You’re a manager with a difficult employee. How can you help them improve their performance?

A Necessidade é a melhor motivadora Se o funcionário n?o precisa trabalhar n?o será o líder que irá conseguir convencê-lo, porque possivelmente os Pais n?o conseguiram, os amigos n?o conseguiram, os professores n?o conseguiram... Contrate profissionais PHDs: (Precisa Habilidoso Dedicado)

Even before identification the First step is to Make the effort to "HEAR THE EMPLOYEE". Sometimes the problem could stem from the fact that they are not heard. Ensure that you have informal / formal touch points with your team to understand your team's journey

- Identify the Issue: Before taking any action, clearly define the areas where the employee's performance is falling short. Is it a lack of skills, motivation, engagement, or adherence to company policies? - Gather Information: Talk to the employee directly, observe their work habits, and seek feedback from colleagues to get a holistic picture of the situation. Is there an underlying personal issue affecting their performance?

Identification of the problem can be started by having an open discussion with the employee by letting him speak what are his thoughts. Then look to validate his responses by reviewing his performance reports, feedback loops, and project outcomes. Has it been always the case? Talking to colleagues to understand how the resource presents himself in the team meetings. In any industry employee's talent relies on the focus and motivation rather than the fancy degrees and the certification one has received.

Discovery and listening is what I find useful in understanding the root causes of under performing individuals. Having an open conversation allow us to gain the intel we need to make an early assessment what the contributing factors are, especially whether it is a structural problem, such as org structure, compensation etc., or at a personnel level, such as lacking learning and development opportunities - these all could contribute in helping the individual improve performance, or the organisation to create a better environment to foster a high performing culture.

Setting clear expectations from the management will be one of the greatest steps. It could be weekly, biweekly, or quarterly. If an employee starts focussing on the benchmarks rest all will fall in place. Focus on the impact and explain the consequences if the expectations are not met.

-Schedule a One-on-One Meeting: Create a safe and supportive environment for a private conversation. Focus on facts and specific examples of observed behavior instead of making accusations. -Active Listening: Give the employee a chance to explain their perspective. Listen actively and without judgment, demonstrating empathy and understanding. -Set Clear Expectations: Clearly define your expectations for their performance going forward, including specific goals and deadlines. Ensure they understand the consequences of continued underperformance.

Clarify what success looks like. This means setting measurable, attainable goals and ensuring the employee fully understands these expectations. It's not just about defining targets but also explaining their relevance to the team and the organization. Clear expectations provide a roadmap for improvement and help in aligning the employee's efforts with organizational goals.

Setting clear expectations of roles and deliverables is critical to objectively assessing the employee's performance. In my matrix organisations, it may not be clear-cut where one's job scope begins and ends, and there are often gaps left unfilled or overlaps in work. As a manager, it is key to understand these gaps and overlaps to better support the employees, be it helping them to navigate the company and dynamics or enabling them to perform better. Managers are encouraged to be mindful of nuances when setting expectations and evaluating performance.

One critical step before setting clear expectations is to evaluate the employee's skills against those required for their current role. If you establish that they have the requisite competence and experience, then you move towards setting realistic and measurable goals with clear timelines.

One thing I have found useful us to understand the problem - us it a difficult employee because they are nor delivering or is it their attitude. Always easier to deal with the former. If performance based, have a discussion with the staff and understand the challenge they are facing and then work on a plan with actionable steps on how to improve, and develop the skills required. Follow this up with regular catch ups to review progress. If it is atitude, similar process but focused on what the atitude and laying down clearly what is acceptable and what is not, and the consequences. As earlier mentioned this is always harder to deal with. In both instances, the staff member must accept there is a problem and that it needs to be addressed.

If the approach for helping the employee is based on a performance improvement plan (PIP), then schedule regular sessions with the staff to review their progress, identify any blockers and offer necessary guidance through coaching. The most effective way of gaining success is by carefully giving appropriate feedback starting with what they are really doing well, then what could be improved and lastly affirming them.

Providing feedback and support to an employee is critical for guiding an employee towards improvement. A few additional points to consider are being regular and specific, positive-negative sandwich which balances constructive criticism with genuine praise. focus on behaviour than praise.

1. Diagnose the reason for their difficult disposition, maybe fear, previous experience, trust issues, family issues, masking incompetence, unmet needs, misplacement at work, or just bad attitude. 2. What impact is it having on the organisation's objectives, image, reputation, perceptions, 3. Determine if it can be addressed and how soon. Is it worth addressing. 4. How willing are they to improve? Then support them to address it.

-Identify Skill Gaps: If lack of skills is the issue, offer training opportunities or mentorship programs to help them bridge the gap. -Address Motivation: If the employee seems unmotivated, explore the reasons behind it. Is it boredom with their work, feeling undervalued, or a lack of clarity about their role? Consider ways to increase their engagement and ownership. -Provide Regular Feedback: Offer regular, constructive feedback to guide and support their improvement. Focus on actionable suggestions and avoid personal attacks. -Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate even small progress or victories along the way to reinforce positive behavior and boost morale.

Acknowledge and appreciate the employee's efforts and improvements. Positive reinforcement can motivate them to continue working on their performance. If the difficult behaviour persists despite your efforts, it may be necessary to have a candid conversation to understand any underlying issues. This could involve discussing personal challenges, work-related obstacles, or potential conflicts. Offer support and explore possible solutions together. Remember, each employee is unique, and it's important to approach the situation with empathy, patience, and a willingness to work collaboratively towards improvement.

