Motivating Underperforming Employees

Is “Operator Error” the Real Root Cause in Manufacturing? When a defect, breakdown, or safety incident happens on the shop floor, many investigations quickly settle on one conclusion: “operator error.” It’s simple, fast, and seems to explain everything. But in modern manufacturing, this label is often a symptom of deeper issues, not the real cause. Behind every so-called “human error” there is usually a chain of factors: 1.Inadequate or unclear work instructions 2.Poor workstation ergonomics or excessive fatigue 3.Gaps in training or skill development 4.Lack of mistake-proofing (Poka-Yoke) in process design 5.Equipment not calibrated, or preventive maintenance overdue 6.Material inconsistency, environment fluctuations, or unrealistic production targets Blaming people may give temporary closure but blocks true continuous improvement. A blame culture discourages operators from reporting near misses or improvement ideas — leading to recurring failures, higher costs, and low morale. The best manufacturing organizations take a systemic approach: • Use structured root-cause tools (5 Why, Fishbone/Ishikawa, FMEA) • Build strong SOPs and visual standards • Error-proof high-risk activities wherever possible • Create an open environment where operators, engineers, and leaders solve problems together When teams stop asking “Who messed up?” and start asking “What in our process allowed this to happen?”, quality, safety, and productivity all improve. #ManufacturingExcellence #RootCauseAnalysis #LeanManufacturing #Qualitycircle

STOP Calling “Training” the Root Cause. It’s Not. (And it’s costing companies real money + real lives.) One of the most common phrases I see in incident investigation reports? ➡️ “Root Cause: Lack of training.” Let me be blunt: Training is almost never the true root cause. It’s an easy answer. A convenient answer. But it’s not the right answer. If someone sits through the training… If someone can recite back the steps… If someone signed the sheet… …but the incident still happened, the problem isn’t training. Real root causes look like this: • A system that doesn’t reinforce critical behaviors. • Production pressure that rewards speed over safety. • Supervisors who were never trained to coach risk-based decision-making. • Broken communication loops between ops, maintenance, and safety. • Policies written for audits, not for real people. • Engineering controls that were never implemented because they “cost too much.” • A cultural norm of workaround > work-as-designed. These are the roots. Training is just a branch. Here’s the truth: When “training” becomes the default root cause, it lets the system off the hook. And if you’re blaming workers when the system is the real problem, you’re guaranteeing the incident will happen again. What high-performing organizations do instead: • Use human-factors thinking, not blame-based thinking • Ask why the environment allowed the error, not why the person made it • Evaluate workload, equipment design, conflicting priorities, and organizational signals • Treat workers as the source of insight, not the source of failure • Document root causes that leadership can actually act on — not ones that just check a box My challenge to every safety + operations leader: Next time an incident happens, don’t ask, ❌ “Who messed up?” or ❌ “Do they need more training?” Ask this instead: “What conditions set this event up to occur, and how do we eliminate them permanently?” That’s root cause. That’s prevention. That’s leadership.

Managers come to me frustrated: "My team member is underperforming." So I ask them just two questions: "What are they spending time on vs. what they SHOULD be spending time on?" "Do they know what is EXPECTED of them to deliver for each priority?" The uncomfortable silence says everything. It's not a performance problem. It's an alignment disaster. Your "underperforming" employee is grinding away on tasks that are not a priority. Your "failing" team member is delivering the strategy, thinking they have done their work, not realizing they are expected to lead the delivery. Stop the performance theater. Use your next 1:1 to: • Perform a priorities audit • Align on expected deliverables • Define what good looks like • Write these down for clarity Then do it again next week. And the week after. And when priorities shift. And when projects change. The harsh truth? Most managers would rather label someone "underperforming" than admit they failed to create clarity. Performance without alignment is like archery in the dark. Your team isn't missing the target. They're shooting at a different one. What alignment conversation are you avoiding right now?

