If you have ever had an employee that wasn’t doing their job, it can be a stressful situation.
And if you have been on a team where there was an employee not doing their job, and you had to pick up the slack, it can be stressful on you as well. And if you see the one in charge, seemingly not doing something about it, this adds to the stress as well. You may be willing to put up with it for a while, but without seeing an end to it, it will get frustrating. And while it is easy and even somewhat rewarding to point fingers, that doesn’t really help, and you know it.. You know something needs to change; and it is best if you can be proactive in a positive way, and not add more stress to the situation. We may look at this again in the future from the team’s perspective, but for now, think about how you can support your leader and reduce the stress.
We will go forward and look at this from the perspective of the one who actually needs to address the situation. When you have an employee who isn't doing their job, it's important to address the issue with both care and candor. These two principles—care and candor—are essential for having an honest, empathetic conversation while ensuring clarity and accountability. Here’s how you can apply both:
1. Approach with Care
When addressing performance issues, the first step is to show care. This means approaching the situation with empathy and understanding. Start by recognizing that there could be underlying reasons for the employee's poor performance, such as personal challenges, lack of training, unclear expectations, or even a mismatch of skills to the role.
Steps to show care:
Understand the root cause: Begin the conversation by asking open-ended questions to understand if there’s an external or internal factor contributing to their performance issue. Example: “I’ve noticed you’ve been struggling with meeting your targets lately. Is there something that’s making it more difficult for you?”
Be supportive: Offer support or resources that could help. For example, if they are struggling with a particular skill, suggest additional training or mentoring.
Be compassionate: Acknowledge their perspective. Even if you have a concern about their performance, recognize that it’s a difficult conversation to have.
By creating a safe space for dialogue, the employee is more likely to open up about any challenges they’re facing, which gives you a clearer idea of how to help them improve.
2. Be Candid
While care is essential, you also need to be candid—direct and clear about your observations and expectations. The goal is to provide honest feedback without sugarcoating or avoiding the issue. Candor helps the employee understand the gravity of the situation and what needs to change.
Steps to show candor:
Provide specific, actionable feedback: Don’t generalize or shy away from the problem. For example, instead of saying "Your work isn’t up to standard," say "I’ve noticed that you missed the last three project deadlines, which is affecting the team's overall performance."
Clarify expectations: Clearly outline what needs to change and what success looks like. For example, "In order to meet expectations, I’d like to see you hit your deadlines consistently for the next few months."
Excuses: If they are providing excuses, politely point out that excuses are not acceptable. State, “I am looking for accountability and responsibility.”
Be honest about consequences: Make it clear that if the issue continues, there may be consequences. However, also show that you're invested in their success. Example: “If things don’t improve, we may need to discuss next steps, but I’m confident that with more focus on time management and prioritization, you can turn this around.”
3. Follow Up and Provide Support
After the conversation, ensure that you're following up on the action items discussed. Reaffirm your support while holding them accountable. This demonstrates both your care for their growth and your candor in ensuring the work gets done.
Steps to follow up:
Set a follow-up date: Schedule a time to revisit the conversation and assess progress. This ensures accountability.
Provide ongoing feedback: Offer praise for improvement, but don’t hesitate to point out areas that still need attention.
Continue to offer help: If the employee struggles, maintain an open door for further guidance and resources.
Example Scenario
Let’s say you have an employee, Sarah, who hasn’t been meeting her sales targets for the last three months. A conversation based on care and candor might go something like this:
Care:“Sarah, I wanted to check in with you about how things have been going. I’ve noticed your sales numbers have been lower than expected, and I’m wondering if there’s something specific that’s affecting your performance. Is there anything you’re finding challenging or anything we can help with?”
Candor:“I need to be honest with you, though. Your sales targets have been consistently unmet, and it’s starting to have a noticeable impact on the team’s overall performance. I’d like us to come up with a plan to get you back on track. We’ll need to see improvement in the next 30 days to meet the team’s goals.”
Care:“I know this might feel overwhelming, but I’m here to help you succeed. Let’s work together to identify what might be getting in the way, whether it’s additional training, setting clearer goals, or restructuring your approach to client outreach.”
Candor:“If the performance doesn’t improve in the next month, we’ll need to have a deeper conversation about next steps. But I’m confident that with the right focus, you can get there.”
By combining care and candor, you are not only addressing the problem directly but also demonstrating your commitment to the employee’s success. This approach builds trust, ensures clarity, and ultimately fosters a stronger working relationship.
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