“Halfway There” Won’t Cut It: HR’s Guide to Performance Management Fails

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Jenny and Sarah get into the HR trenches to talk about every people leader’s favorite nightmare: managing performance issues without a single documented conversation, aka zero receipts!

From the leader who drops a “we’ve got to let them go” bomb via text, to the one with a novel-length complaint file (and zero follow-up), they break down the real reason performance management so often goes sideways and how to stop making it harder than it needs to be.

This isn’t about paperwork for paperwork’s sake. It’s about protecting your team, your company, and your own reputation.

Inside the episode:

• The three manager types that derail performance conversations (Avoider, Documenter, Talker)
• The low-lift documentation system to track conversations without creating more work
• How to actually say the hard thing with clarity and kindness
• Tips for using AI as your HR sidekick, not a crutch
• A spicy reminder that facts > feelings (especially in court)

Documentation doesn’t have to be scary. But skipping it? That’s what gets you sued.

Highlights:
[00:02] Oversleeping, storms, Post Malone, and bad kid karma
[18:15] “I need to fire her yesterday!”... but no one’s talked to her yet
[24:40] Documenters, Avoiders, and Talkers—pick your manager archetype
[37:18] The “SBI” method: Situation. Behavior. Impact. (Facts, not feelings.)
[45:22] Using AI (yep!) to clarify your language, remove bias, and stay human
[58:10] What HR wishes every leader knew and why feedback is a love language
[1:05:30] “I hope every time you hear Bon Jovi, you think of performance management.” You're welcome.

Pro Tip:
If your performance conversations live in your head and not on paper, you’re not leading, you’re guessing.

Need help having the hard conversation? Slide into our DMs with your workplace dilemma, we just might unpack it on the show.

Resources:

• SBI Method (Situation – Behavior – Impact): Use this as a framework for informal documentation and feedback conversations.
• CPR Framework for crucial conversations: Content → Pattern → Relationship – useful for evaluating when a situation moves from a one-off to a larger issue.