Bring 3 examples

The employee Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is dreaded by both the manager and the employee, often because employees become so concerned with defending their bad behavior that their emotions don’t allow them to listen. Here’s a tip from Gino Wickman’s Get a Grip on helping employees see themselves as others do, and change their behavior.

Rather than using the general language of blame such as “You’re upsetting people with your bad attitude”, Wickman recommends, bringing three concrete examples to share with the difficult employee.

“I think you enter into a lot of conversations certain you’re right and seem unwilling to listen to what other people have to say.”

“What are you talking about? I’m dealing with incompetent people!”

“Let me give you an example of how I think you are too quick to dismiss those who disagree with you as inferior in some way. Yesterday, when Evan asked about providing status updates, then began asking you detailed questions about your approach, you really jumped on him. You started your response with, “Oh COME ON Evan… and you had the sound of contempt in your voice even though you know Evan is working just as hard as you are. This needlessly put him on the defensive and the two of you couldn’t collaborate after that.”

The first example you give will be explained away, as Evan’s fault. 

There will be “good reasons” for the second example you give as well. 

But when confronted with a third, specific example, the person can’t deny what’s going on. 

If they can come to see their impact on others, you can then ask them what they can do to change.