Your team member is falling short of expectations. How can you help them succeed in their role?

One of the ways to effectively assist a struggling or underperforming staff member is to create a close rapport and trust within your team. There are many bordering issues relating to deliverables, day to day concerns they would like to relate with you. So, you should be always available or come down to their level, understand the issues and or concerns, and mitigate with a practicable solution. Trust Understanding ownership mindset Strong mitigating power Good relationship skills are good skill sets line managers should possess in order to always win.

To help a team member who's struggling, start by figuring out what's really causing the issue. Have a private chat with them to understand their side—whether it's personal problems, a skills gap, or unclear expectations. Once you know the root of the problem, you can offer the right kind of support and work together on a plan to get them back on track.

Have an open conversation to understand the root causes of their underperformance. Ask questions to uncover challenges they face, such as lack of clarity on expectations, insufficient skills, or personal issues affecting their work. This helps you identify the right support to provide.

Collaborate with the team member to set clear, achievable goals that address the identified issues. Break down larger goals into smaller, actionable steps with specific timelines. For example, if communication is a problem, set a goal to provide weekly project updates.

Offer relevant resources, training, or mentorship to help the team member develop the necessary skills. If time management is a concern, suggest attending a workshop or implementing a prioritization routine. Providing support demonstrates your commitment to their growth.

Regularly check in on their progress and provide constructive feedback. Celebrate milestones and provide guidance when they encounter challenges. Monitor key metrics and provide feedback on areas like consistent weekly updates, workshop attendance, or implementing prioritization techniques.

Sometimes, i have noticed that a change in strategy can work wonders for a demotivated team member. There may be numerous reasons of why an employee is not able to match the expectations however, everyone wants to succeed and give their best. As people manager, one needs to look and find strengths of this employee and re-build their strategy. One strategy could be to give easy tasks to this team member and help him gain his confidence back and once his confidence comes back and he feel motivated to perform, the manager can change their strategy again.

Include your communication. Are the expectations clear? Starting with verbal communication, delegation, job description, primary responsibility, delegated authority, chain of command, etc. As a leadership coach I find it's never a one-sided problem. A thorough assessment of your own accountability not only informs how you coach a person it role models how to be an effective employee.

Be willing to adapt your approach based on the team member's performance and feedback. If certain strategies aren't working, make adjustments. For example, if weekly updates are still inconsistent, encourage setting specific days for updates on their calendar.

Throughout the process, emphasize the importance of growth and learning. Praise their efforts and progress, and help them see challenges as opportunities to develop. Encourage a growth mindset and remind them that you believe in their ability to succeed in their role.