It’s that moment when you know something is wrong but aren’t sure what.

Your boss has called you into his office and he is wearing a serious look. That part is fine but there is another person also present. You realize something is going to happen for which the boss wants a ‘witness’.

The conversation starts with a few niceties while you wonder what the agenda is and then the bomb drops on you. The company isn’t happy with your performances and instances are cited.

You’re not given a chance to explain and the attack continues on you as if to bait you into an unprofessional outburst.

Don’t worry, you’re not going to be fired on the spot unless you’ve done some dismissible offence. Instead, you’re told something that is bound to rattle you, especially if it is unfair – a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).

It’s not uncommon for employers to use a PIP as a first step to fire an employee and later in this post I’ll share some red flags with you but for now, know that you do have the power to improve your performance and keep your job.

I remember in my corporate world days we used to have a bell-curve approach to performance reviews. 1 meant you were out, getting a 2 provided the opportunity to improve your performance to a 3 (which meant you were performing as expected for your grade and job role). 4 or even a 5 meant promotion time.

What are Performance Improvement Plans?

A Performance Improvement Plan or PIP is a structured document containing the plan of action designed by the supervisor for an employee whose performance is not up to the mark.

The plan might be created as a result of an unsatisfactory performance review, to eliminate an unwanted behavior that is affecting performance or even as a second chance to an employee who is on the verge of being terminated. That was why getting a 2 on the bell-curve put the employee on a PIP.

Normally your boss and HR will meet with you to discuss the PIP and answer any questions that you have. A good PIP will include giving you support to meet the set goals or Key Performance Indices.

Think of it this way, when you start a new job, you’re put on probation for a specified period of time which could range from 6 weeks to 3 months or even more. If you meet the job requirements and your performance is up to par, you’re confirmed in your job.

This is similar except it’s done while you’re already on confirmed employment. If you’re not able to improve your performance during this period or don’t meet the agreed targets, then yes, you’re employment is terminated.

How to handle a PIP

Don’t take a PIP the wrong way and hand in your resignation because you’re upset.

Instead, discuss the PIP thoroughly with your boss and HR and clarify the goals and how you will be assessed.

Be professional and ask for support. If you’re employer’s intention is to fire you, they wouldn’t put you on a PIP to start with.

I’d suggest setting up a check-in schedule with your boss or a designated colleague so you can course correct as soon as possible and also monitor your progress.

This will demonstrate you’re taking the PIP seriously and also demonstrate your confidence to achieve the required targets.

If you feel you need morale support or more guidance, talk to more successful colleagues about how they do it. Better yet, hire a coach for the period of the PIP who has the experience to guide and support you.

Keep your eyes focused on the goal. When you do achieve it, you’ll have done more than just meet the requirements to keep your job.

You’ll have demonstrated that you are mature enough to acknowledge that there is a deficiency in your performance. That you are also a professional who is willing to overcome shortcomings and emerge successful.

It’s another thing that you might want to quit your job after successfully completing your PIP.

That is your call. Especially if the period of the PIP has led to professional growth and you realize you want to explore new pastures instead of continuing with the employer.

So this is the happy ending but what if your gut feeling is that the PIP is a step to get rid of you?

Signs the PIP is being imposed to fire You

It’s not uncommon for some companies to use the PIP to create a situation where they can fire you at the end of it and avoid any legal hassles.

Some common signs include:

• You’re being targeted by your boss who is making it difficult for you to work by not giving you the required resources or criticizing you
• You are being overworked or given unreasonable tasks
• You’re being baited into a conflict which could take the form of embarrassing you in front of your colleagues or giving credit for your work to someone else
• You are being assigned tasks that don’t fit your competency level. This can one of 2 forms – either the task is below your level or tasks that are too difficult and guarantee your failing.
• Your boss tries to micromanage you and doesn’t give you the space to do your work and indulges in formal channels of communication via email instead of communicating with you directly in person or on the phone
• You’re bypassed for promotions and given lame excuses about where you’re lacking without a chance to defend yourself
• Your boss is giving more credibility to colleagues who engage in dirty office politics without hearing your side of incidents

These are just some examples but you get the general idea.

What’s your plan?

You’ll have the indicators during the PIP planning itself. Especially if you’ve got a history with the boss which isn’t cordial or you’re presently facing workplace harassment. It could be goals being set without the support to achieve them.

In my post on the topic of workplace harassment, I’ve given tips on how you should approach it including checking your company’s policies.

If that is the case, then you need to work out your strategy properly. I would recommend agreeing to the PIP but using that time to update your resume and LinkedIn profile and getting into job search mode.

Once both documents are updated, tap into your network and also apply for jobs that are suited to your qualifications.

Be wary of sneaky colleagues who might try to derail you and play positive politics if you have to play at all.

You might get lucky and have an offer before your PIP is completed and the employer might just give you a good reference because they’re relieved your leaving on your own.

Have you ever been placed on a Performance Improvement Plan or something similar? How did you handle it?

Are you experiencing signs that it’s time for a change of job? Or is it a complete career change?

There is a big difference in the circumstances and your next step.

Some time ago, a Career Coaching client of mine tabled an interesting issue for our session agenda.

We’ve had success in raising her executive presence .  This resulted in her not only being given the facilitator role for a major pan-Europe project, but also the company finally sponsored her for an expensive course to improve her skills and credentials.

