Last week I meet with four very talented and very disagreeable employees whose careers were on the chopping block. They had one universal complaint: No one told them they were going to get fired until it was too late to do anything about it.

Were they told in advance and did they have sufficient time and support to turn themselves around?

The employees’ case: They received significant promotions and salary increases that indicated they were recognized as high performers. Three of the four employees did not receive formal reviews. One employee had infrequent written reviews with evaluation ratings of “outstanding” and  “superior”.

All four were told, informally, that they were aggressive and hard to work with. The one individual who received written evaluations said that there was commentary that referred to her “aggressive style” and need to “tone it down”. None perceived the comments as warnings but merely as descriptions of how others felt about their behavior.

The employers’ case: The four employees were considered “essential to the ongoing profitability” of their respective companies. Each of the employees under discussion had bosses who had “flown cover” for them, over the sometimes strenuous objections of peers, and in two cases, vendors. Three of the four had experienced turnover in their departments, which, although high, was positioned as proportionate to the industry. There was general agreement that although the individuals described were reminded of their “developmental needs” they were not warned that changes were immediately warranted and that consequences for not responding would result in termination.

In all four cases, the Human Resources representatives accepted responsibility for not having been more clear and resolute in follow up, while saying that without having a clear directive from the top, they felt powerless to move to a “warning” or “disciplinary action” that would have resulted in termination.

If you are in a position to lead or manage others, here are some ways to do it better:

As much as think you communicate, communicate more. As many questions as you ask, ask more. If you think people are confused, they are.

If you know you’re avoiding what needs attending, attend to it. Then get back to basics:

Define the culture of your company. What do you stand for, believe in, care about, value most? Commit to it. Communicate it. Get the word out in every way possible. Tell your clients, customers, vendors, and above all, your employees. Live it and live up to it, from the top down.

Define the mission of your company. For what purpose does your company exist? What sets you apart? Why do customers/clients select your product, process or service over your competitor’s? What are your strategies for communicating a value-added difference to those who impact your success?

Target the competition that exists outside your company, not within it. Who are they? Where are they? What do you need to do better than they? How will you do it? What’s your winning strategy and how will you coalesce your team behind it?

Get to know the employees who work for you. The more you understand their work style, strengths, and skill sets, the better you can match them to positions that enable them to succeed. Learn what employees need to be successful. Provide them training and resources that make it happen.

Set  clear expectations and desired outcomes and describe what both should look like. Motivate employees by focusing on their individual strengths and achievements. Stay focused on the right fit. Give them the education and development they need to achieve.

Provide on-going and timely feedback that is both formal and informal. Institute multi-rater feedback loops within your company that enable peers, direct reports, and supervisor/managers to share constructive insights about each other.  Identify what isn’t working and why, not to place blame but to find the cause. Separate the person from the problem. Fix the problem.

To ignore bad behavior is to condone it. To condone it is to tolerate it. If you tolerate it, it will continue. If it continues, the negative results are predictable.

Ignorance isn’t an answer, it’s an excuse. Bosses who know their job and their employees, know what to address, with whom, and when. The challenge is in the space between knowing and doing. Are you up to the challenge?

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Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.joycerichman.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started her own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com