L&D Must Change 46. Using PIPs for Development, Not Discipline with Amy Kay Watson
Let's be real. Most Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) don't actually improve performance. They're a legal termination plan in disguise. That doesn't make anyone feel good. But, they don't have to be this way! In this episode, Jess talks with coach and culture consultant Amy Kay Watson about rebooting accountability so performance improvement becomes a true development process instead of a disciplinary paper trail. Amy breaks down why most PIPs don't include learning or development and then shares a practical model built designed to restore psychological safety, clarify standards, and build early wins. You'll leave with concrete ways L&D can equip managers to partner in accountability conversations and diagnose root causes. PIPs can be positive turning points, but only with a different approach.
Jess and Amy Discuss
- Why PIPs often function as compliance tools instead of learning frameworks, and the downstream damage to trust, morale, and capability
- The "reformer's trap": why managers default to policing behavior under pressure (and what to do instead)
- How cultures fall into the "nice trap," confusing kindness with lack of structure and boundaries
- A developmental PIP model built on three pillars: Justice, Goals, and Efficacy
- Justice in practice: using transparent performance data ("Do you see what I see?") to reduce threat response and enable learning
- Goals that build capacity: shifting from deficit lists to resourced targets using the Job Demands–Resources (JDR) lens
- Efficacy: restoring agency by designing early, achievable wins to rebuild confidence and momentum
- L&D's three big opportunities: train managers as diagnostic "regulators," claim PIPs as a learning tool, and align with HR/Legal to avoid mixed messages
- The smallest high-impact starting point: be clear about standards because clarity really is kindness
- How to handle the hard reality: what changes when someone won't engage, even with support and partnership
About Amy Kay Watson
Amy Kay Watson, M.Div., MCC, is a Master Certified Coach and a sought-after speaker in empathy-driven leadership and performance improvement. She helps purpose-driven professionals balance accountability with compassion, especially in high-pressure, high-stakes roles. With a background spanning chaplaincy, corporate management, over 200 culture-shaping retreats, and over 3,600 coaching hours, Amy brings rare insight and practical wisdom to every stage and conversation.
Find and Connect with Amy Kay Watson
- Website: amykaywatson.com
- Article: It's Time to Reboot Accountability
- Special offer for listeners (quiz): rebootleader.com
Find and Connect with Jess Almlie