Mckinsey & Well Conclusion: Effectively managing employees who make excuses and underperform requires a proactive approach. By prioritizing upfront alignment, creating a performance scaffold, and addressing specific shortcomings, managers can set their employees up for success and reduce the reliance on excuses. Performance management conversations serve as a tool for addressing persistent underperformance and finding solutions to improve performance. Striking a balance between firmness and fairness is essential to foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement within the organization.
Overcoming Excuses: A Proactive Approach to Managing Underperforming Employees
Managing employees who consistently make excuses and fail to deliver results can be a significant challenge for any manager. In this report, we will explore a proactive approach to address this issue effectively. By prioritizing upfront alignment, creating a performance scaffold, and identifying specific shortcomings, managers can set their employees up for success and reduce the reliance on excuses. We will also discuss the importance of performance management conversations and the need to strike a balance between firmness and fairness in holding employees accountable.
- Prioritize Upfront Alignment: One of the key reasons for underperformance is often a lack of clarity regarding expectations and deliverables. As a manager, it is essential to take the time to have thorough alignment conversations with employees. Clearly define the scope of the task or project, discuss desired outcomes, and set realistic deadlines. By ensuring the employee understands what success looks like, you reduce the chances of misunderstandings and excuses later on.
- Create a Performance Scaffold: A performance scaffold acts as a support system for employees throughout the entire duration of a task or project. This scaffold provides guidance, resources, and support from the moment the assignment is given until the final delivery. The scaffolding process should be tailored to address the specific shortcomings of the employee, be it lack of skills, motivation, or knowledge.
- Identify Specific Shortcomings: Understanding the root causes of an employee's underperformance is crucial for designing an effective performance scaffold. Managers must conduct a thorough assessment to pinpoint the exact areas where the employee is struggling. This might involve a combination of observation, feedback from peers, and self-assessment.
- Set Them Up for Success: Once the specific shortcomings are identified, managers must take action to set the employee up for success. Providing additional training, resources, or mentorship can help address skill gaps. Offering motivational support and recognizing achievements can boost morale and improve employee engagement.
- Remove Potential Excuses: Employees often rely on common excuses to justify their underperformance. As a manager, it is essential to anticipate and proactively address potential obstacles or challenges the employee may face during the task. This might involve streamlining processes, reallocating resources, or providing additional support as needed.
- Performance Management Conversation: Despite the scaffold and support, some employees may still fail to deliver and rely on excuses. In such cases, a performance management conversation becomes necessary. Managers should approach this conversation with objectivity and a focus on finding solutions rather than pointing fingers. Use the insights gathered from the performance scaffold to have a constructive dialogue with the employee.
- Be Firm but Fair: During the performance management conversation, it is crucial to strike a balance between firmness and fairness. Managers should hold employees accountable for their actions while acknowledging any legitimate challenges they may have faced. Being firm in setting expectations and consequences can help encourage greater ownership of performance, leading to better results.
