How to make your employees want to reach for the stars: Part I

The first step to coaching others is to understand why they might not already be performing at the level that you would like them to. We will first assume that any employee you have is someone with the desire to perform well. This intention is necessary for you to successfully coach anyone; even if the intention is hidden beneath a poor attitude. Your ability to identify the reasons for poor performance and then tap into the potential of a person is what will distinguish a good manager from a great one.

There are a number of common reasons for poor performance in an employee, though every situation and every person is different. But the only way to get someone performing at peak levels is to find and understand their reasons. Following are two of the most common reasons.

First, they lack the required capabilities

In this situation, the employee simply doesn’t have the needed capabilities to perform the job. They might not have asked for help, or they might have asked but not received it for some reason. They might feel as if they should know it or be able to do it, and so they have tried to keep working without the needed capabilities.

Improved performance will not be possible unless you can help this employee to acquire the needed capabilities. You may need to arrange for training programs, one-on-one assistance from another employee, or dedicated time with you in order to help get them to the right place. But the important thing to realize in this situation is that if it is not rectified, frustration will grow – and performance will continue to suffer.

Secondly, the job isn’t challenging enough

In this case, your employee is simply bored. Perhaps they have more capabilities than you have realized and that haven’t been put to use. Boredom can manifest itself in several ways; poor attendance, poor attitude, and poor performance.

Improving performance with this person will require that you find a way to end the boredom. Ask them to help train new employees, or get them involved on committees or team projects that let them learn about other areas of the company. If boredom isn’t addressed, a poor attitude will eventually develop, followed by possible shirking of responsibilities.

Another possible reason is that they’ve developed an attitude

A negative attitude is a sign that something is wrong but is not usually the problem itself. When you have an employee with a negative attitude, your goal should be to discover what is causing the attitude.

In general, only when you understand why the employee is having trouble with performing up to standard will you be able to help them get there.

There are more reasons for a poor performance. Get to know them by reading “Coaching and Mentoring” written by MTD Training.

Download the free eBook Coaching and Mentoring