First Level Leadership

Performance Appraisal Meeting: How to Handle Underperformance?

Quick tips for a Performance Appraisal Meeting

How To Address A Performance Problem  

Performance Review is a part of the performance management system that helps you to evaluate and support employee performance. An effective appraisal involves many activities. Some of these are:

1. Use of informal assessments 

2. Use of informal feedback as part of the day-to-day interactions 

3. Preparing a Performance Appraisal Meeting 

4. Conducting an Appraisal Meeting 

5. Documenting a Performance meeting 

6. Summarizing the meeting and, 

7. Dealing with under performance 

I am going to offer you a time-tested method, 

which can make the process of dealing with under-performance a breeze. Providing feedback to correct performance may normally seem difficult, uncomfortable, or even unpleasant. 

Through regular informal reviews, 

you have an opportunity to see how well employees are performing relative to their objectives. You have opportunities for early intervention through gap analysis. 

The following strategy will help you in handling under-performance at any stage of the performance appraisal. 

A Three-Step Approach 

Step One - Establish the gap

Present facts and refer to standards. Sometimes this can be difficult. Clear written standards often exist for hard performance criteria (e.g. lateness, service, grooming, etc) but not for the softer, but equally important, criteria (e.g. teamwork, support and communication, etc). As much as possible, make soft criteria visible, explicit and in the open.

Do this by talking in terms of specific behavioral examples 

Initially people can deny a problem exists, or blame others for a sorry situation. Keeping to facts and standards can help to overcome these barriers. 

Describe the "gap" 

between the employee’s performance objectives and actual performance. 

What happens if you move forward 

without completing this step? You will face greater resistance, you will probably be unable to eliminate the performance gap and the employee will never take ownership of the problem. 

It is important and critical 

that your employee agrees on the importance of improving his performance, which is nothing else but establishing a performance gap. 

What if, you face a lot of resistance in this stage?

If faced with a lot of resistance, define the consequences of such behavior.  

People do change when they understand the consequences of their behavior. 

Be selective in the data you choose to share 

You do not need to recite every shortcoming or failing. Once you have successfully established the gap, now move on to the next stage. 

Step Two - Explore the gap 

Use questioning and listening skills. Try to uncover the reasons for under-performance e.g. lack of knowledge, lack of skill or lack of willingness. Ask lots of follow up questions in a non-threatening manner.

Encourage the employee to respond

and to articulate the points of disagreements. Give authentic praise as well as meaningful criticism. Give feedback without the use of subjective, general attributes.

Comments such as 

"You are the manager now,” 

Aren’t you the supervisor?" or 

"You should be more committed," are not helpful. 

Step Three - Eliminate the gap 

To keep the ownership of the problem with the employee, give the employee the first opportunity to suggest a plan for eliminating the performance gap. Agree on targets and objectives. Summarize decisions and actions. 

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