Do you have someone on your team right now that is just underperforming.
They're not meeting expectations and you're feeling a little
bit under confident about what to do to turn them around.
If that's the situation that you're in and I want you to know that
this video is for you, because I'm going to be walking you through.
For practical tips for practical strategies that you can apply immediately
to help you feel confident in dealing with an underperforming employee.
So if that sounds like something that you're interested in learning more about,
then definitely tap on that lake and subscribe button and let's get started.
Hey there, welcome back to the channel.
And if you're new around here.
My name is Mak and I'm a leadership coach, but actually works specifically
with first-time team managers and helping them to become effective.
So today, like I mentioned, in the onset of the video, what I want
to do is talk about how to deal with an underperforming employee.
Now, I know I've done a video like this somewhat in the past, but today what I
want to do is introduce you to a very practical framework that I teach my
accelerator students to use when it comes to dealing with underperformance,
because let's be real if you're in management, if you're in a leadership
role, then you will, at some point have to deal with under-performance
and it can be very Anxiety inducing, having to deal with someone.
It's just not cutting it for whatever reasons.
And so what I want to do is walk you through a step-by-step framework.
And if y'all know me, y'all already know that I tend to think in frameworks.
I just think it's so easy.
It puts things into perspective and it's so easy to remember and implement.
So that's what I want to talk about today.
So the four-part framework is this it's assessed, clarify
accountable as well as celebrate.
So really simple.
ACAC that's all you have to remember.
So let's start at the beginning with.
Now, oftentimes when we are met with underperformance, we often
react in a very emotional way.
And when I say we react in a very emotional way, we tend
to get frustrated about it.
It's understandable when someone's not like doing what they're being paid to do.
It can get really, frustrating.
Cause you're I don't understand, like what's actually the issue here,
so I understand the frustration, but we can't let that frustration.
Take over because we're most likely going to engage in something or even
have a conversation with someone that is not at all successful.
So it's really important that when we're met with this, under-performance that the
first thing that we do is stop to assess.
What I'm asking you to do is to stop and assess through reflection.
Ask yourself a couple of questions, two questions to be particular.
Number one.
What's not happening.
And number two, why isn't it happening?
Two very important, but very distinct questions, right?
That will give you a multitude of answers.
So in terms of the question that has to do with what's not happening,
you really want to dive in and peel back the onion on what you're
seeing, that you shouldn't be seeing.
What's indicating to you that they are not meeting expectation.
What is it specifically that they're doing that they should not be doing?
And as it relates to why you want to ask yourself what do you think the reason is.
For this under-performance is it because they lack training?
Is it because they don't have the resources or support system
that is required for them to, be meeting expectation?
Is it that maybe something is going on in their personal life?
Causing a little bit of an underperformance or is it that they
just don't have clear expectations?
Is it maybe that they're hazy on what you expect them to do you really
want to think about those two things?
So what is it that's not happening that is causing them not to meet expectations.
Why is it happening?
What's the root cause that is causing them to act in a way or perform in
a way that is just not acceptable.
So pausing to assess the situation will help you to determine your next best move.
Jumping in to have a conversation with someone due to your frustration is just
gonna frustrate you more and frustrate your team member because ultimately you
are not going to get the result you want.
You want to have.
A conversation that is worth having.
And in order for you to have a conversation that's worth having, you have
to first pause, assess and reflect, right?
So assess through reflection, ask yourself what's not happening
and why is it not happening?
So the second part of that framework is clarify, and this is all about
clarifying the expectations and that's clarifying the expectations
with yourself first in private.
And then of course, with your team member in conversation.
Now, the reason why I started with assess is because in assessing and reflecting,
you were thinking about what's not happening, which will drive you to really
think through what it is you want to see.
Instead, oftentimes for some reason, as human beings, we're so
much clear on the negative things and we are in the positive things.
So if we start off with negative, then it helps us actually pave
the way of specifically, what is.
That we want to see.
So that's why I started there first.
So first you have to get very clear in terms of what is it that you want to see?
You already know what you're seeing, that you don't want to see.
So now you got to flip it on its head and ask yourself, what is it
specifically that I want to see?
What is it specifically that needs to change once you have that clear
in your mind, and you feel confident about articulating that's when you can
jump into conversation with that team member and clarify expectations with.
But notice I said that it has to be after you have that straight in your
mind, and you feel confident in the articulation, because if you try and
set expectations with a team member, that's not clear then guaranteed,
you're not going to have any results.
You have to be very, clear and confident first before
you expected of a team member.
And sometimes I hear managers say this, so I want to like double click on it now,
in case you're thinking this on any level.
So sometimes I'll hear managers say things like Mac, I feel
like they should already know.
This is common.
Yeah.
And while it might be common sense to you, which is fair.
It is not common sense to them.
And to be fair, it is always our role as managers to set very clear expectations.
And just to put this in a little bit more perspective for you so that you truly
understand why it's not entirely fair to just say I feel like this is common sense.
I want to put you put this into perspective.
One of the reasons that you were drawn into my channel or perhaps are watching
this video right now on under-performance is because your manager has also done
the same thing with you in the sense that they have assumed that you know
how to deal with this underperforming.
