REALTOR® Magazine Online: Step-by-step Confrontation

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Retaining Top Personnel
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

The Cost of Turnover

Orientation

Motivation

Coaching and Mentoring

Training

Goal Setting

Performance Assessment

Resignation and Termination

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Code of Ethics: Retaining Top Personnel

Step-by-Step Confrontation

It’s never pleasant to confront a salesperson about poor performance, but using a systematic approach brings a better chance for a successful outcome.

*Goal*	*Skill*
Limit resistance	Provide concrete examples of performance problems
Limit discussion	Focus in on one or two performance issues
Establish change focus	State desired change; don't ask why failure occurred
Defuse resistance	Focus on the associate's concerns
Develop information	Watch for the associate's verbal and non-verbal reaction, then summarize key points of the conversation
Agree on problem and causes	Write a statement of this agreement
Plan solutions	Build improvement strategies jointly, and agree on follow up
Reinforce	Restate the common understanding an agreement.
Support	End on a positive note by commenting on a positive aspect of performance

Repeat this coaching process two or three times; if no significant improvement occurs, inform the associate that the probable next step is termination.

Adapted from Course 504: “Managing for Peak Performance” Participant’s Guide, published by the Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers.

Tips for Making Criticisms

No one likes to hear negative comments, but by using these tips you can make them more acceptable.

Concentrate on ways that a problem can be improved.
Criticize actions, not people.
Provide concrete examples of criticized behavior and suggest alternatives.
Ask the person what could be done to change the situation.
Create an action plan to help the person correct a problem, but don’t supply all the answers.
Stay calm; never raise your voice in anger.

Adapted from Workforce Extra, Donald Klein and Suzanne Crampton, March 1999

Resignation and Termination >

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