Turning Performance Improvement Plans into Success with
Early Intervention Coaching
By: Patty Prosser, Co-Founder
We believe that everyone needs a coach at some point in their life. And, contrary to what people believe, it’s not just for executives or for high potential employees!
Whether it’s to help an individual get to the next level or to correct a behavioral problem that’s been getting in their way – everyone can benefit from having some help along the way. This is especially true when someone is facing a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Let’s face it, behavior is largely learned, and therefore, unproductive behaviors can be unlearned. It’s a matter of re-programming our mindset to practice new learned behaviors.
Where organizations can identify or target the leadership behavior that is problematic, often determining how to correct it, can be more difficult. And, in our experience, the majority of these individuals truly want to make the changes to get them back on the right track! That’s where our Early Intervention Coaching Program can really be of benefit. We’ve helped countless individuals strengthen their communication skills, better manage conflict, lead with greater empathy – whatever might be standing in the way of peak performance – we can help with a coaching solution that meets their needs.
Recently, we became engaged in an assignment to help a leader who was getting great results, but “how” he was going about getting these results caused those who interacted with him to complain. We met with the organizational sponsor and then with the individual, to make certain they both clearly understood the opportunity. The engagement included a behavioral assessment to aid in creating greater self-awareness, feedback from a designated group of people who the individual frequently interacted and finally, the development of an Action Plan designed to serve as a roadmap to successfully effect the behavioral change the organization and individual desired.
In this case, the primary challenge this client needed to address was related to his communication style. His team was challenged with understanding his expectations and he was frustrated that they couldn’t seem to deliver what he wanted. Together, we worked on developing his ability to more clearly articulate his expectations, so they could meet them. This was really a matter of his modifying his communication style to fit the needs of his audience!
After three months of intensive coaching, meeting every two weeks to review and discuss real-life situations and frequent check-ins with management and stakeholders, the organization deemed the engagement a success; the individual had satisfied the items previously identified in the Performance Improvement Plan! Further, because we remain a resource to the individual being coached beyond the engagement, we learned that six months post-engagement, the individual received a promotion and is continuing to practice the right behaviors to excel in his new role.
This is a prime example of what every organization hope will result from a Performance Improvement Plan. Our Early Intervention Coaching program can help get valuable employees on the right track and has a 90% success rate of helping both the organization and individual achieve the goals within 90 days.
Contact Patty Prosser at pprosser@cleindy.com or 317-264-4178 to learn more.