You’re managing a team that’s underperforming. What can you do to turn things around?

The crucial way to help your team perform is - Work at the ground level first with them - Probe to understand the WHY behind the performance getting compromised - Question your abilities as well. are you efficient enough to understand the reason behind the fall of your team -Design a "listening post" for your team so that they can be vocal about their concerns in the open or anonymously. -An empathetic and inclusive approach will work - Making them understand the values that the performance can create towards their goal can be a game changer PROVIDED you as a leader take care of them in COMPLETE and holistically.

The first crucial step to turning things around is identifying the root cause of the issues. Conducting a comprehensive assessment of team dynamics, individual strengths, and potential challenges is essential. This may involve open and honest communication with team members, gathering feedback, and evaluating existing processes. Once the root causes are identified, targeted strategies can be implemented to address specific issues. This might include providing additional training or resources, realigning responsibilities, or fostering a more collaborative and supportive team culture. A proactive and data-driven approach to understanding the factors contributing to underperformance is key to implementing effective and sustainable solutions.

Root cause is essential... and be prepared to look to your own leadership / management style not going effective... self awareness and accepting responsibility is as important as anything else

Gather data: Analyze performance metrics, conduct surveys or one-on-ones to understand the reasons behind the underperformance. Is it skill gaps, lack of motivation, communication issues, unclear goals, or external pressures? Observe and listen: Watch how your team interacts, listen to their conversations and feedback to identify underlying tensions or dynamics.

If you are the head of such a team, the first thing to do is to meet with each person in the team one by one in order to listen to them. The most critical point is to listen to their needs, not from a business perspective. Hearing frustrations, anger, and concerns. To create space for them to express themselves. Attention: Do not empathize! Creating rules in meetings where the team is together, creating space for everyone to listen and speak to each other. Then, working systematically with the team coach.

Many a time, people/ teams underperform inspire of them putting in their best efforts. As a people manager, help the team focus on what’s important and agree on performance measures by: 1. Cutting out the noise and prioritising only the assignments that are important- urgent 2. Ensuring that there are no gaps in understanding what’s expected out of these projects/ assignments 3. Agreeing on results/ end outcomes expected with the stakeholders 4. Build clarity on timelines and keep them realistic 5. Helping your team break these goals into mini tasks/ deliverables 6. Keeping the focus on by having regular conversations

Definitely involve the team in the goal setting and ensure that it's prioritised... there may be multiple aspects to be addressed but keep it simple and focussed on the big beedle movers first and then branch out to other aspects so you don't overwhelm and dilute the key focus

The team leader receives coaching based on the data he/she has; He/she must design the path to the goal he/she wants to achieve in the future. These should not be rote solutions, they should include each team player as much as possible and pull the team in the same direction. Attention; The loss of some employees in this process should also be taken into consideration.

To align employees with the company's vision: 1) Clearly communicate the vision and its alignment with team goals. 2) Engage them in shaping goals, fostering ownership. 3) Connect daily tasks to the larger mission, emphasizing impact. 4) Lead by example, showcasing commitment to the vision. 5) Recognize and reinforce behaviors aligned with the vision. 6) Offer training reinforcing the vision's importance. 7) Encourage feedback for continuous adaptation. 8) Integrate the vision into daily interactions, nurturing a cohesive culture.

Whether in the root cause identification stage or the setting of goals to turn the situation around. Establish an open dialogue with team members individually and collectively. Adopt a collaborative goal setting approach Outline precisely what needs to be achieved and the role of each member and their contribution to the team performance beyond their individual one. If needed when communicating expectations, use clear examples powered by storytelling to illustrate how their contribution impact the bigger picture.

A structured, data-driven, collaborative coaching plan that's well-documented is absolutely crucial. Whether designed by yourself as their manager, or from other stakeholders (e.g. People /Enablement teams). First thing's first: from my experience, start celebrating even their smallest wins to make them feel seen & encouraged. This improves their motivation to acheive even more

By providing personalized guidance, constructive feedback, and individualized development plans, leaders can address the root causes of underperformance. Coaching emphasizes skill enhancement, while mentoring offers valuable insights and experience. Both approaches foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, empowering team members to overcome challenges. Establishing open communication channels and creating a supportive environment where team members feel heard and valued are fundamental to this process. Through targeted coaching and mentoring, leaders not only address immediate performance issues but also cultivate a resilient and empowered team that thrives in the long run.

Depending on the maturity and experience of the team, the focus may be on training or more mentoring / coaching. Helping eCh team member to grow, develop and contribute is key to love the overall team forward and empower each team member to play a bigger role and take responsibility for the tram's collective success... individual and team coaching could be useful

In this process, the coaching needed by each employee - Coachee (a clearly defined need) should be provided by an external coach. Planned mentoring support from his/her managers or peer managers helps the process progress quickly.

