A team member is struggling with performance issues. How can you approach them in a compassionate manner?

When addressing performance issues, schedule a private meeting to discuss the concerns in a supportive manner. Begin by recognizing the team member's strengths and contributions. Present specific examples of the issues, focusing on facts rather than generalizations. Listen empathetically to their perspective, understanding any challenges they may be facing. Offer support through training, mentorship, or workload adjustments, and set clear, achievable goals for improvement. Reinforce your confidence in their potential and plan regular check-ins to monitor progress, fostering a constructive, growth-oriented environment.

The approach can be multifold. 1. Identify reason of performance issues. Can be either personal or inter-team relations or purely technology based. 2. Discuss the issue empathetically with the resource to get the details which will lead to right solution. 3. Identify solutions: a) Personal issue - assuring the member that you as PM and the organization is always with him, helps the member relax a lot. b) Inter-team relations - PM needs to lead a healthy discussion among team members and resolve the conflict (at times you may need to be autocratic) c) Technical - If tech uplift / cross-skill is needed, member can be tagged to a suitable colleague for ongoing work and simultaneously work on the training plan.

Approach the team member privately and start by acknowledging their strengths to create a positive tone. Express your concern for their well-being rather than criticizing their performance. Be specific about the issues you've noticed, focusing on behaviors, not character. Listen actively to understand their perspective, and collaborate on finding solutions, offering support or resources as needed. Set clear expectations for improvement and agree on a follow-up plan. Finally, express confidence in their ability to improve, emphasizing that you’re there to help them succeed. This approach ensures they feel supported, not judged.

Leistungsprobleme können vielerlei Ursachen haben und es ist wichtig, diese herauszufinden, um Spätfolgen, wie Burnout zu verhindern. Beobachtung ist ein wichtiges Tool, um die Dynamiken im Team zu erkennen. Aber eine Führungskraft sollte auch das eigene Verhalten im Umgang mit dem Mitarbeiter und dem Team ehrlich reflektieren. Meiner Erfahrung nach hat die Führungskraft einen erheblichen Einfluss auf das Geschehen, auch wenn es ihr nicht immer bewusst ist. Daher ist es so immens wichtig, von vornherein einen gesundheitsorientierten Führungsstil, eine gesunde Konfliktkultur und eine Offenheit für den Dialog zu etablieren, so dass die Ursachen für Leistungsprobleme möglichst von vornherein vermieden werden. Damit bleibt man im Gespräch.

Aus meiner Sicht gibt es viele Möglichkeiten sich den Person zu nähern. Gerne möchte ich mit euch teilen , was bei uns passiert ist. Wir sind nun als neue Firma 2 Jahre alt geworden. Nachdem wir die Stress Performance Kurve uns angeschaut haben und jeder Mitarbeiter sich eingeteilt hat wo er steht begann die Rückfrage runde na klar mit dem Chef zuerst. Öffnen und Freiraum geben war das Motto. Was sich danach mit den Mitarbeitenden ergab, sprengte selbst meine Grenzen. Großartig wie nun das gesamte Team zusammen wächst.

During this dialogue it is also important to ascertain if the team member understands what is expected of him/her. Once this is cleared then move on to the next steps understanding their perspective and reaching a common ground.

Give them the opportunity to explain their situation. Listen without interrupting, and show that you value their perspective.

One thing I've found helpful,communication is a very important skill. Initiate a dialogue, listen to each other, validate each other's opinions and come to a conclusion that's equally satisfying both parties. Being each other's left hands is the mode of the game in any other industry.

One thing I've experienced is helpful is having an open conversation with the person. A conversation that's not about work, just start off by asking them how things are going, take them for a coffee, listen. It might be possible that they're actually struggling because of some personal issues. Anything is a possibility. If yes then you can help them solve it or get through it. If not, then you still helped a co-worker get some ease at a difficult time. It's a win-win in my opinion. Once we know the issue, we can help them prioritise. Share how you do your prioritisation, and they can try if that works for them as well. And then take it from there, see how things go.

Estabelecer metas claras é essencial quando uma equipe enfrenta problemas de desempenho. Defina objetivos específicos, mensuráveis e alcançáveis, alinhados às capacidades e prioridades do time. Com metas bem delineadas, todos têm um norte comum, o que facilita o foco, a motivação e a retomada do desempenho.

In my experience, setting clear goals is essential for helping team members improve their performance. It’s important to outline specific, measurable objectives that are directly tied to the areas where improvement is needed. This not only gives the team member a clear understanding of what’s expected but also provides a tangible way to track progress. Clear goals should be challenging yet achievable, and they should come with a timeline to create a sense of urgency and focus. By doing this, you help the team member stay on track and motivated, while also ensuring alignment with the team’s overall objectives.

Juntos, definimos objetivos realistas y alcanzables. Los divido en pasos manejables para evitar abrumarlo. Aseguro que las metas sean específicas, medibles y con plazos definidos. Involucro al empleado en este proceso para fomentar su compromiso y responsabilidad en la mejora.

When setting clear goals for a team member struggling with performance issues: 1. Be specific: Clearly define the expected outcomes and milestones. 2. Make goals achievable: Ensure they are realistic and attainable within a reasonable timeframe. 3. Provide support: Offer resources, training, or mentorship to help them reach their goals. 4. Monitor progress: Regularly check in on their progress and provide feedback. 5. Adjust as needed: Be flexible and willing to adjust goals based on their progress and circumstances. By setting clear, achievable goals and providing support, we can help team member improve their performance effectively.

If goals are SMART with realistic with targets it's must be measurable. Performance management becomes clear and unambiguous if the Manager and Subordinate agreed on what is important to the overall delivery of the departmental targets. It's important that these goals have tangible financial benefits which contribute to value adding to the business. Periodic reviews (quarterly) is important to ensure that there are no slippages in delivery of these targets. Reward and consequences management should be greed upfront so that the goals becomes obvious both to Staff and the Manager. Staff discussion are integral part of performance management, sometimes variations can occur due to priority of business needs.

To provide additional training or mentorship to a team member facing performance issues: 1. Identify the specific areas where additional training or mentorship is needed. 2. Offer relevant training programs, workshops, or online courses to address skill gaps. 3. Pair the team member with an experienced mentor who can provide guidance, support, and feedback. 4. Establish clear objectives and expectations for the training or mentorship program. 5. Monitor progress and provide feedback to ensure the team member is benefitting from the additional resources. By customizing training and mentorship opportunities to address performance issues, we can support the team member in developing the skills and knowledge needed to improve their performance.

Identifico qué apoyo necesita para mejorar: capacitación, herramientas, mentoría o ajustes en su carga de trabajo. Ofrezco recursos relevantes y accesibles. Si es necesario, busco ayuda externa o reasigno tareas temporalmente. Mi objetivo es equiparlo para el éxito, no solo señalar problemas.

To monitor the progress of a team member facing performance issues, establish clear performance goals, provide regular feedback, and schedule check-ins to assess improvements and address any ongoing challenges. Adjust goals or support as needed based on progress and feedback to help the team member overcome performance issues effectively. Open communication and support are key in monitoring and aiding the team member's progress towards improvement.

One time at work, I noticed that a team member was struggling to meet their targets despite putting in a lot of effort. After discussing the challenges they were facing, we realized that the current approach wasn’t playing to their strengths. To address this, we decided to adjust their strategies by reallocating tasks and providing additional resources that better suited their skill set. This shift not only improved their performance but also boosted their confidence. It taught me the value of being flexible and willing to adapt strategies to better support individual needs and optimize outcomes.