How to Lead a Low-Performing Employee

Dealing with a low-performing employee is a challenge every leader will eventually face. No matter what industry you work in, eventually you will have a team member who just doesn’t meet expectations. For many of us, addressing these issues can be uncomfortable and unpleasant. However, allowing poor performance to go unrectified can have unintended consequences. Other team members may lower their own standards causing a domino effect.

Ultimately, every leader answers to someone, whether that be their own boss, shareholders, a Board of Directors, or customers. You are responsible for ensuring your team is fulfilling their duties, and everyone knows what is expected and how to contribute to the team’s performance.

A lot of times, it is not that the person wants to be a low-performer—maybe they haven’t been shown what is expected or given the training and tools to be successful. I saw that a lot in my 40+ year business career. I often asked our leaders when they had to let someone go for poor performance— “Did they fail us, or did we fail them by not giving them our expectations, tools and training to be successful?”

So, how does a compassionate servant leader deal with poor performance? Here are a few things to consider.

Look inward first.

When you are faced with a poor-performing employee, the first question to ask is “Are they failing me, or am I failing them?” Is there something you could be doing as a leader to better equip your team member for success? Do they need better training? Are there tools you could provide to make their job easier or more efficient? Are you clearly communicating your expectations and what they need to do to contribute to the team’s success? Many times, the failure of an employee is actually a failure of the manager, and a good leader looks to themselves first to solve the issue. In addition, when people quit, most of the time they are quitting because of their manager, not because of pay. Most people quit because they don’t feel appreciated, don’t feel they have a voice that is listened to that could make a difference, or don’t feel they are able to use their skills in the best way to be able to contribute to the team’s success.

Consider their skills.

Spend some time thinking about your low-performing employee and what they bring to the team. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. It could be your team member has been placed in a position that does not allow their strengths to shine or exacerbates their weaknesses. Consider whether you can adjust their position to better suit their personality and skills. For example, a team member who is highly creative may not thrive in a role that requires them to crunch data for hours a day. Someone who is painfully introverted is not going to shine in a role that requires them to give client presentations regularly. If it’s possible, structure your teams to allow your employees to serve in roles that utilize their innate skills and gifts. Not only will you see better performance, but also the fulfillment that they get out of their job will skyrocket! And they will give you 110% every day!

Level set expectations.

If you’ve honestly evaluated the situation and believe you are providing the support your employee needs, but are still dealing with poor performance, a difficult conversation needs to be had quickly, before the cancer spreads to the rest of the team. Talk with your employee one-on-one and explain that their performance is not meeting expectations. Ask them how you can help them improve, and set SMART goals for growth. Don’t expect them to turn things around overnight. If they are struggling with time management, for example, it will take a little time for them to adjust their habits and learn new skills. By setting incremental goals, you give them an achievable target to begin improving. Be very clear about what you expect and how they can get there.  Maybe they are going through a particularly difficult time with a personal issue. If you can help them get through it, or even pray with them, they may be able to get through their tough time and become an exemplary employee who knows you care about them.

Part ways with grace.

Sometimes, an employee is just not a fit for the role they are in. Hopefully, if a leader is spending the time to invest in his team members, getting to this point will be a rarity. In fact, many employees will see the writing on the wall and find a new position on their own. However, there may come a point when a leader must sever the working relationship with an employee. When this happens, treat your employee with respect. Try to keep the conversation private and give them the opportunity to leave their position with dignity, without an embarrassing exit. If you can, offer them a severance package to help them make ends meet until they find their next opportunity, and perhaps even offer them some advice on roles they may be better suited for. Don’t let their underperformance go on indefinitely, or the rest of the team will become discouraged. They know who is performing and who isn’t. And if you allow underperformance to continue for an extended period, the rest of the team will most likely reduce their performance as well.

Coaching and guiding low-performing team members is a difficult task for leaders, but one that is imperative to the success of an organization. That is why you are the leader. Many times, these conversations become a positive thing, allowing for growth in the employee or solving a problem you didn’t know existed. Other times, parting ways is what is best for the employee and the organization. As you deal with these difficult decisions, remain humble, seek God’s guiding, and demonstrate His compassion in every situation. Be the leader that your team wants to follow and knows you care, rather than being employees who just showing up to collect a paycheck until something better comes along.

One of the recognitions we received during my career that always touched my heart was being recognized as a multi-year recipient of the Annual Best Places To Work Award by The Houston Chronicle, because that is voted on by the employees. It told me our leaders were pouring into the members of their team, and the team wanted to be there and contribute to our success.

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