Scenario 4: Influencing and Leading versus Bullying Employees

You are a manager with an employee who is not meeting the objectives of his position. You have made light comments in passing about your expectations and the timing for the employee to deliver on his job objectives. Despite this, you have not seen any improvements.

Your business has been placing a lot of focus on bullying in the workplace recently, so you want to be careful about how you proceed. You consider the following options:

(Note: When addressing an issue of this nature, you should always follow your local HR practices and the advice and counsel of your manager and HR representative. Within those constraints, you may still consider the following options.)

1. You increase the light, passing references on the employee's performance with hopes that improvement will follow.

2. You sit down with your employee and directly but calmly tell him what is expected and what gaps you see in his performance.

3. You sit down with your employee and ask him if he understands what he is supposed to deliver. You strive for alignment with your expectations. You then ask him if there is anything inhibiting him from delivering those expectations.

4. You sit down with your employee, show him exactly what you require, and inform him of the consequences of not delivering to expectations.

Which of the above you will choose and why. Write in details.