One of the best of these coping skills, and a valuable alternative to termination, is constructive confrontation, a structured cycle of discussion; commitment and covenant; scheduled feedback sessions; and celebration.
Each of these elements has been used in the workplace for decades and produced tremendous results in leadership, team, and individual performance. Constructive conversations are a staple of conflict resolution, conflict prevention, and coalition building.
Covenants, or personal contracts, have long been used in business to increase accountability and guide performance, especially for salespeople. Feedback sessions are indispensable to good management. Celebration is simply the formal recognition of employees' progress, whether in their attitude, performance, or work habits.