How to handle an underperforming employee
Do you want to start and scale an industry-defining company? Make sure you’re on this list. I write this for ambitious leaders who want to break free from business-as-usual.
There’s something I’ve noticed with a lot of leaders.
They don’t want to rock the boat, or they don’t have the time/energy to have the tough conversations. Sometimes it’s because they’re not equipped to hold space for these types of high-level discussions, so they ignore it. But most of the time, the real reason why these conversations are overlooked is because of a lack of care.
It’s a brutal truth but one that’s important to recognise.
The person in charge just doesn’t care enough about a resolution.
It’s easier to let it slide, even if that conversation being avoided is costing the business thousands of dollars.
It comes down to an important distinction I’ve made before between the business owner vs. leader. In most companies, there’s a CEO but there’s rarely also a visionary leader. I’ve written about this before.
Business owners are the technicians who just so happen to own it, too. Leaders are the visionaries who work on the business, not in it. They’re solving problems, mediating discussions, creating systems, and more.
True leaders don’t put their head in the sand. They address issues head on, and most importantly, they care.
Sit with this for a moment…
If you truly cared about your business, team and an underperforming employee, you’d have that conversation and work through it. Nothing can change until the unsaid is spoken.
To be clear is to be kind.
So much of the emphasis is on hiring and attracting talent, but that is such a small sliver of people management. What’s more important are the decisions you make in the months, years and maybe decades of an employee’s time with you.
Delaying important conversations isn’t doing anyone a favour. Not you, your business or the employee. Have the conversation.
If you want to start acting more like a leader than an operator, start here:
- Set your vision: This is your businesses’ north star. It should guide all hiring/retaining/firing decisions. Put it on your wall and review it yearly.
- Fast feedback: Give constructive feedback to your team in real-time, within 24 hours.
- Establish performance plans: Sit down with each team member and map out their career journey at your company.
- Act as a leader, not an operator: Put your people first. As the leader, you are their mentor and coach.
- Establish a leadership team: Get clear on who is responsible for what, with a system for defining, discussing and resolving issues across the business. Grab mine here (it’s free).
Implementing these five strategies will help you make better decisions when it comes to problematic or underperforming team members.
