Purpose
Produce a word-for-word coaching conversation script — grounded in observed behavior, calibrated to the issue's severity, and structured to change behavior without triggering defensiveness — so a GM or shift leader can walk into a difficult conversation prepared instead of improvising under pressure.
When to Use
Invoke this skill when the user asks to:
- Prepare a coaching conversation about lateness, no-shows, or unreliable scheduling
- Address a service-quality, speed, or accuracy problem with a specific employee
- Handle an attitude, tone, or teamwork issue on the floor or in the kitchen
- Confront a policy violation (phone use, dress code, cash handling, safety) calmly
- Deliver a verbal warning or corrective conversation that must be documented
- Coach a strong performer who is slipping without demoralizing them
Inputs Required
Before starting, collect:
- Situation description: What happened — specific incidents, dates, and observable behavior (not judgments)
- Employee role: Position (server, line cook, host, dishwasher, shift lead) and how long they've been on the team
- Desired outcome: The specific behavior change you want going forward
- Prior conversations: Has this been addressed before? Verbal only, or already documented?
- Severity level: First coaching / repeated issue / verbal warning / final step before formal action
- Employee context: Anything relevant — strong performer having a bad stretch, new hire still learning, personal circumstances known to you
- Time available: Quick pre-shift conversation vs. sit-down in the office
If severity is unspecified, default to a first-coaching, developmental tone. If prior conversations are unknown, write the script for a first documented conversation and note where to adjust if it isn't.
Instructions
Step 1: Classify the Issue and Set the Frame
Determine which of these the situation is, because the script structure changes:
- Performance issue (can't yet — skill, speed, accuracy): frame as coaching and support
- Behavior/conduct issue (won't — attitude, effort, teamwork): frame as expectation and accountability
- Policy/safety violation (rule broken): frame as clear standard, non-negotiable
- Slipping strong performer: frame as concern from a place of respect
State the classification in one line at the top of the output so the manager understands the tone chosen.
Step 2: Convert the Situation into Observable Facts
Rewrite the manager's description into 2–4 specific, behavior-based statements that avoid character judgments:
- Replace "you're always late" with "In the last two weeks you clocked in after your scheduled time on the 3rd, 7th, and 11th."
- Replace "you have a bad attitude" with "During Friday's rush, when the ticket backed up, you raised your voice at the expo line in front of guests."
- Anchor every claim to something the employee can't reasonably dispute.
Step 3: Build the Coaching Script Using the SBI + Two-Way Model
Write the actual conversation using this structure, in complete spoken language the manager can read verbatim:
- Open with respect and purpose (2–3 sentences): Set a private, calm tone. State that this is a conversation, not an ambush.
- Situation–Behavior–Impact statement: The specific facts from Step 2 → the concrete impact on the team, guests, or the employee themselves.
- Hand the floor to the employee: Include an explicit open question that invites their side ("Help me understand what's been going on.") — with a note to genuinely pause and listen.
- Clarify the expectation: State the standard plainly, tied to the desired outcome.
- Co-create the fix: Prompt language that gets the employee to name the next step, so they own it.
- Agree on specifics and follow-up: What changes, by when, and when you'll check in.
- Close with confidence in them (1–2 sentences): End on belief, not threat — unless severity requires a clear consequence, in which case state it factually.
Step 4: Anticipate Pushback
Provide 3–4 likely employee responses (denial, blame-shifting, emotional reaction, "everyone does it") and give the manager a calm, non-escalating line to say for each. Keep the manager anchored to the behavior and the standard.
Step 5: Set Severity-Appropriate Consequences and Documentation
- For first coaching: focus on support and a check-in date.
- For repeated/warning-level: include one clear sentence naming the next step if the behavior continues, stated matter-of-factly.
- Provide a short documentation summary (date, who, behavior discussed, agreement reached, follow-up date) the manager can drop into a file.
Output Format
- Structure: Issue classification line → observable-facts list → full verbatim script (7 labeled beats) → anticipated pushback table → follow-up & documentation block
- Length: 600–900 words
- Format: Script beats as labeled quoted dialogue the manager reads aloud; pushback as a two-column table (likely response / suggested reply); documentation as a fill-in-quick block
- Sections: Issue Classification → The Facts → Coaching Script → If They Push Back → Follow-Up & Documentation
- Tone: Warm, direct, and firm — respectful of the employee's dignity, never scripted-corporate or robotic; reads like a level-headed operator, not an HR memo
Quality Checklist
Before delivering output, verify:
- [ ] Every factual claim in the script is behavior-based and specific — no "always," "never," or character labels
- [ ] The script includes an explicit open question that hands the floor to the employee
- [ ] The desired outcome is stated as a clear, measurable expectation
- [ ] Tone matches the classified issue type (support vs. accountability vs. non-negotiable)
- [ ] At least 3 anticipated pushback responses each have a calm reply
- [ ] A dated documentation summary and a specific follow-up date are included
Notes
- The single most common failure in restaurant coaching is leading with judgment ("your attitude") instead of behavior ("you raised your voice at the line") — the fact conversion in Step 2 is what makes these conversations stick.
- For pre-shift conversations under 5 minutes, advise using only beats 1, 2, 4, and 6 and scheduling the full talk after service.
- Coaching a slipping strong performer is different from correcting a chronic problem — the script should protect the relationship while still being honest.
- Remind the manager to have the conversation privately, off the floor, and never in front of guests or other staff.
How to use this skill
This file is a Claude Code skill in Anthropic's standard format — markdown with YAML frontmatter at the top.
Installing in Claude Code:
~/.claude/skills/<folder-name>/SKILL.md— auto-loads in every session anywhere on your machine (recommended for skills you'll use across multiple projects)<your-project>/.claude/skills/<folder-name>/SKILL.md— auto-loads only when working in that project (recommended for project-specific skills)
Restart Claude Code or open a new session to register.
Using in Claude.ai, ChatGPT, Gemini, or other AI tools:
- Drag this file into a new chat, or copy and paste its contents
- Send your task or request as your next message — the AI will apply the skill where it fits
For Claude Code skill details: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/skills