They have assumed that you already, you should know how to manage, right?
And as a result, you've had to scram and find your people,
your tribe and information that helps you to be effective.
So I want you to not default to that, because having had it done to you, I
don't want you to do it to someone else.
Always clarify.
It's better to communicate more and give more clarity than to be ambiguous with.
Always provide very, clear expectations and directions for your people.
The other thing that's important to remember when it comes to
expectations, is that just because you said it once, it does not mean
they heard it or understood it.
So instead of defaulting to passive aggressive behaviors, because someone
isn't getting something that you see as common sense do your due
diligence, go back to the drawing board and set the expectation.
Be very, Now if you want some help as it pertains to setting very
clear expectations and how you can do that, then definitely hit on the
subscribe and notification bell.
Because next week, I'm going to go even deeper on this topic and run you
through another framework when it comes to setting very clear expectations.
So you definitely don't want to miss out on that one, especially
if you are dealing with an underperforming employee right now.
So definitely hit, like I said, on that subscribe and notification bell.
So you don't miss out on next week's.
All right.
So now let's move on to the third part of the framework, which is accountability.
We want to make sure that we are holding our team members accountable,
as well as ourselves accountable.
Sometimes we forget that part of the equation, which is that we
need to hold ourselves accountable to what was said in the.
Now.
Yes.
When you set expectations for your team member, you want to make sure
that they are holding to that standard, but helping them hold to that standard
means you got to do some work.
So either you have to provide the resources.
So let's say you have this expectation setting conversation
and within the conversation you realize, wait, they lack training.
Wait, they lack resources, wait, they lack the recognition that.
You're going to have to definitely pull your weight on that, but more
than that, you're going to have to pull your weight on having to have the
conversation with them numerous times.
Okay.
Again, you can't have a conversation with someone just once.
Sometimes you have to have it over and over again, to let them know that you are
very serious about these expectations.
I absolutely love.
This example, I don't know if Alan Malawi, but he was like the
former president of Ford motors.
And I remember listening to this podcast where they were talking about
Alan Malawi and how he had this habit of like just calling out people when
he would pass them in the hallway.
And he'd be like, oh Hey, I talked to you the other day about this thing.
And I haven't seen it changed at all.
And so while we can still be friends.
I just want you to know that you can't continue to work here.
If you continue to do this thing that I talked to you about last week, and
I don't know why, but I just find that so funny that the president of the
company would just approach you and just say, Hey, like you're not cutting it.
And while that is not necessarily my approach, I definitely admire his
courage because part of holding people accountable requires us being courageous.
Sometimes we want the results without being courageous, and that is just.
Not a thing you have to really pull up and do your part to make sure that
this person knows that you're serious.
So have the conversation as many times as necessary to get that person to flip.
Now how many conversations you're going to have?
A separate conversation, right?
I don't believe in endless conversations for myself.
I have a cut off period, but I know for myself, like I'm going to continue
to have this conversation with you so that without a doubt, but I'm serious.
Like when I say this is the expectation I'm holding for.
On that expectation.
Like I'm not coming down on this, so I'm going to continue to be to show my courage
and make you a little bit uncomfortable and also make myself uncomfortable
because I care about the results.
And so I'm going to write.
Over and over again until someone gets the point, but you got to
hold yourself accountable to that.
You can't just say I've had this conversation with this person once and
they're still not doing their part.
That's not the way it works.
The fourth part of the framework is celebrate.
And this is the one I feel.
A lot of people forget that because I think we're like so focused on the result.
So maybe we see them switch and we don't really say anything because
it's like, yeah, that's what you were supposed to be doing in the first place.
But it's I always remind my, a new manager accelerator students.
We have to reinforce the behavior we want.
Because at the end of the day, all human beings, and I've mentioned this
over and over again on my channel, all human beings want to be seen.
And so if you see that someone has flipped their behavior or changed in whatever
way to pull up to the expectation, call that out, let them know when your
next one-on-one meeting or if they're passing you by in the hallway or
whatever the case might be that, Hey.
Thanks so much for applying the feedback I gave you or thanks so
much for making this shift, because that's exactly what I want to see.
You're going to make them feel good.
And as a result, they will repeat that behavior over and over again, and they
will become examples for other people.
So you do have to pause and actually celebrate the fact that
they have adjusted whatever the behavior is that you wanted to see.
So that's it.
Those are my four tips.
When it comes to dealing with an underperforming employee, I
hope you found it helpful to you.
And like I said, next week, I'm going to be talking more about how to
set very clear expectations, right?
When it comes to having that conversation with the team member, how do you do that?
So if you're interested in learning more about that, definitely click on
that subscribe and notification bell.
So you don't miss out on it next week.
All right.
That is it for me.
I hope that you enjoyed this video and that you found it helpful.
If you did leave a comment in the comment section below, let me know what your one
tip is that you're going to take away from this and how you are going to action it.
The next time you deal with someone that is not necessarily cutting it.
All right.
My friends, I hope you have a fantastic rest of the week.
Please do not forget to keep smiling and I'll see you then.