That’s a key step to foster empowerment and a sense of ownership. - use probing questions to uncover any perceived issues or personal challenges affecting performance. - facilitate group discussions to clarify any doubts or uncertainties while aligning the team around common shared objectives. - use a coaching approach of appreciative inquiry to stimulate critical thinking, promote self-reflection and assist the team members to come up with solutions to challenges hindering their performance. - implement a structured mentoring and/or mutual/reverse mentoring to facilitate knowledge transfer within the team. - implement regular reviews and check-ins to track progress. - celebrate success at every milestone

It is essential to periodically review the smart targets defined for the team, celebrate successes that go well, and provide feedback in difficult times. In this process, if necessary, the manager can offer his/her own resources as support.

Regular monitoring and feedback along with success recognition and celebration are essential to maintain the morivation. - implement regular performance reviews and check-ins to track progress. - not to confuse monitoring with micromanaging!!!! - Aknowledge and celebrate along the way both individual and team accomplishments. - Celebrate also failures and adjust. Nurture a culture where failures are seen as opportunities for growth and learning rather than setbacks. As long as you see that lessons are being effectively learned.

In the realm of team management, addressing underperformance involves fostering a culture of progress and celebration. Monitoring progress allows leaders to track improvements, identify areas of success, and pinpoint ongoing challenges. Regular check-ins and performance assessments provide valuable data for making informed decisions. Equally important is the aspect of celebrating achievements, no matter how small. Recognizing and acknowledging the team's efforts and milestones instills a positive and motivating atmosphere. By integrating both monitoring and celebration into the team management strategy, leaders can not only address underperformance but also cultivate a resilient and motivated team that thrives on continuous improvement.

Yes monitoring and celebrating progress AND the learning enroute... its just as important to celebrate learning opportunities as classical successes if you're going to embrace a continuous improvement mindset rather than a "green light" culture

In my experience, the performance of a team doesn’t always reflect their skill-set.Performance is about delivery.Why is a team not delivering? Examining root causes is important. So is mentoring. But,I believe that the work culture within which a team operates hugely impacts its performance. Consider: ??Is there camraderie among team members? ??Does everyone feel valued (compensation)? ??Do team members feel included and respected, by their managers/bosses(information-sharing; feedback loop etc)? ??Are there mechanisms to settle disagreements amicably? In short, a cooperative, collaborative and empathetic culture will foster enthusiasm and a sense of ownership. This will potentially up the performance of everyone ????

Performance is based on individual and collective growth and learning - play to the strengths of individuals and teams and quickly learn the lessons from challenges and obstacles...

Creating trust within the team is essential. The ability of each employee to express themselves easily in a safe area helps to establish a learning mentality or growth mindset in the team. Since the learning level of each individual cannot be the same, "congratulating the achievers without going overboard" and setting them as an example to others will create a positive atmosphere. At the same time, it should always be underlined that others can achieve too.

Foster a collaborative culture by recognizing individual contributions, setting clear shared goals, promoting open communication, encouraging teamwork activities, leading by example, acknowledging collaborative efforts publicly, and providing growth opportunities. This approach emphasizes each member's importance, akin to roles in team sports, fostering a supportive team environment.

People underperform when they feel undervalued, uninspired, or confused. If your team is not performing at the level you want them to, the first area I would suggest you look at - is you! This can be a hard pill to swallow, but if you change you, your team will change. People don't underperform for great managers. Even if they are struggling and out of their depth, they will overperform in effort to support their manager. Ask yourself these questions, "Do I nurture my team so they feel confident to thrive?" "Do I know each individual in my team?" "Am I aware of their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations?" "Do I really care about them?" Good managers, manage their team. Great managers, nurture their team. Be a great manager.

I Always believed that a culture of learning and collaboration is advocated for improving team performance, emphasizing the importance of team members learning from one another, sharing best practices, and seeking feedback. Opportunities for skill development and qualification acquisition are provided to enhance performance and career prospects. The promotion of a growth mindset encourages viewing challenges as opportunities for improvement, cultivating a safe and supportive environment for effective teamwork through open communication and trust.

- Put psychological safety at the foundations of the team dynamics. This is crucial for individuals to feel comfortable taking initiatives and risks when necessary, sharing ideas and expressing themselves openly. - start by yourself in role modeling behaviors that consistently promote psychological safety, such as actively seeking and valuing input, admitting mistakes, and encouraging diverse viewpoints.

Here is a different perspective: Ask for Feedback. Foster open communication. Give feedback and actively listen to concerns. Encourage their opinions, and feedback about you too, as at times their acceptance of you as a leader could be the rootcause. Ensure they know what is expected of them. Upskill as necessary. Create smaller milestones, provide resources to succeed. Conduct teambuilding activities to foster strong bonds. Encourage teamwork through group projects, brainstorming and team outings. Build cohesive culture to increase productivity. Every team is unique, so it's important to assess specific challenges and adapt the approach accordingly. With patience, and positive mindset, you can help team reach their full potential.

One of the approaches that have helped me personally in improving the team's performance is identifying your quartiles. Following which, you need to pin down who are your quick wins (employees who have a slight impact on your performance but won't require much effort to get it corrected) and then set a plan for them. You then need to identify your major projects (employees that have the highest impact and would require a structured plan with a defined timeline and an undeniable amount of effort to get their performance corrected). One thing that should be taken into consideration in your journey with your major projects is a clear set of objectives, commitment from their end, follow up and frequent performance review.