As a manager, you play a key role in the overall success of the company and its public image. You motivate employees to put forth their best efforts, both as individuals and members of teams, in an atmosphere where respect for authority, and each other, enables the organization to flourish.

At some point, however, when issues arise that don't resolve themselves or just go away, you will have to take action. If, like most managers, you have little or no training in dealing with difficult situations, you will find that it's not that easy to learn by the "trial and error" method.

Be honest. Would you know how to tell an employee that his second job is making him too tired to do his primary job? What do you say to workers who make too many personal phone calls or refuse to accept constructive criticism? If you have to lay off people in your department, how do you break the news? What are the legal steps you must follow if you plan to terminate a worker for cause?

The good news is that help is available. Paul Falcone, a leading expert in the HR field, vice president of human resources for Time Warner Cable and author of "2000 Phrases for Effective Performance Review" and "96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire," has just written a new book, "101 Tough Discussions."

This book provides sample dialogues for handling almost every problem (at least 101 of them!) that is likely to come up in a typical workplace. Each scenario is followed by a discussion that focuses on using "positive confrontation" as an approach to the problem. By opening the meeting with phrases like "I have observed that ..." or "I have been told that ...," you make it clear that your perception of the issue is reality until proven otherwise. The employee is then given the opportunity to explain his side of the story.

When the worker realizes that changes are needed, you can then suggest a course of action. He will be expected to take responsibility for following through on these suggestions and keeping you updated with progress reports.

What can you do if the worker is not motivated to change his actions or attitudes? Mr. Falcone makes the somewhat unusual suggestion that he be given a day off, with pay, to contemplate whether continuing to work at your company is in the best interests of all concerned. Some may feel that this strategy is too lenient, but the results will surprise you. In either case, all conversations must be documented in writing to protect yourself from any legal action that might occur in the future.

Most of the tough conversations explain what to do and what to say. However, you'll find valuable ideas for what not to do as well. You'll discover why giving a substandard worker a "satisfactory" instead of a detailed "needs improvement" evaluation can make dismissal for cause very difficult. If an employee wants to share information that is "off the record," the wise manager will either set parameters for confidentiality or decline to listen. The risk is high for everyone involved.

The underlying premise of "101 Tough Discussions" is that if your employees are treated with respect, and workplace guidelines are clearly written and uniformly enforced, many problems can be avoided. But for the times when they can't, the advice in this book will be invaluable. It deserves a prominent place in the office of anyone who is responsible for managing others.

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