Several years ago, a junior high school principal was getting regular reports from the custodial staff that the girls’ bathroom mirrors had lipstick on them. It was obvious a few of the girls were applying lipstick and kissing the lower part of the mirror. This went on for several days, and the custodians were pressing the principal to do something about it. Announcements were made and ultimatums were issued, but the behavior continued. The principal decided to take a different approach. After thorough monitoring, the principal was sure she knew who the culprits were and pulled the three of them out of class. She took them into the bathroom, explained to them how difficult it is to clean lipstick off a mirror, and that the custodians had too much work to do to continually clean these mirrors. “In fact,” she said, “I’ve asked one of the custodians to come in and demonstrate how hard they are to clean.” One of the custodians then entered the bathroom, put on a rubber glove, grabbed her washrag and … dipped the rag into one of the toilets and proceeded to clean the mirror. Needless to say, that was the end of lipstick on the mirrors.
Most employees will modify their behaviors when requested, but there are times when they are not making progress at the desired speed. If we’ve tried what has worked before without the expected results, it may be time to be more creative.
Has the individual been adequately trained?
Review the specific requirements of the job and confirm that the person has a clear understanding of the processes and expectations. Remember, much of a person’s development is the result of systematic training and regular reminding. In fact, one trainer said that, over time, she has realized, “We train once and remind often."
The training must include an explanation of the reason the activity is necessary, how it fits into the overall objectives of the business and why it must be performed following the established standard operating procedures (SOPs). This information helps the person grasp the full importance of the activity and adds to their general understanding of the entire business.
Does the individual have any unacceptable attitudes?
If we are still not getting the desired results after training has been confirmed and reinforced, the next step is to determine if there are unacceptable attitudes contributing to their poor performance. These might include a generally negative approach to their work, lack of cooperation with co-workers, lack of effort or poor overall work ethic. If any of these traits are evident, we need to address them separately from the training. We will need to have a conversation with the individual, focused specifically on that topic, which includes a clear explanation of how this trait is expressed in their behavior, examples of this attitude we have personally witnessed and how it has a negative impact on their performance, co-workers or other areas of the business. When they understand their attitude and the subsequent impacts, we then need to provide them with specific alternatives to that behavior. For instance, if they tend to have a negative attitude, instruct them to avoid saying anything negative during their time at work and instead only say positive things. They may have very little to say the first few days, but eventually they can adapt to this expectation. Let them know the personal benefits they will gain in their own job satisfaction and sense of accomplishment with this change. Remind them that you will be monitoring their performance in this area, and that you are willing to coach them any way you can to ensure their success.
Consistent and patient
Modifying behaviors and attitudes takes time and patience. One manager I know has a very consistent way of talking to his people when he is making corrections to their behavior. The first time he talks to them, he just has a short chat with them while standing in the driveway. If there is no change in the expected amount of time, he has them sit in the pickup truck for the next conversation. If there is still no change in behavior, he calls them into his office. This is considered to be the last chance the person has to make the change. He is so consistent that everyone in the operation knows where they stand, and where the other person stands, by where the conversation is held. He is careful to have other conversations in these areas of the business, but everyone knows the difference between a “corrective conversation” and an everyday conversation about what is going on. This technique does not suspend written policies for taking corrective actions, but rather provides a consistent way those actions are carried out.
Unfortunately, there are times where all these strategies fail to garner the desired result and more direct action is needed. This calls for the application of a “30-Day Performance Improvement Plan” that outlines exactly what needs to change in the person’s behavior and performance. It is a simple, one-page document listing the specific behaviors, attitudes and performance that needs to change, and the appropriate replacements for each. We also include language that assures them we will coach them any way they want help. The letter states clearly that if these changes are not accomplished, the person will be terminated at the end of the 30 days. Both the manager and the employee sign this document, and the employee is given a copy for their reference. It is a process that makes it completely clear what is expected and the consequences for failing to meet these expectations.
Behavior change is possible when we use a consistent, solution-oriented process to help the person achieve the expectations or to choose other consequences that are clearly stated.
