You have a team member who’s underperforming. How can you help them improve?

1 Identify the root cause

The first step is to understand why your team member is underperforming. Is it due to a lack of skills, knowledge, or resources? Is it because of personal or professional issues, such as stress, burnout, or conflict? Is it because of unclear or unrealistic goals, expectations, or feedback? You need to have an honest and empathetic conversation with your team member to find out the root cause of their performance gap and how they feel about it.

2 Provide constructive feedback

The next step is to provide constructive feedback to your team member based on their performance data and observations. You need to be specific, objective, and balanced in your feedback. Highlight their strengths and achievements, as well as their areas for improvement and the impact of their underperformance on the project and the team. You also need to be respectful, supportive, and positive in your tone and language. Avoid blaming, criticizing, or judging your team member. Instead, focus on helping them learn and grow.

3 Agree on an action plan

The third step is to agree on an action plan with your team member to address their performance gap and help them improve. You need to collaborate with your team member to set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals and milestones for their improvement. You also need to identify the resources, support, and guidance they need to achieve their goals. You need to document the action plan and communicate it clearly to your team member and other stakeholders.

4 Monitor and follow up

The fourth step is to monitor and follow up on your team member’s progress and performance. You need to check in regularly with your team member to review their achievements, challenges, and feedback. You need to provide ongoing coaching, mentoring, and recognition to your team member. You also need to adjust the action plan as needed based on the results and feedback. You need to celebrate your team member’s successes and acknowledge their efforts.

5 Evaluate and close the loop

The final step is to evaluate and close the loop on your team member’s performance improvement. You need to measure your team member’s performance against the agreed goals and criteria. You need to provide a final feedback session to your team member to summarize their performance improvement journey and outcomes. You also need to decide on the next steps for your team member, such as continuing the improvement plan, setting new goals, or ending the intervention. You need to thank your team member for their cooperation and commitment.