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There are 5 modules in this course
This course gives you a practical, step-by-step framework for identifying and addressing poor performance before it damages your team. You'll learn how to assess employee potential, understand the environmental and cultural factors behind underperformance, and take decisive action using the Three T's: train, transfer, or terminate.
From recognizing early warning signs to engaging disengaged employees, the course covers how to protect team morale while holding individuals accountable. You'll also gain the skills to build performance improvement plans, navigate difficult conversations, and — when necessary — handle terminations legally and with compassion.
Using these approaches, you'll be equipped to make confident, fair decisions that strengthen your team and your credibility as a leader. If you're managing a struggling employee right now, this course gives you the tools to act. If you haven't faced this challenge yet, it prepares you for when you do. Whatever stage you're at as a manager, this course will help you build one of the most critical — and often avoided — skills in leadership.
Poor performance doesn't manage itself — and the longer it goes unaddressed, the more damage it does. In this module, you'll gain a clear sense of what this course will cover and why taking swift, confident action on poor performance is one of the most important things you can do as a manager.
What's included
4 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 10 minutes
The Importance of Performance•1 minute
Environmental Impact•2 minutes
Performance and Potential•3 minutes
Defining Poor Performance•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Setting the Stage: Performance, Environment, and Potential•10 minutes
All Workers Are Not Created Equal
Module 2•17 minutes to complete
Module details
Not every employee contributes equally — and as a manager, it's your job to know the difference. In this module, you'll build the skills to assess whether your team members are creating genuine value for the organization and develop an honest, objective picture of where your team stands so you can coach with clarity and confidence.
What's included
2 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 7 minutes
Creating Value•4 minutes
Assessing Reality•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Value, Reality, and the Manager's Honest View•10 minutes
Understanding Your Team
Module 3•1 hour to complete
Module details
A team's output is shaped by far more than skills and effort — it's driven by how engaged, valued, and connected your people feel every day. In this module, you'll identify the three levels of employee engagement, apply targeted strategies to boost morale across your team, and use the six cultural principles from the OC Tanner Institute to build an environment where high performance can take root and thrive.
What's included
3 videos1 reading1 assignment
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 12 minutes
Employee Engagement•4 minutes
Understanding Morale•4 minutes
Cultural Impact•4 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Culture as a Leadership Responsibility•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Engagement, Morale, and the Culture You're Building•10 minutes
Taking Action
Module 4•1 hour to complete
Module details
When coaching and patience have reached their limit, the real work of management begins. In this module, you'll apply the Three T's framework to decide the right path forward for any poor performer, build the skills to have difficult conversations with confidence, and learn how to create a Performance Improvement Plan, navigate a termination with compassion and legal care, and lead your team through the aftermath with clarity and grace.
What's included
6 videos4 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 19 minutes
The Three T's•3 minutes
Confronting Poor Performers•3 minutes
Making a Transfer•3 minutes
Creating a Performance Plan•3 minutes
Considering Termination•3 minutes
Moving Forward•4 minutes
4 readings•Total 40 minutes
Making a Transfer•10 minutes
The Performance Improvement Plan•10 minutes
Considerations for Terminating Employment•10 minutes
Rebuildin and Moving Forward•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
From Conversation to Action: The Manager's Toolkit•10 minutes
Conclusion
Module 5•1 hour to complete
Module details
You've reached the end of the course — but not the end of the work. In this module, you'll consolidate what you've learned, revisit the course's central ideas, and leave with a clear sense of the resources and mindset you'll need to keep growing as a manager.
What's included
1 video1 reading1 assignment
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 2 minutes
Thanks for Joining•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Managerial Courage•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Leading Through Performance: A Full-Course Review•30 minutes
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When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.