Sooner or later, every manager encounters an employee who is talented and knowledgeable yet fails to meet workplace expectations. Initiating conversations with these employees can be difficult, and many managers feel ill-equipped to deliver negative feedback.

When handled appropriately, however, these conversations can not only improve relationships between managers and employees, but potentially result in significant improvements to the employee’s performance. Here are some tips to help guide these conversations

Tips to Talk with an Underperforming Employee

Set the Right Tone

When you first sit down with the employee, be clear and candid with them about the nature of the conversation. Demonstrate right from the get-go that you’re on the same team, and that the goal is for a constructive and collaborative discussion. Say something like: “My goal for this conversation is to have an open and honest dialogue, to provide clear feedback, and to work together on a plan for your performance development.”

Invite Self-Reflection

It’s often helpful to provide the employee with a chance for self-assessment. Ask them to take a moment to reflect on their performance, and to evaluate whether they have met their own personal goals and expectations. Also ask if they have anything they might wish they could change or improve.

Connect Performance and Goals

One way to motivate employees is to connect their current performance with their long-term career goals. For example, you might ask them to reflect on how their current role contributes to their professional development, or to inquire about the kinds of skills they hope to develop.

Provide Clear Feedback

When delivering constructive feedback, clarity and specificity are essential. Rather than speaking in generalities, offer some concrete examples of the issues or inefficiencies that you’ve noticed. Leave no room for ambiguity. Also make sure you seek comments from other leaders or managers, ensuring the feedback isn’t only coming from you. This makes it harder for the employee to blame you personally, or to assume it’s an interpersonal misunderstanding as opposed to a real issue with performance.

Demonstrate Vulnerability

Empathy goes a long way in these conversations. You can convey empathy by sharing relevant personal experiences. For example, if your employee struggles with organization, you can share about a time when you messed something up due to poor organization, then highlight some of the steps you took to address the problem.

Offer Positive Reinforcement

It’s also important to provide some positivity. Reiterate that you value your employee. Enumerate some of their strengths. And underscore your sincere desire for them to do well.

Be Clear About Expectations

Before you conclude the meeting, be very clear and deliberate about expectations moving forward. Ensure your employee knows the benchmarks you’ll be using to assess their performance improvement.

Ask Questions

Finally, provide the employee with a chance to weigh in on the feedback they have received. Often, this will lead to some healthy self-reflection and accountability. Also ask what steps they think they might take to better align their performance with the expectations you have provided.

Be Prepared to Coach Underperforming Employees

Managers must be ready to have candid conversations with employees who are struggling. These tips should provide the parameters for healthy feedback and effective coaching. With questions, reach out to FullHR at your convenience.