Why do two companies in the same business with the same products, sales and similar facilities have different earnings? Because of people performance and productivity.

General Management
Problem Checklist

Whenever you have a management problem, these are the general steps you should follow to solve it successfully.

1. State the problem specifically in terms of:

   	Its source (who's responsible for causing the problem, not who's responsible for fixing it)
   	The kind of problem it is (such as performance, behavior, etc.)

2. Ask questions and gather all the facts you need to make a decision.
3. Identify the options available to you for solving the problem, now that you know exactly what the problem is.
4. Choose an option that you'll follow (or a series of steps if that's the best method).
5. Consider writing down why you chose the option you did, particularly if you think you'll be called on to defend your actions later.
6. Act. Implement your decision.
7. Assess how well your decision worked. If the solution is one that's implemented over a period of time, evaluate its success at specific points along the way. If it doesn't seem to be working out as you expected, go through the steps ago to see if you find an alternative better approach.

Performance Problems

1. Exactly what is the performance problem?
2. Does the employee have basic self-management skills such as skill in organizing and prioritizing work and in sticking to deadlines?

(If the answer is no look for formal training or courses that will teach those skills.)

3. Does the employee have the technical work skills needed to complete his assignments?

(If the answer is no teach the skills through training.)

4. If training, practice, and feedback don't yield significant improvements, decide if the employee has the ability to learn the work. (Seek a professional or your personnel department to assess and remedy as diagnosed.)
5. Does the employee have the interpersonal skills required to establish and maintain effective work relationships? (If not training will teach these skills.)
6. Does the employee/organization have the tools necessary to do the work (such as supplies, materials, equipment, sufficient time)? (If the answer is no remove the obstacles or devise ways to work around them.)
7. Does the employee/organization have a positive incentive for doing the work correctly and on schedule? (If positive incentives don't exist develop them. At a minimum remove any disincentives and make the employees perceive how their contributes to the overall goals of the company.)

Conduct / Behavioral Problems

1. Exactly what behavioral problems is the employee exhibiting?
2. Is the behavior serious or merely irritating? (Talk to the employee about how the behavior is affecting the organization and mention that stronger measures might need to be taken. However be prepared to live with minor irritations if they do not worsen.)
3. Is the employee/organization aware of the rules in this area?
4. Is the behavior critical to the organization or to the safety/well-being of other people? (Your first action should be to stop the behavior immediately. Decide on a penalty for this behavior. Sometimes termination is the most appropriate remedy unless there are unusual or strong mitigating factors.)
5. Does the behavior undermine your authority or the basic supervisor/subordinate relationship?
6. Is the behavior deliberate? (If so, and if it's serious, you still need to take action strong enough to stop the employee and others from repeating the behavior.

ACCEPTANCE PROBLEMS

1. Exactly what problem is occurring?

(Are others failing to accept a worker because she is a woman or minority? If so make sure your workers understand your policy on discrimination. Then work on changing the underlying attitudes that caused this problem. "Diversity Training" can be beneficial but engage the help of trained professionals.)

2. Are others failing to accept a worker, not for discriminatory reasons, but because he irritates them?

(Encourage your employees to work together harmoniously. Make the establishment and maintenance of positive relationships a part of each employee's performance discussions, and see that all your employees understand the negative effects on performance.)

3. Has one of your workers been accused of discriminatory behavior (including sexual harassment)? (If so, get the facts. Talk to the employee who made the allegation and any witnesses they name and the worker (s) who have been accused. If a violation has occurred take action including termination. But you should seek legal counsel's advice as a precaution.)

Substance Abuse

 Substance abuse impacts employee productivity and can make the work environment dangerous if an impaired worker operates machinery that could injure others. There are several keys to identifying a substance abuse problem but the primary indicator is CHANGE.

	Change in an employees behavior
	Change in their patterns of work and absence
	Change in the way they relate to others
	Change in the quality of their work
	Change in the amount they produce

Most of the time employers will not be able to identify impaired employees by physical symptoms.

	The order of alcohol or another substance
	Dilated pupils
	Slurred or incoherent speech
	Disorientation
	Lack of muscular coordination (staggering, dropping things, shaking)

The clues are often more subtle. Therefore getting to know an employee's normal behavior is important.

Source of all the above: The Manager's Troubleshooter, Prentice Hall

DISCLAIMER

The diagnostic information contained throughout this Website is intended for general fact finding by our visitors. No management actions should be implemented before consulting with professional or legal counsel as certain business or management actions undertaken may have financial or legal consequences along with inherent risk.