Handling Substandard Professional Behavior

Contrary to popular opinion, the military emphasizes dealing with the whole person concept when interacting with others. Generally speaking, the idea exposed in military culture is that a person needs to be guided and mentored in order to be successful. There’s a time for reprimands and stern correction. But that’s not usually where we begin. I’ll demonstrate how this method would apply to the current scenario.

As a member of a tech company that provides customer service, people skills and technical knowledge are essential. When meeting with the individual, I would not begin with blame, criticism or correction. First, I would ensure I don’t put the person on the defensive by being accusatory. I’d start with the facts, not my opinions about them.

As an employee, I would ensure they had the right qualifications for the job. I’d mention why I wanted to speak to them citing specifics. I would say things like “Last week I received a complaint from one of your co-workers and several customers regarding…”. Then I would ask for their take on what happened. I would make a light inquiry into their personal life. A person may be going through an existential crisis that’s causing them distress. While that may seem odd, it’s more common than people realize. Thousands of people commit suicide and one of the tell-tale signs may be bumptious behavior. It’s a good idea to see a person as more than just an employee.

Based on the limited information in the scenario, I have to make some assumptions. I’ll assume that the person feels innocent and can’t see what’s wrong. Or perhaps, they’re blaming others for their behavior. If that’s the case, arguing with them is both useless and unproductive. There’s an old aphorism that goes “People don’t need to be taught as much as they need to be reminded”. Given that, I would remind them of the manner in which they’re expected to do their job and ensure they understand it. All this would be done in a matter of fact and respectful way.

I’d explain that every unpleasant interaction with a customer has a ripple effect that translates into less revenue. Additionally, every unpleasant interaction with co-workers lowers morale and makes work more unpleasant for everyone.

I’d review their history and the number of complaints on file with the Human Relations department with them. Because the problems are a trend and not an isolated issue, they’ll be under more scrutiny. Additionally, their performance will now be subject to a review every 30 days for the next 3 months beginning today. I’d then explain that unless a significant change in performance occurs, I’ll have to dismiss them at the end of that period.

Finally, I’d remind them of what our company’s mission and purpose is. I would explain that their contributions are needed and valued. I’d also let them know I’m available for help and guidance if needed. Negative interactions like this should always end on a positive note whenever possible.