Don’t Let Silence Write The Narrative: How To Handle Improvement Plans
There’s a saying that “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
In business and life, communication on all levels is a key component to success, but there are so many ways in which communication can go wrong or be misinterpreted. We may think we are saying one thing, but something different is being perceived. Other times, we do not think communication is needed, but the silence is perceived as a message in and of itself.
A leader’s job is to evaluate all communications and make sure that teams and departments are involved and in-the-know internally.
I will give an example. My client Maureen leads a large team, and in an annual evaluation, she realized that two of her direct reports were underperforming. Company protocol allowed her to write out a performance improvement plan (PIP) to help these employees understand the fundamental issues and work toward reaching a desired standard within a couple of months.
If not, then they would be encouraged to find other positions better suited to them, either internally or at a different company. Maureen was very intentional with her communication with these employees, conducting discussions with discretion, composure, respect, encouragement and empathy. Since the talks went well, Maureen considered her communication work done.
However, a couple of months later when neither of the employees met their goals and left the company, there was unrest in her team. Two brave employees confronted her, asking about company layoffs and what to expect. She was so surprised. It turns out the departure of those two employees made people believe that the company was undergoing layoffs and “cutting the fat.” As a result, valued teammates who—in Maureen’s mind—were perfectly safe in their jobs felt unstable and at risk of being the next ones to be let go. Silence wrote the narrative in their heads.
The situation is delicate. Maureen did the right thing, discreetly working with the employees involved in their own PIPs; they did not deserve the shame of a department-wide announcement. However, there are more subtle ways communication could have been built in to help avoid team unrest.
For instance, when you put together a PIP, include a plan for communication. During the conversation, discuss with the employee how they would like to handle it. Perhaps they want to keep the situation quiet or maybe they would like to share the details with a select few. An agreed-upon plan keeps everyone on the same page and can help mitigate the damage of angry venting sessions in the workroom or the feeling of unease that silence can foster.
Another way to build in communication is to have human resources (HR) lightly cover PIP notices during the onboarding process. Some workers do not know what a PIP is until it happens to them or a colleague, and that situation can be scary. If everyone understands the concept and process of a PIP from the get-go, there will be less likelihood of a misunderstanding later on.
Work with HR to build communication after someone leaves a team, sending out an email or leaving an “away” message in their email using language such as “So-and-so has decided to leave for another opportunity. We wish them the best of luck.” That phrasing is more reassuring to other team members than not saying anything at all.
Maureen’s situation provides us with an example of the importance of built-in communications and how silence, intentional or not, can write a narrative that causes unrest and discomfort. Every manager needs to walk the fine line between respect and discretion while also keeping information flowing. Silence is not an option. As a leader, how can you build better communication?