November 2020
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November 2020
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Managing Overconfident Underperformers

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

One of the most difficult challenges for leaders is managing an employee who thinks they are doing great, but in reality they are underperforming. Its a difficult conversation to have and it’s challenging to navigate without hurting their morale. If you let it go on, though, your team’s performance will suffer and you may get the reputation of being a leader that’s OK with substandard work. To address the problem, you must understand the underperformer’s lack of self-awareness without being harsh. The first step is to have a conversation about expectations. If expectations are laid out clearly, the individual might realize where they’re falling short. Maybe these expectations were never clearly communicated in the first place, or maybe there are “unspoken” expectations that really should have been spoken. Next, make sure they have the support and resources they need to be successful with their newly understood expectations. If they do, and they continue to underperform, it may be time to think about whether you’re going to continue investing in the individual, or if they’re willing to accept the help. Finally, target praise carefully. Be specific. If you tell an employee they did a great job with one specific report, that’s different than telling them they’re doing a great job.

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