We tackle a tough topic in this week’s cast: Layoffs. We know it’s not an upbeat topic, but it’s highly likely you’re going to be involved in one at some point. Professional managers know how to conduct layoffs efficiently, with candor and compassion. While this is the first time we address the topic, this cast is second in order of the three we plan on the subject. One is on preparation- what you need to do in advance. This is for more senior managers, and those who will be in in discussions with HR. Today we address what everyone always asks us about - How to Actually Lay Someone Off. What do I say in the conversation? How do I say it? How can I deliver this news effectively and compassionately? The final cast is how to communicate to everyone after the fact. It’s an oft-ignored part of the process, but done well it can really help.

Despite our focus on performance at work, we want to state up front that we subscribe to the “soft” manager approach to layoffs. That means that even though you are dealing with THE TOUGHEST SUBJECT POSSIBLE, and the employee may respond with rage or frustration or tears, we think your profession requires you to be compassionate, caring and understanding. We believe these qualities make you a BETTER manager, and not just when you’re laying someone off. So, you may hear some suggestions today that aren’t standard. WE think they ought to be, but they’re not. One thing that will help you understand why we suggest these things is to read them from the point of view of the one being laid off.

We break our recommendations down into three sections: Before, During, and After.

The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First by Jeffrey Pfeffer

Why We Like This Book:

A Pfeffer classic. He lays out the value of being a manager who focuses on getting the most from your team. If all you learn from this book is that layoffs are ineffective, it’s earned its value. (Though don’t assume you won’t ever see one again). He talks about specific things companies can do in hiring and development that relate directly to Manager Tools principles.

Ok, let’s get this out of the way … this is not *really* a show about how to fire people. Rather, today we discuss how to take a poor performer and turn them into a good performer. And when, despite your best efforts, you are not successful in helping the person turn around, how to be in a position where you can fire the person. You may not feel good about it (that’s ok, you shouldn’t!), but you will be confident in your decision and be able to put your head down on your pillow and sleep at night.

There are six steps:

1. Feedback
2. Systemic Feedback
3. One on One Performance Discussion
4. Coaching
5. Formal Performane Discussion and Notification
6. Coaching Within Your Corporate Process

We’ll review these steps at a high-level today, and come back to them with more detail and some examples over the next couple of podcasts.

If you’re one of our many listeners who come to the website each week to download the show, try subscribing. Simply go to iTunes, download the iTunes player, and then click on the iTunes subscription button on the left side of this web page. It’s quick, it’s easy, and you’ll have the convenience of having the Manager Tools podcast downloaded AUTOMATICALLY each week. Give it a try!

Last week, we covered at a high-level the Late Stage Coaching model, or the process you go through when having to fire someone. As we noted then, and we’ll say again now, this process isn’t really a “how to fire someone”, but rather, how to develop someone. In most cases, if you follow this model, you NEVER get to the step where you have to fire someone. Now, isn’t that an experience we’d all like to avoid?

This week, we review the model in a bit more detail, with some detailed examples to better illustrate the process. The entire review was a bit long, so we broke it into 2 parts, the first of which we’ll cover today. We’ll follow-on with the second part next week.

Warning: For some of you, this show may sound repetitive. To some degree, it is. If you fully understand the model AND have implemented it, we beg your forgiveness. If you haven’t, however, listen on …

As we discuss at the end of the podcast, we’ve noted that although many of our listeners really would like to engage in more meaningful discussions on management topics, the blog doesn’t lend itself too well to the task. We’ve attempted to improve the situation by implementing discussion forums on our website. You can find the discussion forums here. We’d very much appreciate it if you would direct your questions and comments to the discussion forums rather than leaving them here on the blog or sending them to us via email. There are an awful lot of good conversations happening, particularly on email, that we would like to share with the broader Manager Tools community. If you have a particular challenge or question for us, it’s very likely that others do so as well … sharing your problems/questions on the discussion forum will allow all of us to benefit and learn!

Last week, in our detailed review of the Late Stage Coaching Model, we covered steps 1 and 2 (Feedback and Systemic Feedback) of the six steps. Today we review the last 4 steps.

