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		When a Professional Staff Member is not Meeting Expectations: Do you build them up or coach them out? By Sofia Bautista Pertuz, Assistant Director for Residence Life in the Office of Housing and Residence Life at Teachers College - Columbia University “So what you’re saying is that we are not compatible.” “I’m afraid so. It’s just not a good relationship for either of us.” “I guess I have to consider moving on then.” “Yes. I think I can help find a situation that is more suitable for you.” No, it’s not a romantic relationship gone bad. It’s a work relationship that just did not work out. Sometimes a supervisor needs to recognize when after many efforts of close supervision or if training and development just doesn’t seem to help, that a staff member is just not right for the job. Many of us in the field of Student Affairs, especially in residence life are scratching our heads, trying to figure out what happened to the large piles of resumes pouring into our mailboxes. The rush of resumes would sometimes come minutes after listing a job opening on a list serve, in the Chronicle or the numerous other ways we utilize to get the word out about our open positions. The tides have turned and now Chief Housing Officers and others responsible for hiring are scrambling to fill these positions that seem to be so hard to fill. The market for candidates is so competitive that we are often competing with our own colleagues for the best and most qualified candidates. What this all means is that the candidates we are hiring may not be as qualified as they once were. Due to the lower number of available candidates many positions that were once posted as “Master’s Required” need to be changed to “Master’s Preferred” to provide flexibility in hiring those candidates that may not have the degree in hand, but may have some transferable skills. The commonly shared attitude is that we are looking for "trainable" skills and end up taking responsibility for the success or failure of our newly hired staff. The challenge is that recognizing whether or not someone is trainable may take some time. It is possible that you may not be able to tell the difference between a bad fit or a bad work ethic until the semester is well underway. By then it is too late to start over and hire another staff member. I am sure every Chief Housing Officer and mid-level manager can think of at least one person on their staff whom they would probably not shed any tears over, if they announced tomorrow that they were leaving the position. Heck, I would bet some meal points that some supervisors would even be willing to waive the typical two week notice and send someone packing the next day. But then reality sets in and you realize that this person on your staff may not realize that they are just not cutting it in the position. That little developmental angel on your shoulder taps you and tells you to consider the next move carefully. So you are left with two choices. First, you can either lower your standards for a moment and work with this staff member to help them reach their potential in this position (even if that potential does not go as high and you would like). As supervisors we have a professional responsibility to work with staff that are not working out, since many employees make significant life changes and transitions to come to work for us. Secondly, the grim alternative is to coach this staff member out of the position and help them find a more suitable position and environment elsewhere. The following are some tips for holding a staff member accountable while still continuing to train them on the basics: Set measurable goals. Discuss department goals and see how this staff member interprets these goals. There is a possibility that they do not fully understand what is expected of them. Set up and maintain weekly or bi-weekly one on one meetings. If the staff member’s performance is below average, I suggest weekly meetings for better communication and accountability. Maintain documentation and put things in writing. Putting things in writing and maintaining appropriate documentation including notes of conversations that have occurred, along with dates, is very important. Make it a habit to follow up conversations involving requests and deadlines, with an e-mail or note outlining items discussed. Keep a record of these communications in case you need to refer to them at a later time. This is of particular importance in a unionized environment. Be honest. Make sure you are addressing things that need attention, immediately. Don’t wait until it is too late. Reward positive behavior. Once you make a decision that a staff member is not meeting your expectations, you may forget to recognize the positive accomplishments. Continuing to reinforce positive behavior encourages further improvement. Here are some tips about how to coax someone out of the job: Compare behavior to mission. During evaluations compare behavior to the institutional or departmental mission, and point out areas where a disconnect lies. Be very clear about contractual issues. If you plan not to renew a staff member’s contract for the following year, let that person know. Work with this person to identify other areas of interest. Have them work with another department to start building some of those other skills that may help them find another position that is more suitable. Refer to the job description when necessary. Sometimes a residence life staff member forgets that first and foremost, that as an employee, they need to be held accountable for their actions. Don’t wait until the last minute. Start the conversation as early as possible and be willing to be flexible about ending a contract early if necessary. Speak to your human resources department. While making decisions to not renew a staff members contract, or if you are considering termination, remember to speak to someone in the Human Resources department at your institution to get them in the loop and to obtain their assistance/advice/guidance. This may be particularly crucial in a unionized environment Sometimes it is difficult being the “bad guy (or girl),” but it is much better to be honest with your staff member and with your self and address poor job performance when it needs to be addressed. In a profession where personal development is key, there will come a time when there needs to be a separation between an employer and employee. The hardest part is figuring out which scenario is best for all parties involved. About the Author Sofia Bautista Pertuz is Assistant Director for Residence Life in the Office of Housing and Residence Life at Teachers College - Columbia University in New York City. She is also a PhD candidate in the Higher Education program at Seton Hall University. Sofia has held former positions as Assistant Director for First Year Experience and for Operations at Seton Hall. She was also a Residence Hall Director at Ramapo College of New Jersey. She got her residence life start as a Resident Assistant at the State University of New York at New Paltz. She lives in New York City with her husband Antonio.