Emma does well with the hands-on skills and gets along well with the other office personnel. However, Emma has a problem with getting to work on time. She seems to show a pattern of poor planning, such as forgetting to set her alarm, losing her car keys, and neglecting to solve her various car problems when they first become apparent (brought on by skipped oil changes, worn tire treads, squeaky brakes, and a rusty muffler).

The clinic suffers when Emma is late because she is not ready to see the first patient upon arrival, causing patients to wait and disrupting the routines and schedules of other staff members. Following the third time she was late, James, the office manager, noted the problem in Emma's record and informed Emma that chronic tardiness could lead to termination. Although Emma is sometimes afraid to ask questions, her performance is generally above average, so James is hoping that Emma will improve.

• What strategies for success could Emma use to prevent herself from losing her job?
• What are some good communication techniques that James should be aware of before the conversation?