When coaching underperforming employees you need to explain that there are three categories into which they may fall.  The first two (Categories 1 and 2) are not acceptable long-term.  The only acceptable long-term outcome is Category 3.

One effective solution to underperformance may be altering a team member's roles and responsibilities to better fit the person's strengths.  If this is not an option, then continue reading.

In what follows I use the term "meeting expectations."  I am referring both to attributes (character / interpersonal qualities / EQ) and results (performance in job functions).  [For more on this distinction, see Trap #3 from my previous newsletter: "Three ways to protect a highly competent saboteur" - click on the link to read.]

I also use the term "micromanagement."  This refers to a level of oversight that is unnecessary to and even incompatible with self-motivated success.  While it is true that all employees report to someone and would  benefit from effective supervision, no one should require micromanagement to fulfill his role (see "Caveats" below for a possible exception).

Categories

Category 1: These employees fail to meet expectations.  Direct supervision, detailed performance improvement plans, assistance with prioritizing of activities, repeated training efforts, even micromanagement do not result in the employees meeting expectations.

Category 2: These employees meet expectations but only with micromanaging supervision.  The employees cannot sustain the appropriate level of output apart from continual oversight.  There is no evidence of learning or self-motivation that persists apart from supervision.

Category 3: These employees meet and exceed expectations.  Training, help with prioritization, and direct supervision may be needed, but these employees are self-motivated learners who are able to succeed without micromanagement.

Concrete Examples

#1: Cora is a Category 2 employee in her role of supervising others, but is a Category 3 employee in accounting functions.  This suggests she needs further coaching and training as a supervisor.  If she remains a Category 2 supervisor then her role needs to be redefined to encompass her accounting functions and the supervision needs to be provided by another team member.

#2: Brian is a Category 1 employee in IT.  Coaching and training, along with a detailed performance improvement plan have produced no appreciable improvement.  There is no IT position to which Brian can be reassigned and it is not clear that he has strengths to contribute outside of that department.  Brian needs to be removed from the team.

#3: Kayla is a Category 2 teacher.  As long as her team leader follows up with her on a daily basis to make sure she is prioritizing and planning properly, Kayla is able to implement the agreed upon plan.  When the team leader steps back and lets Kayla operate independently she slips to a Category 1 employee - someone failing to meet expectations.  Kayla is made aware of this deficiency, but the pattern remains unchanged over time.  Important: If Kayla cannot move from Category 2 to Category 3 she needs to be removed from the team.  Her acceptable performance is overly dependent on the direct involvement of her team leader and is requiring that manager to waste valuable time and energy better invested in employees who are willing and able to grow.

Caveats

#1: Employees in low skill, low compensation roles may require micromanagement and it may be appropriate to hire a supervisor to provide such oversight.

#2: The more hierarchical the organization, the greater the tolerance for Category 2 employees.  Organizations that are relatively flat cannot afford the supervisory bandwidth associated with non-Category 3 employees.

#3: You may find it helpful to develop more nuanced categories, but for my purposes these three are sufficient.

Your Role as Leader

#1: Senior leaders within an organization should never be providing micromanaging supervision.  If their direct reports do not move from Category 2 to Category 3 within a reasonable period of time, those employees should not be retained.  No employee who resides in Category 1 should be retained.

#2: Are you helping employees understand these three categories so that they recognize their current locations and are you developing clear behavioral expectations and training associated with Category 3 performance?

At Julian Consulting we're here to help you develop a team filled with Category 3 employees!  Call TODAY to determine how we can serve you in this process.

(Read the section below to see how to receive your FREE copy of Everything DiSC Work of Leaders, a great tool for leading Category 3 employees.)