Coaching or Corrective Action? A Leader’s Guide to Choosing the Right Path
When employee performance is a problem, leaders face a critical crossroads: do you coach, or do you correct?
The answer isn’t always obvious—but the impact is enormous. Coaching builds trust, develops talent, and strengthens teams. Corrective action protects your organization, clarifies expectations, and sometimes, draws a necessary line.
Knowing when—and how—to use each tool is what separates reactive management from intentional leadership. This blog post is intended to help you navigate that decision with clarity, compassion, and confidence.
Caveat: Humans (and performance issues) are complex. Each situation and person warrants individual review and consideration. This information serves as a general overview, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
The Bigger Picture: What Performance Management Includes
Performance management isn’t a single conversation or document—it’s a continuous, intentional process that includes:
Goal setting and alignment
Orientation and onboarding
Training and development
Regular check-ins and feedback
Performance evaluations
Recognition and appreciation
Team building and cohesion
Coaching and mentoring
Clear expectations and accountability
Corrective action (rarely, when necessary)
Corrective action should typically be a last resort. Before we ever reach the point of assessing performance as a problem, we must ask: Have we set the employee up for success?
Step One: Set Clear Expectations and Foster Accountability
Accountability starts with clarity. That means:
Up-to-date job descriptions that reflect actual responsibilities
Team charters and team agreements that define how we work together
Clear goals and success metrics
Transparent communication about roles, responsibilities, timelines, and expectations
When expectations are vague or misaligned, performance issues are often symptoms of deeper systemic gaps—not individual shortcomings.
Accountability isn’t just about holding others responsible—it’s about cultivating a culture where team, self, and shared accountability are the standard. That’s what builds trust, cohesion, and resilience.
Before You Consider Corrective Action
Ask yourself:
What observable issue are we addressing? (Stick with the facts, avoid assumptions, and watch for bias. Sometimes seeking outside perspective can help with mitigating bias.)
Is the root cause within the employee’s control—or is it a broken system, unclear process, or lack of training?
Have we provided adequate support, resources, and feedback?
Am I willing to invest the time and energy to coach this person toward success?
Am I ready for honest, compassionate conversations that center the individual, the team, and the mission?
If the answer to any of these is no, corrective action is likely not the best next step.
Coaching vs. Corrective Action: Choosing the Right Path
Performance management tools are best when used intentionally, transparently, and with empathy.
Two common tools—performance coaching and corrective action (performance Improvement Plans and written warnings) —serve very different purposes.
Take a look at this table for the differences between coaching and corrective action and when you should consider using each.
If we’re doing leadership well, we’re spending about 90% of our time in the coaching space. Corrective action should be rare.
What’s the Difference Between a PIP and a Written Warning?
Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) are meant to improve performance. But too often, they're misused or confused with written warnings. Both PIPs and written warnings are forms of corrective action.
Let’s clarify:
A PIP is a collaborative tool to help an employee improve. It should come with training, regular check-ins, and shared commitment from both the manager and the employee.
A written warning is a formal notice: if improvement doesn’t happen, termination may follow.
Consider the name alone, “performance improvement plan” is a “plan to improve performance.” A “written warning” is a “written warning” with consequences.
Lead with Intention, Act with Clarity and Kindness
Performance management is more than just coaching and corrective action. It’s an ongoing system; a practice. One rooted in communication, accountability, and respect. When leaders approach performance management with compassion and empathy, and with corrective action as a last resort, they don’t just manage performance—they shape organizational culture.
Coaching fosters trust, growth, and alignment. Corrective action relies on written clarity, protects the organization, mitigates risk, reinforces expectations, and, when necessary, draws a firm boundary with written consequences. Both can be valid tools. What matters most is using them with intention, transparency, inclusion, and care.
Clarity isn’t harsh—it’s kind. It gives people the information they need to succeed, and the dignity of knowing where they stand.
Whether you're offering support through a Performance Improvement Plan or issuing a written warning, remember: be kind, be compassionate, be honest, be clear.
Does your leadership team need training on coaching vs. corrective action?
⭐ Book a workshop for your team.
Do you need customized advice and resources on how to handle a specific performance challenge?
⭐ Book an HR strategy session.