-Document Everything: Maintain a documented record of conversations, performance concerns, and any steps taken to address them. This protects you and provides evidence if further action becomes necessary. -Enforce Consequences: If the employee fails to improve despite your efforts and support, have a clear and consistent disciplinary process in place. Be firm but fair when enforcing consequences. -Seek External Support: If the situation escalates or becomes too complex to handle alone, consider seeking guidance from HR or an external coach.

Monitoring and reviewing the employee's progress is essential for ensuring sustained improvement and addressing any emerging challenges. Which can include starting by adding appropriate metrics that are relevant measurable aligned with the set of expectations and goals. Regular check-ins schedule informal check-ins beyond formal reviews to provide immediate feedback, address minor issues and offer ongoing support.

Schedule regular check-ins to track progress and adjust the plan as needed. Provide positive reinforcement for successes and constructive feedback for setbacks. Be patient, improvement takes time. Remember, consistent communication and support are crucial.

This entails a systematic tracking of their outcomes, undertaken actions, and demonstrated attitudes, juxtaposed against predetermined expectations and organizational goals. Consistent check-ins with the individual are paramount, allowing for the provision of timely feedback and necessary support. Furthermore, it is crucial to institute periodic formal reviews, during which achievements, challenges, and feedback are thoughtfully discussed. These reviews serve as a platform to collaboratively formulate action plans that align with both personal and organizational objectives. Recognition and celebration of successes are integral, while concurrently addressing any issues that may impede progress.

Understanding the source of resistance which can be fear of change as some employees may fear the unknown or feel threatened by the prospect of changing their behaviours. if the employee doesn't trust your intentions or the feedback process they will be more likely to resist.

Resistance is often a sign of deeper issues. It requires a balanced approach of empathy and assertiveness. Understand their perspective, but also reaffirm the necessity of meeting performance standards. Sometimes, resistance can be mitigated by involving the employee in creating their improvement plan, making them feel more invested in the process.

The coaching and mentoring journey may encounter impediments such as denial, defensiveness, excuses, blame, or hostility. In navigating these challenges, it is imperative to employ a composed, professional, and respectful approach. A skilled human capital developer should actively listen to the employee's concerns, demonstrating a profound understanding of their emotions, and acknowledging their unique perspective. Simultaneously, it is essential to reiterate the expectations and objectives, elucidate the inherent advantages of the coaching and mentoring process, and reaffirm an unwavering commitment to supporting the individual in achieving their professional aspirations.

It depends on what kind of difficulty are this employee show but anyway While coaching managers and employees from different backgrounds I learned this: it all boils down to open communication that digs deep, unearthing the whole iceberg. By building rapport and revealing those hidden "hot keys" personal stress, boredom, skill gaps - you can understand why they act that way. Observe closely, talk to colleagues and HR, track performance gaps, and bam! Laser-focused coaching that actually helps. Simply, it's all about understanding, not just hearing.

Evaluating the coaching and mentoring process is crucial for its effectiveness. It's not just about the outcomes but also understanding the journey. Assessing the impact on the employee's performance and behavior gives insight into the process's success. Soliciting feedback from the employee is equally essential—it's a two-way learning experience. Reflecting on your own performance as a mentor shows dedication to improvement.

Make the improvement valuable to them! When I worked in hospitality management, I had a young team of part-timers who were just there to get a bit of cash while they were at university. Instead of trying to convince them to meet the business goals for the sake of the business, I encouraged them to think of their job as an opportunity to build skills for their own benefit. They could work on everything from building their team working skills to leadership, delegation, project management, time management and customer service, and my coaching sessions with them helped them to understand how this would be directly beneficial for their uni projects or future careers. Let your team benefit from their work as much as you want to.

In such situations where conflicts may arise, it's important not to take things personally as a team lead, boss, etc. Many a times, managers tend to take any conflicting behavior personally and react rashly and erratically. Instead, stay calm and focus on looking at the situation neutrally. Have 1-on-1 discussions with the employee, read between and the lines and try to ask the right questions (as opposed to vague questions) to understand the root of the issue. Share your inputs on the path ahead and re-visit them with the employee on the regular. This would help the employee express his/her needs better, comprehend the expectations and gradually improve performance too.

-Maintaining a positive and professional attitude is crucial throughout the process. -Focus on solutions and improvement, not blame or punishment. -Be patient and consistent, as positive change takes time and effort. -It may not always be possible to turn the situation around, and sometimes termination may be necessary.

Es por situaciones como esta que muchas empresas están optando por gerentes con habilidades de coach. Son necesarias las competencias técnicas, por supuesto que sí; sin embargo, la inteligencia emocional y comunicacional son fundamentales para conectar con el otro. Las empresas son un conjunto de personas, cambiemos paradigmas, pues para dirigir o gerenciar una empresa, primero se tiene que saber tratar a las personas que allí trabajan. Son ellas las que llevan al éxito o fracaso de la organización.

At the core of quality leadership is quality relationships. Building relationships with those on your team is critical to being able to deliver effective feedback. We can read posts and articles about how important expectations and accountability are... but we must do the work to consistently create an environment where these things are valued. Highlighting the importance of real relationships as a foundational part of your culture opens the door to the necessary steps an organization must take to grow and scale.