What to Do When Performance is not “Fair?”

As much as you may hear this phrase from kids complaining in general about life, these three words can also be heard in the workplace. Have you ever worked collaboratively on a project only to have your “partner” hog the presentation and claim sole authorship? This situation is not fair and you should speak up.

1. Be Direct.  First use your best performance management training tools and address your co-worker politely but directly. Be as specific as possible about the behavior that upset you. It is possible that they didn’t realize what they were doing and how it would affect you.
2. Escalate.  If a candid conversation with your teammate doesn’t fix things, talk to your boss. Look for solutions together.
3. Be Clear Upfront.  Be proactive next time. Before you begin work on another project together, spell out just what your individual responsibilities will be and what you expect in the way of acknowledgment when the job is done

Turn the “it’s not fair” into a feeling of mutual satisfaction for a shared job done well.