Real-Life Communication -- Solution
Here's what you can tell Dwayne:
Dwayne, I'm
afraid I have to terminate your employment with us. I warned you last week
that you would be fired if you were late again.
I expect all my employees
to be on time, and all of you know how strict my lateness policy is. However,
you've been late five times in the last month.
This written termination
notice details the times you've been late and the warnings I've given you.
This is nothing personal. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.
If
you manage your own roofing company, firing employees is part of the job.
It takes good communication skills to do it properly. How you handle firings
affects the morale of your other employees.
Roofers also have to explain
to their customers what they're doing. Having a roof reshingled
is expensive, so customers expect clear explanations. If additional work needs
to be done, such as replacing rotten roof panels or damaged vents, the roofer
needs to tell the customer.
"You're dealing a lot with the public,"
says roofer Garry O'Farrell. "Even if you send a crew out to a job, they still
have to be responsible to deal with the owner."
Roofers also have to
communicate with those they're working with. Costly mistakes can result if
everyone isn't clear what the others are doing.
"You have to be able
to communicate to one another what to do and how to do it," O'Farrell says.
"If they don't understand, they've got to feel free to ask."