Things were going great until a particular Monday morning when the department was told of a major reorganization. Naturally the status quo was thrown into disarray. Her superiors were demoted except for her direct reporting line manager.

The true impact on her situation was her being reduced to doing tasks well below her competency level as her superiors were now doing her role. She  stopped looking forward to Monday and boredom.

Her question was, is it time for me to find another job?

The question might appear odd to the reader, but there was a good reason why my client was diffident.

For one thing, she didn’t have the classic situation where most people move onto new jobs giving the diplomatic ‘work life balance’ reason for leaving.

She had a great job; her rapport with her line manager and superiors is awesome and she loves her department.

There have been lots of projects for her which provided job satisfaction until the re-organization happened. But of late, some colleagues had moved on to other jobs.

The issue for her was, what am I doing here right now?

A little probing revealed that her line manager had been raising this subject over the last few months. It was in the context of her career progression which she had been working on based on a completely different set of factors. Never discussing reorganization of her department that could lead to sudden job dissatisfaction.

Fortunately, in this case, the line manager was a quasi-mentor. He helped her explore new options within their department. He suggested a lateral secondment until such time as things settled down again.

The worst-case scenario of leaving the organization didn’t happen.

Not everyone is that lucky.

Sometimes, the signs are very obvious. Yet we ignore them either because it means updating our CVs and doing job rounds or we are so entrenched in the system that we don’t want to get out of our comfort zones and look for something better.

Our boss and colleagues may have bullied us enough to lower our sense of self-worth and we get trapped in a cycle until we break and cannot perform.

Have you also been wondering if it’s time for you to find another job?”

Here are 7 circumstances where I would recommend taking an honest look at your situation and considering whether you should look for new pastures.

1. You don’t feel like going into work on Monday mornings and often call in sick
2. You don’t enjoy the work you are doing – it could be under or over-challenging
3. Your relationship with your boss is far from satisfactory with no open lines for communication
4. You have lost interest in your professional development to get ahead on your career track
5. You are not motivated to perform well in your job and only come in to work because you need to log in your attendance
6. The ambiance in the work place is ‘toxic’ (unhealthy levels of gossip, backbiting, politics and negativity)
7. The stress level in your job is adversely affecting your health and/or personal relationships

If you answered yes to point 7, it might also be pointing towards a potential burn-out.

Some of these circumstances can be worked upon with the help of your human resources department or even you direct reporting boss if he is also your mentor.

In other cases, perhaps it is time to take out that CV, brush it up and start looking elsewhere.

The plus point of such situations is its ability to make us finally confront how we really feel about our job and the work that we do in general.

What we often fail to see is perhaps we ourselves have grown along with our career and perhaps it’s time to try something new.

It’s time to change our career game plan

Barack Obama on Change

That’s what happened with me and I’ve shared my story in my Meet Your Coach Page. In fact, I’ve seen it happen with a lot of high-flying professionals. They wake up one day and realize their job and career track till date no longer makes them tick. They need more.

I’ve also seen professionals take up a completely different path. A dear colleague and friend who established the broadband service subsidiary at one of my global major employers.

He went on to make documentaries until he finally settled into using his lifelong side studies and skills to teach yoga and alternative therapy.

Could that possibly be you?

One clear indicator is you continue to be a top performer but your heart isn’t in it.

You start reading up on areas that interest you but are completely unrelated to your present vocation in life.

Your circle of friends begins to change and you don’t want to talk about work in your leisure time.

You become more open to recruiters who are approaching you with offers in different industries because they believe your skill sets are transferable.

Proactive Action Plan to decide your next career move

Whether it is a job or career change, here is a proactive plan for you to decide your next move.

Think about the 7 circumstances I pointed out above and check if any applies to you.

If you recognized yourself in circumstance 7, take the Burn-out Self-Test to check if you need to course correct your job and life and get instant self-help guidance. It’s an easy assessment based on your reflections of the last 12 months and can provide valuable insights into whether you are heading for burn out or not with suggestions to manage the situation.   Please click here to access the self-test.

Consider whether it’s a career change you want. Download this tip sheet that’s relevant even if you’re under 40 to get some clarity. (click here or on the image below to learn the details).

Update your CV in any case. It is a good habit for enhancing your sense of accomplishment. Who knows, if you get an unexpected call from a headhunter about a dream job, you can act fast. Update your LinkedIn Profile too!

If after your soul-searching and analysis, you feel change is in order, make sure you don’t burn any bridges. Leaving an employer on a good note ensures good recommendations and possibly an offer to return at a later date.

How are you handling the situation where an employment change is inevitable?  Are you job hunting or giving yourself the chance to reinvent yourself?

Been there, done that? Share your experience with me!

Additional Resource for the focused action taker

If you’re an action taker and are ready to step up to the plate to make your next job or career move your best ever, then this mini-course is for you.

The 5 Day Zero in on your Important Career Need Course starts right here and right now.

The intention of this mini-course is to help you get clearer about whether you want a job or career change. And then help you take the next step from a place of clarity.

We use practical and metaphysical techniques to help ascertain your career roadblocks and to move forward in positive motion.

It’s part of the coaching program where my clients discover what they really want. It’s going to show you what you can achieve if you really want to get ahead with your career.

Click on the image below to learn more.

This post was originally published in November 2013 and has been updated for relevance.

Written by: Vatsala Shukla