Why Retraining Isn’t the Solution to Underperformance—and What Your Team Really Needs

Retraining Isn’t the Fix Your Managers Think It Is

If your managers keep suggesting retraining when someone in their team underperforms, and it’s not solving the problem, you’re not alone.

This is a common fallback. A team member misses the mark, and when asked why, they say, “I didn’t understand.”

The manager’s response? Provide more training.

But here’s the issue: retraining rarely fixes the problem.

Deep down, you probably know this. So does the manager and the team member.

That’s because most of the time, a lack of training isn’t the real problem.

So why does retraining keep happening?

Why Managers Default to Retraining

Let’s be honest—managers don’t turn to retraining because they’re sure it’ll work. They do it because:

1. It seems logical: If someone doesn’t “get it,” retraining looks like a clear solution.
2. It feels like progress: Training gives the impression that action is being taken.
3. It avoids discomfort: Dealing with the real problem—like unclear expectations or lack of accountability—is harder and more uncomfortable.

The result? Retraining doesn’t address the real issue, and nothing changes. Instead:

• Team performance stays stuck.
• Managers get frustrated.
• And you, as the CEO or MD, are left wondering why nothing is improving and what you can do about it.

The Real Problem: A Lack of Clarity & Accountability

In my experience, underperformance usually isn’t about a lack of knowledge or skills. The real issue is often a lack of clarity and accountability.

Here’s what’s often missing:

1. Clear Expectations: Team members don’t know exactly what “good” looks like.
2. Defined Priorities: They don’t understand what’s most urgent or important in their role.
3. Actionable Accountability: Managers aren’t following up effectively or ensuring tasks are completed.

Without these elements in place, retraining becomes a way to avoid addressing the real problems—and performance doesn’t improve.

An Example of Getting It Right

One CEO I worked with faced this situation. A manager on their team was struggling—deadlines were missed, and tasks weren’t completed.

The manager’s proposed fix? Retraining.

But the CEO wasn’t convinced. After working together, here’s what we uncovered:

• Expectations for the team were too vague, leading to misunderstandings.
• Priorities shifted often, without clear communication.
• The manager wasn’t checking progress or holding people accountable.

We focused on fixing these gaps:

1. Clarity of Outcomes: Everyone was given a clear picture of what success looked like for their role.
2. Stable Priorities: We helped the team focus on what mattered most, so they weren’t wasting time on low-value tasks.
3. Accountability: We built simple processes to ensure tasks were followed through—without micromanaging.

Within weeks, the team’s performance improved significantly. The manager realised it was never about training. It was about clarity and accountability.

How to Stop the Cycle

As a CEO or MD, you can empower your managers to break free from the retraining cycle by:

1. Encouraging Root Cause Analysis: Ask managers to dig deeper and uncover the real issue.
2. Focusing on Clarity: Support them in setting clear expectations and priorities.
3. Building Accountability: Help them create simple processes to track and ensure progress without hovering over them.

These shifts don’t just improve team performance. They also help your managers grow into confident leaders who can solve problems effectively.

Next Steps

If you want a high-performing team, there’s more to it than avoiding the retraining trap. Like this example shows, building a team that truly delivers means understanding the nuances and making the right shifts.

And let me tell you—it’s not easy to figure out what those shifts are.

I know because I struggled with this for years, piecing together what worked and what didn’t.

Now, I help CEOs and MDs like you skip the trial and error.

In my recent masterclass, "How to Get Your Managers to Actually Manage—and Save Yourself 8+ Hours a Week," I broke down the critical shifts that turn managers into leaders and teams into high-performing units.

And it's available on replay for you right now. It’s practical, actionable, and focused on results—not theory.

Click here to watch now: https://go.leannebridges.com/highperformingteam-replay

It’s only available for a limited time. Don't miss this if you want a self-sufficient, high performing and results focused team that deliver consistent results.