be understanding, but state that the work situation must now improve. Remind the employee that they can use the Employee Assistance Program.
• 2nd interview: Advise the employee that you have given him/her a chance to improve, but it is evident that the personal problems are still impacting work performance. Make a formal referral to the Employee Assistance Program.

---

Remember that an employee may exhibit a combination of these behaviors. When conducting the corrective interview, keep in mind these key points:

1. You are meeting with the employee because you are responsible for his/her job performance.
2. Remain in control of the interview. Do not let the employee sidetrack you from meeting your interview objectives.
3. If you feel yourself losing control, take a short break to reassess your position.

Most importantly, remember that you will not help the employee, yourself, or your organization by letting poor performance continue.