Have the Courage to Address Poor performance

A senior leader in the organization has been underperforming. His colleagues and direct reports have been picking up the slack for months. His boss tries to broach the subject with him, but he provides a long list of things on his plate and she quickly lets the subject drop. 

Scenario:

His reputation in the organization is worsening. Furthermore, other employees are growing more and more frustrated as they continue to take on his work. They’re also losing trust in his boss and her ability to hold him accountable.

Result:

Address poor performance before it spreads like a cancer through your team. Here’s how.

Have the right Mindset—Reframe the conversation. Rather than tell yourself, “Ugh, I have to have an awkward conversation with Joe.” Tell yourself, “Joe is important to me and as his leader, I want him to be successful. I need to share my observations so he can grow.”

Preparation and practice—How often do we say something in the moment we wish we could take back? The best way to avoid that is to prepare. 

Where and When—These conversations should occur face-to-face and they should be private. Consider finding neutral ground. Unless it’s a regular occurrence for all employees, getting called to the boss’s office can set the tone before your discussion has even started. 

Have the conversation—Some people think effective communication is all about talking. It’s not. It’s mostly about listening. While you have something you need to tell the other person, this is a conversation, not a lecture. 

Follow-up—One conversation doesn’t always result in the outcome you want. Sometimes it takes many. In fact, supporting your employees to improve and grow should be an ongoing process. The good news is, once you’ve had the difficult conversation, the cards are on the table, so to speak. You’ve made it clear to your employee what needs to change and can work together to make that happen.

Check out our Holding Employees accountable Capable workshop