# Plan the conversation with an employee whose performance has to change

A structured manager's plan for a performance or behavior conversation: facts, expectations, support, consequences, and follow-up.

- Topic: Leadership & Management
- Framework: RTF
- Level: Advanced
- Tags: HR & Hiring, Plan, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/plan-the-conversation-with-an-employee-whose-performance-has-to-change

## Prompt

```text
Help me plan a conversation with someone on my team whose performance or behavior needs to change.

**Their role and tenure:** [ROLE, how long in role, overall track record]
**The issue, with specific examples and dates:** [WHAT HAPPENED - observable facts, not labels like "bad attitude"]
**Impact:** [on customers, deadlines, the team, quality]
**What good looks like:** [THE STANDARD I expect]
**What's already been said or documented:** [previous conversations, emails, warnings - or "first conversation"]
**Anything that may be going on for them:** [workload, personal circumstances I know of, recent changes - or "unknown"]
**How serious this is:** [informal heads-up / formal concern / possible PIP]

Give me:
1. **My objective** for the conversation in one sentence, and what a good outcome looks like by the end.
2. **Conversation structure** with suggested wording for each stage: opening (purpose, stated plainly in the first minute), the facts, the impact, their perspective (open questions, then listen), the expected standard, agreed actions and support, consequences if nothing changes (only if appropriate at this stage), and the close.
3. **Questions to ask** to understand causes I may not know about (skills, clarity, workload, motivation, personal factors).
4. **Likely reactions** (defensive, upset, silent, blames others) and a calm response to each.
5. **Phrases to avoid** - generalizations ("always", "never"), comparisons with colleagues, armchair diagnosis.
6. **Follow-up:** a short recap email to send afterward and a check-in schedule.

Rules: keep the focus on behavior and results, not personality. If the person mentions health, disability, harassment, discrimination, or a complaint they have raised, pause and involve HR before going further. Check with HR on documentation and local employment law before any formal step.
```

## What to fill in

- ROLE, how long in role, overall track record
- on customers, deadlines, the team, quality
- THE STANDARD I expect
- informal heads-up / formal concern / possible PIP

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