Have the Performance Conversation Before You Escalate the Performance Process
A formal process may be necessary in some situations, but leaders should not use it as a substitute for a clear conversation about the role, evidence, expectations, support, and next review point.
The problem to solve
Performance concern becomes harder when the organization has not made the role agreement explicit. Leaders can respond with vague urgency, retrospective criticism, or a process that the person experiences as a surprise.
A clear conversation does not predetermine an outcome. It gives both parties a concrete basis to understand the work, the evidence, the expectations ahead, and the support or decisions required.
The Work & Theory principle
Performance is an agreement between organization and individual. Before treating a concern as only a person problem, make purpose, outcomes, authority, feedback, development, and consequences explicit.
Diagnostic questions
Prepare the conversation around the role and the work—not labels about the person.
- What outcome or expectation is not being met?
- What observable evidence supports that conclusion?
- What was explicitly agreed, and what may have been assumed?
- Is the role’s authority, capacity, or context contributing to the concern?
- What does good performance look like in the next review period?
- What support, development, or decision is the organization responsible for?
- When is a formal process, HR partner, or legal advice required by policy or risk?
Practical next actions
Write a short conversation brief before the meeting. Separate observations, interpretation, and requested change. Invite the person’s perspective on the work and capture any role-design condition that needs a separate response.
End with an explicit Performance Contract update: outcomes, expectations, authority, support, review cadence, and consequences where appropriate. Follow organizational policy and seek qualified HR or legal guidance for formal employment action.
Related artifact and pathway
The Performance Conversation workspace helps leaders prepare and save a structured brief within the authenticated Leader Toolkit. Use the Persistent Performance Drift path when the concern appears to be systemic rather than isolated.
Continue the work
Related resources
Performance / Template
What Should Actually Be in a Performance Contract?
A usable Performance Contract replaces vague role descriptions with an explicit agreement about the work, authority, evidence, and support required.
Read resourcePerformance / Article
Performance Problems Are Often Design Problems
Before treating a performance concern as an individual failure, test whether the role has clear outcomes, authority, conditions, and feedback.
Read resourcePerformance / Brief
Clarify the Role Before You Make the Performance Conversation Personal
When a role has contradictory outcomes, hidden handoffs, or unclear authority, a performance conversation needs two tracks: a clear expectation for the person and a clear design response from the organization.
Read resource