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Ask the expert: Managing confrontations

Nurse Leader Weekly, March 14, 2011

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This week, Patty Kubus, RN, MBA, PhD, talks about when it’s appropriate to confront issues, and when constructive mentoring is what’s needed.

Q:  How do I know when to give constructive feedback and coaching, and when to confront?

A:  It becomes time to confront people when they have been coached on a particular behavior and there has not been enough progress on that behavior. How much is enough coaching? It depends on the seriousness of the behavior. If you are coaching someone on a particular skill, you will likely give the person plenty of time to develop that skill. If, however, there is an expectation with which a staff member is not complying—for example, how to treat staff—you might need to coach them only once or twice before you begin the disciplinary process, which starts with a confrontation.

A confrontation discussion needs to happen:

• After the person has received adequate coaching and there has not been a satisfactory degree of improvement in performance or behavior; or
• If the person has violated a policy or a standard or expectation, which makes that person’s behavior unsafe or disruptive

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Editor's note: Do you have a question for our experts? E-mail your queries to Associate Editor Jaclyn Beck at jbeck@hcpro.com and see your name in print next week! In the meantime, head over to our Web site and view a growing collection of advice from our experts. 
 

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