WHEN YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH POOR PERFORMERS

Dear Founder,

It happens all the time: someone looks great on paper, stands out in an interview, and then joins the company—and then things don’t go according to plan. Their skills aren’t really a match, their experience isn’t translating, and they are not achieving what they were tasked to do. These are issues that every entrepreneur battles. In fact, some studies show that hires don’t work out 50% of the time. A few things to consider when faced with an employee’s poor performance:

Investigate always. As a leader, it is your responsibility to do everything you can to understand the reason behind poor performance. Determine why the employee is struggling. Are they not able to give their full attention? Do they no longer like their job? Have a conversation with the person and get input from the executive team and the board to determine the appropriate next steps.

Set expectations of excellence and make sure there is clarity on all sides. Expectations must be set high, and must be both aggressive and achievable. With aggressive goals, hitting 80% of them is amazing, but hitting 100% of goals means you likely didn’t set the bar high enough.

Communication is key. Be crisp and clear with the individual on what they must do to get better.

Establish a culture that allows people to ask for help early and often. Problems are good. If made aware of them early, you can solve them.

Fix it fast. If problems do not get better, sometimes other actions are necessary. Remember, by the time you are aware of poor performance, your superstars are already aware of someone not pulling their weight. They are counting on you to address it.

Part amicably and celebrate contributions. Everyone is watching how the situation is being handled. It’s okay to let people go if it’s not working, but always treat them with dignity and respect, even on the way out.

Okay, now let’s get down to what really matters. In our efforts to get the most out of employees we too often make a common mistake: We spend too much time worrying about poor performers and not enough time focusing on the best and the brightest. The real secret to making the biggest impact rests in investing in your best performers and ensuring they become even better.

Unfortunately, that rarely happens. Instead, the best players are viewed as so good that they are often left on their own. We have to think about it differently. If someone is tremendously good, you should ask, What can I do to make them even better? If someone is an A student, you must explore what you can do to make them an A+ student. The recipe for greatness is generally not found by taking a C student and making him or her a B student.

As the adage goes, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” I’ve seen this attributed to both Benjamin Franklin and Lucille Ball, but I especially like how my friend and former IBM boss, John Frandsen extended it: “Find a busy person and try to break them.”

Go find your best people, inspire them, and ask more of them. What you will receive in return will astound you, and it is what will ensure your company’s success today and tomorrow.

All the best,

Maynard