Newsletter Archive

MAY 2008

Being Proactive About Meeting
Performance Expectations
  
Job performance is a topic that creates anxiety for a lot of the people I coach, often because Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) make it hard to gauge the reactions of other people. Some of my clients are stunned to lose their jobs and have no idea what they did to alienate co-workers or customers. Others have received feedback about areas to improve but can't figure out what exactly is expected. Still others are anxious all the time about what might be going wrong.
 
It's important to recognize the signs that your performance may not be meeting employer expectations so that you can take proactive steps to address the situation. Here are some common scenarios and possible action steps to take.
 
Scenario #1: You feel anxious and/or unsure about your performance. Ask your supervisor for feedback at regular intervals. Depending on your job, this feedback could be daily, a couple of times per week, or less often. Position your request in a positive way! Say something like, "I want to be sure that I'm doing a good job and would like to set up regular meetings to get feedback on my performance." (Don't say, "I have no idea whether I'm doing a good job or not!") 
 
Feedback meetings are different than having a specific question about an assignment, which you'd ask your supervisor right away. Remember, too, that asking for feedback too frequently can be annoying. Usually no comments from your manager means that you are doing well.
 
Scenario #2: You regularly miss deadlines; are working significantly longer hours than your peers; are confused about what you should be doing. In this case, you might check in with a co-worker you trust to learn how much time they are spending on the same or similar projects. Ask for specific suggestions about how they are managing the workload and what you can do differently.
 
Another option is to schedule a meeting with your supervisor and ask for more detailed explanations of assignments, expectations and deadlines. You might request examples, prioritized project lists, or feedback on an outline or draft.
 
Scenario #3: Your supervisor has mentioned a performance issue more than twice; you are consistently re-doing assignments. This is probably the time to be more direct about the difficulties you're having and to request assistance or even an accommodation (note that you don't necessarily have to disclose a disability in order to ask for a modification). For example, you could say something like, "I'm having trouble understanding what you're looking for. Can we review this outline?" or "I'm falling behind and need help to figure out how to streamline my process."
 
Before meeting with your manager, talk about the situation with someone you trust such as a coach, mentor, family member or friend. Perhaps you need to evaluate whether this career is the right fit for you, particularly if there is a pattern of similar difficulties at more than one company. Nearly everyone has skills that can be transferred to other lines of work.
 
Scenario #4: You receive a formal warning to improve your performance or have been placed on probation.  This is a critical situation and typically means that an employer is getting ready to terminate you. First, evaluate whether you are able to meet the job requirements or believe that you can meet them with an accommodation. In the latter case, the best option might be disclosing your Asperger's or NLD and making a formal accommodation request. It is important to prepare your disclosure strategy carefully beforehand. You may want to engage a professional, such as an advocate or coach, to intervene on your behalf.
 
Of course there's no guarantee that being proactive will prevent job loss. Sometimes employees and managers simply don't match; sometimes job duties turn out to be very different from job descriptions; and sometimes individuals discover that they are simply not suited to certain professions. But learning to spot trouble signs and address them as early as possible is always better than doing nothing and at the very least will build your confidence in self-advocacy.

 © 2008 by Barbara Bissonnette, Forward Motion Coaching