Customer Service Training, Tips, Articles & Videos with Myra Golden
How to Give Constructive Feedback to an Employee, Co-worker or Boss
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Need to give an employee, co-worker or your boss constructive feedback? Watch this short video to get 3 great tips for giving your feedback constructively.
Learn how to nip unacceptable employee performance in the bud. Join me for a very special professional development on-demand webinar event.
Managing to Eliminate Unacceptable Employee Performance – ***New On-Demand Webinar***
How to get the productivity, cooperation and results you need
without incurring resentment or damaging relationships
All who supervise people will gain tactical insights to help them bring out the best in people at their worst – in such a way that doesn’t cause resentment
In this web seminar you will learn:
- How to act—not react—in a negative situation
- How to give constructive feedback with much more ease
- How to approach employees about problem behavior in such a way that minimizes hostility and defensiveness and maintains esteem
- How to set measurable performance standards and communicate them to your employees
- The most effective way to talk to an employee about an attendance problem
- Savvy techniques for dealing with the whiner, tank, think-they-know-it-all, and negative employee
- What to do when the problem persists: How to conduct a formal discipline conference
- When to terminate
- And much more
Don’t allow the “Twinkie Defense” When Dealing with Difficult Employees (a Tip from My New Webinar)
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Another great tip for nipping unacceptable employee performance in the bud.
In 1979 a defense team successfully argued that their client, accused of murder, suffered from diminished capacity as result of changing his diet from health food to Twinkies and other sugary food. The client was only convicted of voluntary manslaughter. From this case forward, this defense has been coined the “Twinkie Defense.”
In court, the “Twinkie Defense” tries to throw the jury off the trail by blaming the client’s bad actions on something else – he ate too many Twinkies, for instance, and was on a sugar high when he killed/robbed/raped/molested and therefore is not responsible for his actions. You may have encountered the Twinkie Defense with your employees: “I was late because traffic was unusually heavy and then when I got here the elevator was broken, therefore my tardiness is not my fault.” Decide that employees will be held accountable for their actions and don’t allow them to hide behind the Twinkie Defense. In response to the Twinkie Defense, you respond with, “This is about individual responsibility – not trying to hide behind excuses.”
Learn how to nip unacceptable employee performance in the bud. Join me for a very special professional development on-demand webinar event.
Managing to Eliminate Unacceptable Employee Performance – ***New On-Demand Webinar***
How to get the productivity, cooperation and results you need
without incurring resentment or damaging relationships
All who supervise people will gain tactical insights to help them bring out the best in people at their worst – in such a way that doesn’t cause resentment
In this web seminar you will learn:
- How to act—not react—in a negative situation
- How to give constructive feedback with much more ease
- How to approach employees about problem behavior in such a way that minimizes hostility and defensiveness and maintains esteem
- How to set measurable performance standards and communicate them to your employees
- The most effective way to talk to an employee about an attendance problem
- Savvy techniques for dealing with the whiner, tank, think-they-know-it-all, and negative employee
- What to do when the problem persists: How to conduct a formal discipline conference
- When to terminate
- And much more
Sample Firing Dialogue
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This afternoon I am delivering a two-hour professional development training on Eliminating Unacceptable Employee Performance. One of my attendees emailed the following question ahead of the training.
“I hate having to terminate an employee, but sometimes that is the only option. Do you have guidelines on how to structure and hold the termination conversation? I find myself getting emotional and rambling during these discussions.”
I put together this script in response to my attendee’s question and I’m sharing it here because I know my attendee is not alone.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The information contained on this site is meant as general information only. It should not be used as a substitute for legal or professional advice.
Manager: Lynn, please have a seat.
Lynn: Thank you.
Manager: Lynn, I know that you have tried hard to succeed at your job. Nonetheless, for some months now, your attendance has not been acceptable. You come in late to work on a regular basis and you have had three unexcused absences in the last 90 days. Your tardiness and unexcused absences are unacceptable and result in slower response to our customers because when you’re not here we don’t have adequate phone coverage. We cannot retain you in this position and we must let you go.
Lynn: You mean, I’m fired?
Manager: Yes, that is correct. I am very sorry that this did not work out.
Lynn: I need this job. I am a single mother and I have to work. Give me another chance. I deserve a second chance.
Manager: Lynn, we have given you at least two written warnings and several verbal warnings.
Lynn: But my supervisor says my attendance has improved.
Manager: While the frequency of tardies has decreased, the number of tardies and unexcused absences is still not acceptable. I know you have tried . . . but it’s still not working out.
Lynn: What about another shift? I have a hard time getting to work at 7:30am with three kids. How about a shift where I come in at 8:00 or 9:00 or maybe I could go to a four day a week schedule?
Manager: Lynn, my decision is final. We all like you here. This is truly a difficult decision for all of us. We wish you success wherever your career takes you.
I work with companies that are serious about delighting and keeping customers. My blog includes thoughts, articles, videos, and even rants about customer service. Thanks for stopping by. :)
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