Another kind of documentation that managers often write deals with employee performance issues. Documenting performance issues leaves a critical “paper trail” that can be used to support future action.

Consider this scenario. One of your employees, Cameron, is chronically late to work. Cameron’s tardiness is causing multiple problems across the unit. Meetings are starting late, early morning customer calls are going unanswered, and his team is getting frustrated.

As his manager, you talked privately with Cameron about his performance. In your conversation, he agreed to do better.[1] Cameron did do better—for a couple weeks. Then he started showing up late again. You talked to him again, this time more sternly. Yet, the pattern repeated. He was on time for a couple weeks and then chronically tardy once again.

If you documented each of these conversations, you would have an important record of Cameron’s performance. You might use these messages for your own recall: When did you talk to him last? What exactly did you agree to? And that information could help you in your ongoing conversations with Cameron. If you decide to put Cameron on probation or fire him because he is too unreliable, you might need these messages to support your decision. If you leave your position, this documentation will provide the incoming manager with a clear record of Cameron’s past performance.

Here are some strategies for documenting employee performance issues:

Strike a Constructive Tone

Given your instrumental goals (getting your employee to change a behavior) and relational goals (maintaining a positive working relationship), harshness won’t serve you well—at least in early feedback. Be polite and emphasize the positive instead of focusing on the negative.

Clearly State Your Expectations

If you want real behavioral change, then you have to let your employees know exactly what your expectations are. Agreeing that an employee will “do better” is not very clear. Providing a precise (and measurable, if possible) standard is much better.

Clearly Document Supporting Information Separately

Even though your message to your employee is constructively framed, you still need to retain full details in case performance does not improve. A separate, privately held document can hold a host of details and impressions that can be used for future reference.

Here is an example of message you could send to Cameron following the meeting.

Often it is helpful to record some “unedited” private notes that includes additional information about the encounter. Here is an example of private documentation that will be filed away in case another performance meeting is warranted. Notes can be typed or handwritten. But they should be somewhere that is easily searchable.

Message Strategy: Reporting Improper or Illegal Behavior

Nearly every day in the news there is at least one story about people behaving badly at work. Stories abound about people embezzling money from their company, defrauding customers, and sexually harassing or assaulting coworkers. Because improper behavior raises questions of leader effectiveness, exposes organizations to lawsuits, and jeopardizes the organization’s reputation with the community, stakes are high.

Therefore, if one of your employees is accused of improper behavior—or if you are accusing someone else in the organization of improper behavior—it is vital that you clearly document the facts. The documentation will help you remember specific details and it may serve as an official record whether in company decision-making or legal action.

Here is some advice for documenting improper behavior:

Be Brave

Sometimes documenting organizational wrongdoing or improper behavior can be emotionally difficult. If the wrong-doer is a powerful person in the company, a beloved public figure or community leader, or even someone you consider a friend, it raises the stakes considerably, as you may risk professional or personal retaliation. Other times, the improper behavior itself can be difficult or embarrassing to talk about—such as sexual harassment or assault. If you cannot muster enough bravery on your own, find an ally or mentor in your organization who can encourage you to speak up.

Seek Professional Guidance

If you face a serious personnel behavior problem, contact professionals to help you navigate what to do and what to document. Senior leadership, the human resources department, and legal counsel are great places to start. They also are good resources for reviewing your documentation before you share the message with others.

Be Precise

In high stakes communication, there is little, if any, room for ambiguity or imprecise language. Make absolute sure that you are reporting all details accurately. Use full names in documentation. Instead of saying “about two weeks ago,” identify the exact date. If you are reporting what someone told you and not something you personally witnessed, then be clear about that as well. Instead of saying, “Amy sent a threatening text message to Bryce,” say “Bryce reported to me that Amy sent him a threatening text message.” The difference is subtle, but important. In the first message, you are personally evaluating the tone of the message. In the second, you are stating a fact without passing judgment. The precision will important, especially if you ever have to testify in an internal investigation or a legal procedure.

Take a Neutral Position

Especially when there are legal issues involved in a case, make sure that you are not acting as a judge and jury. Present your facts in the most unbiased way possible. One way you can check for bias is to remove adjectives and adverbs. You might also use less descriptive verbs. These word choices tend to create a more biased account. Consider the difference between, “Joe spitefully snapped that…” and “Joe replied that…”

Here we provide an example of how you might document an employee’s claim of sexual harassment.