EntreLeadership The 5 Step Framework for Addressing Difficult Employees
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Mar 2, 2026 Brendan Wojko, Chief Technology Officer at Ramsey Solutions and leadership coach, shares a five-step framework for handling difficult employee conversations. He breaks down the five types of hard talks and when to use each. Short, practical breakdowns cover first-contact clarity, coaching, emotional firing, 30-day performance plans, and dignified termination.
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Differentiate First Contact From Other Talks
- Hard conversations come in distinct types, not a single generic conversation format.
- Brendan identifies the first contact as a short, clear problem statement plus a clear next-step process to avoid 'swoop and poop' moments.
Separate Coaching And Use The Table Metaphor
- Do separate coaching from the first-contact conversation and keep coaching short and collaborative.
- Bring other leaders' feedback into coaching and use the table metaphor to show you're on the employee's side against the problem.
Validate Issues With Other Leaders First
- Do validate the issue with other leaders before coaching to reduce the perception of 'me versus you'.
- Tell the employee multiple leaders have noticed the behavior so feedback becomes collective coaching, not a single-person attack.