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STEP THREE: DECIDE IF THE PROBLEM IS A "WON'T DO" OR A "CAN'T DO" PROBLEM
When a discrepancy exists between expected performance and actual performance, there really are only two possible explanations for the discrepancy. Either the employee can't do what is expected - doesn't know how to do it - or the employee won't do what is expected even though he or she knows how. No amount of correcting, counseling, discipline, or punishment will solve a "can't do" problem. Provided the employee has the mental and/or physical ability to learn to perform the task, "can't do" problems can only be solved through training, practice, or by changing the nature of the task itself. Thus, before you proceed to holding a correcting or counseling session with an employee about problem behavior, you must determine if the nonperformance is a "can't" or "won't do" problem. How do you determine what type of problem you are facing? Again, we can turn to the suggestions of Robert Mager and Peter Pipe in Analyzing Performance Problems. Ask yourself the following two questions:
1. Could the person perform as expected if his or her life depended upon it?
2. Has he or she ever performed as expected in the past?
If your answer to either of these two questions is no, then the problem is very likely a "can't do" problem you cannot correct through counseling. Look instead for a training solution (see Chapter 4 of this book, on training). If you answer yes to both questions then it is likely you have a "won't do" problem that you may be able to solve through a counseling session.
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