So you are wondering what PEP is? Happy you asked. Most leaders have regularly scheduled time to meet with their key team members. As you well know, having an agenda is essential. Going down the “rabbit trail” can be expected and unproductive without discussing specific topics.

I have found there are primary components that should be a part of every one-to-one with your people. That is the PEP. P is for Performance. You must discover what happened and what didn’t happen since your last PEP meeting. Presumably, the expectations were clear. If not, that is another issue on you, the leader. There should be no secret on what good Performance looks like. What is acceptable and what isn’t?

The next is E which stands for Evaluation. As you dig into the Performance, a careful evaluation must be present. For example, if the number wasn’t met or the project wasn’t completed on time, what was the root cause? Simply put, what got in the way? Obstacles and roadblocks must be removed, or we will get the same results. This is a good reminder when you are evaluating
to actively listen to what your team member is saying. Maintain a “no excuse “mindset. If it didn’t get done-it didn’t get done- fix it, put a plan in place and address all potential obstacles.

The next P is for Plan. Once you have addressed and evaluated the Performance, “What is the Plan?” After every one-to-one and coaching session, an action plan must be agreed upon. As leaders, we always look for the behavior/action that will “move the needle.” Get agreement on the action step. I found it essential and helpful to close each session with this question, “What are you willing to commit to?”

The answer sets the stage for better accountability. Remember, let’s declare war on poor Performance. Let’s work on our PEP.