Conversation Planner · for managers
How to talk to an employee who procrastinates
Read the approach below, or skip ahead and get a plan written for your own situation.
Plan my conversation — free ↓Why the usual approach fails
Telling someone to "start earlier" or sending them a time-management article changes nothing. Last-minute work usually has a cause — unclear first steps, too many competing priorities, or fear of getting it wrong — and you only find it by asking.
How to open
"I want to talk about how work gets started. The last few reports have been finished the night before, and the quality shows it. I'd like to understand what makes the start hard, because the work itself is good when there's time."
Ask before you tell
- "What usually happens between getting a task and starting it?"
- "Which part of a new task feels hardest to begin?"
- "What would help you start sooner?"
What to agree before you leave the room
A first checkpoint for the next assignment — a rough draft or outline by a date halfway to the deadline — and a quick look at it together.
Make it yours — free
Edit the details below to match your situation and get a full five-step COACH plan by email.
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Built on the COACH method by Jon Kludt, Business Coach · Certified EOS Implementer® · thecoachconversation.com