As a reminder, the 6 steps of the Late Stage Coaching Model are:

1. Feedback - Key point here is one of FREQUENCY versus significance. Good adjusting feedback is relaxed, it’s professional, it’s simple, it’s respectful. But it is also DELIVERED.
2. Systemic Feedback- Systemic feedback is simply feedback about an employee failing to change behavior that they’ve agreed to work on. This is a critical and often overlooked escalation of your performance coaching, and has powerful implications. Effective Managers AVERT the need for performance coaching with this step ALL THE TIME.
3. One on One Performance Discussion - In this step you simply make YOUR agenda item during your weekly one-on-one their continued failure to perform. You talk about their performance, and review all the feedback and systemic feedback, and their lack of improvement. And you ask for their input. You’re doing FOUR things here.
   1. Reconfirming that they are performing below your standards.
   2. Creating a key documentation point.
   3. Asking for comments of ANY nature that might explain the performance issue.
   4. Asking again for ideas about how THEY can improve THEIR performance.
4. Coaching - It’s possible you never get to coaching, because the feedback, systemic feedback, and direct one-on-one discussion get the point across. We hope so, we BELIEVE so… until they don’t get it. And then we coach them.
5. Formal Performance Discussion and Notification - This discussion is similar to the first one. But now, you’re doing FIVE things.
   1. Reconfirming that they are performing below your standards.
   2. Creating a key documentation point.
   3. Asking for comments of ANY nature that might explain the performance issue.
   4. Asking again for ideas about how THEY can improve THEIR performance.
   5. And finally, Notifying them about the implications of continued failure to improve.
6. Coaching Within Your Corporate Process - We can’t tell you what it is; it’s different in every company. You coach them using the MT coaching model, modifying it to allow for your organization’s final steps or system. If you’ve followed the process we’ve described, you’ll be in a great position to comply with whatever processes exist in your company prior to finally letting someone go.

As we’ve said repeatedly, you use this model ALL THE TIME, not just when you have someone you intend to let go. 99 times out of 100, behavior changes and you never get to step 6.

Questions or comments? Chat with us about them in the Discussion Forums.

Thanks to everyone participating on the Discussion Forums … we’re all learning!

This podcast is the first in a series of recurring casts - it could easily amount to ten over the next couple of years - about employee retention. The best managers we know do a great job of retention. As a matter of fact, because it goes to the future potential of the organization, retention is one of Mark’s favorite delineators of management talent. Strategy gets done more effectively in places where retention is good.

In this cast, we’re going to talk about bare bones basics. This is the stuff that any manager can do… really, that any manager wanting to think of themselves as a professional MUST do. If you’re not taking these simple steps, you need to start, so you can build a base to some of the more powerful techniques we’ll share in future casts.

This cast describes how to have a discussion with a direct whose personal odor is affecting their teammates.

We get asked “the body odor question” a lot, and everyone seems stunned that we actually have an answer. Usually, a manager just mentions it in passing. “Well, thanks for this other help…but even YOU can’t help with THIS problem.” In keeping with their tone, I say, “what’s that?” Their reply of “I got a guy who is creating problems on the team. It’s …uhhhh… it’s like… he uhhhh…”

“Body Odor?”

“How did you know?”

The fact is, we ALL smell. If you don’t think you do, you’re mistaken, and that deodorant or antiperspirant in your bathroom closet, to say nothing of the eau de toilette, cologne, perfume, and scented toothpaste and body lotion you likely have there as well.

And so, it’s going to happen that you will have to have a conversation with one of your directs about their personal scent. Here’s how.

Today, we complete our discussion on Body Odor.

One of our more controversial topics, to be sure … but folks, we don’t make this stuff up! The issue arises in offices all across the world every day. And since it doesn’t seem like anyone else wants to talk about it, we will!

This cast gives managers specific steps to take when dealing with a personal crisis of a direct report.

Mark once heard a manager say that when one of his directs started crying, he simply “gave them some tissue and walked out.” Even though he prided himself on being a tough-minded, results oriented, very successful manager, at some level he knew that his response was too callous, too cold. When Mark looked at him, mouth agape, he immediately backpedaled and said something to the effect of, “well, I’m giving them space…I don’t want them to be embarrassed . . . I appreciate their need for privacy . . . I didn’t want them thinking I was evaluating them right then.”

All delivered with that delicate edge of panic that comes from defending the indefensible. Your directs have lives outside of work, and as often as you will ask them to stay late, to do more, to answer emails on the weekend . . . every once in a while, THEIR lives are going to herniate into YOUR work.

What do you do as a manager when one of your team has a crisis? When their spouse is hurt or hospitalized? When their house burns down? When someone’s parent passes away?

We’ll tell you in this cast.

This week, we conclude our discussion on managing through a personal crisis. Last week, we discussed the preparation; this week, we discuss ACTIONS.