Larry Connor: coaching before deciding someone cannot meet the standard
Richard asked Larry Connor about a difficult personnel case: an employee who does consistently decent work but does not show the initiative the company wants. Connor described coaching and evaluation before a final decision.
Ask the employee first
Connor said the initial evaluation asks employees what they do well and what they need to improve. He described investing in coaching and communicating expectations directly. That gives the employee a chance to understand the gap.
Hold leaders to the same accountability
Earlier in the exchange, Connor described clear expectations, measurement, accountability and recognition. He included leaders admitting their own mistakes. Richard's question exposed the difficult middle ground between setting a standard and deciding whether a person has had a fair chance to meet it.
In Richard's words
"do you try to convert those people to being at that higher level or do you simply let them go" (Richard C. Wilson, recorded library conversation)
How to use this
- Ask the employee to assess the work before presenting your own assessment.
- Document the expected improvement and the coaching actually provided.
Questions and answers
What did Richard ask about?
An employee whose work was consistently solid but fell short of the company's expectations for initiative.
What sequence did Connor describe?
Employees first assessed their own work. The company then communicated the gap and provided coaching before evaluating the result.