How to Handle a Poor Performer Effectively

Key takeaways

Managing Poor performers is part of Monday SimonManager Development Program: 👉 Module 5:Performance management for managers

Illustration of a poor performer struggling with low productivity and declining performance at work

A poor performer is not someone who made a mistake last week. It's the person whose output, attitude, or consistency creates drag on the team’s overall results, requiring you or others to constantly clean up after them. They consistently fail to meet the essential, documented expectations of their role, plain and simple. Their lack of performance might make better people quit, and they sit at the far left of thebell curve.

When to Deal with a Poor Performer

The biggest mistake managers make is letting this fester for months. You know you need to stop giving them excuses and start the process when you hit these points.

know that dealing with a poor performer can be stressful: we all want high performers on our team. But don’t postpone the discussion. Here is my customChatGPT for difficult situationsas an additional supporting tool.

Note:You can truly acknowledge poor performance if you have aperformance managementprocess in place. This means they have not delivered theirKPIs and OKRs, and you have factual evidence to label their performance as "below average".

Why You Should Stop Wasting Time

The first action is to conduct a Diagnosis Session, not a scolding session. You need to quickly determine if the issue is Can't Do (a skill/training problem) or Won't Do (a motivation/attitude problem). Ask pointed, non-judgmental questions: "What specifically is getting in the way of you completing X by the deadline?" If they cite a lack of knowledge or a flawed system, you have a Can't Do. If they cite reasons that sound like excuses, defensiveness, or blame-shifting, it's usually Won't Do. This distinction dictates your next move.

Infographic explaining how managers can diagnose a poor performer by distinguishing between skill issues (“Can’t”) and attitude issues (“Won’t”)

If it's Can't Do, give them one focusedtrainingopportunity (a specific course, a mentor, or a simple guide), and a short, non-negotiable deadline to apply it. If it’s Won't Do, you immediately transition to aPerformance Improvement Plan (PIP).

The PIP is a documentation tool with a high bar. Your second action is to make the PIP metrics irrefutable and objective. Don't write, "Be more proactive." Write, "Must complete 45 sales calls per week, and average client rating must be 8/10 or higher for 90 days." The poor performer must either hit those measurable goals or exit the role. No exceptions.

Here is an example of PIP (performance plan):

Employee improvement plan (PIP) template for managing a poor performer with clear goals, targets, and deadlines

Download PIP template

Download my PIP template for underperforming employees and fine-tune it to match your organization’s guidelines.

Why Dealing With a Poor Performer Immediately is Critical

Putting off this uncomfortable conversation doesn't make it go away; it makes the problem worse for everyone else.

The best way to give performance feedback to a poor performer is by using theFIAC feedbackmodel. Use this feedback structure to ensure your employee is aligned with the issue at stake and the resolution path that comes with it.

Your third action today is to document the last three specific failures of your current poor performer and schedule the Diagnosis Session. You need to move fast. If you need robust templates for setting those non-negotiable, objective PIP metrics, you can find them on theManager toolspage.

MORE MANAGER DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

This article is part of our performance management resources.