Accountability is one of the most important—and often overlooked—skills in leadership. It’s not about micromanaging or policing your team. It’s about setting people up for success. How? 🤷♀️ Through the three C's of clear expectations, challenging conversations and consistent follow-through. While we all want to believe people will naturally follow through on what they commit to, that doesn’t always happen. And when it doesn’t, too many leaders let it slide. But brushing these moments under the carpet doesn’t help anyone, all it does is erode accountability over time. So, what DO you do?? 1️⃣ Be crystal clear about expectations. Ambiguity is the enemy of accountability. If people don’t know exactly what’s expected of them, how can they deliver? Take the time to clarify actions and responsibilities WITH them, not for them. 2️⃣ Document commitments in 1:1 check-ins. Writing the actions down is REALLY important. It ensures nothing gets lost and sets a reference point for everyone involved. 3️⃣ Explain the 'why.' People are much more likely to follow through if they understand why their actions matter. How does their work contribute to the bigger picture? What’s at stake if it’s not done effectively and efficiently? 4️⃣ Anticipate and address barriers. Ask if there are any obstacles standing in the way of getting the job done. When you help remove these barriers, you’re building trust and giving people every chance to succeed. 5️⃣ Follow up at the agreed time. Don’t leave it to chance—check in when you said you would. Ideally, your team members will update you before you even have to ask. But if they don’t, don’t skip the scheduled follow-up. 6️⃣ Acknowledge effort or address gaps. If the action was completed, recognize the effort. If it wasn’t, outline the expectations for the role and provide specific feedback on what needs to improve. Be transparent about the implications of not meeting role requirements over time, ensuring the person understands both the consequences and the support available to help them succeed. (A lot of people need help to develop the skills to have this conversation!!) 7️⃣ Plan the next steps. Whether the task was completed or not, always end by agreeing on the next steps and setting clear timelines. If you need a lean/leadership coach to work on these areas and help increase accountability right across your organization, then get in touch! It's one of my specialties... 😉 _____________________________________________________ I'm Catherine- a Lean Business and Leadership Coach. I take a practical hands-on approach to helping teams and individuals achieve better results with less stress. Follow me for insights on lean, leadership and more.

Want underperforming team members to do better? Give them skin in the game. (I know this because earlier in my career, I was the underperforming team member.) Flashing back to my bumpy career start, I was an assistant fumbling through scheduling and office management for a busy Broadway producer. I was okay-ish, but not flourishing. One day, I was planning to schedule an important investor dinner. The more senior assistant said, "Oh, I already did that. But you can call and confirm." I called the restaurant, got a busy signal, hung up, and went on with my day. Someone else did the work already - why stress over an extraneous double check? Fast-forward to 8PM, and I'm getting panicked calls: the restaurant was closed for a private event. All fingers were pointed at me for the mistake. Could I have taken more ownership, had more follow-through, done a better job? Absolutely yes. BUT: Would it have happened if I was given the full responsibility to begin with? No, I would've seen it through. When you don't fully trust a team member, it's easy to give them less and less ownership. But this doesn't help them get better, or create a path for them to improve. Here's how I'd handle it instead: - Even if someone is underperforming, give them *MORE* ownership (over low-risk tasks), not less. It gives them a chance to deliver and earn your trust, and gives you a clear slate to see how they perform. - If they're messing up, you can now address it directly - citing clear failures against expectations and directions, not just vibes. - But hopefully, they won't mess up! You might be surprised: a lot of "under-performers" are struggling with unclear prioritization and guidance, especially if they're young in their careers. By allocating real responsibility, you can learn their actual strengths and weaknesses, have real performance conversations, and help them grow into more trusted, confident teammates. Luckily, I learned this lesson early, and the empathy I have for these dynamics is very real. and PS: “under-performing” is circumstantial, not a character trait. I left that job after 5 months and turned that around quickly after 😅

The best managers are terrific detectives Imagine this scenario: Two employees, Sam and Sarah, both failed to meet several goals last year. Seems like they're in the same boat, right? Well, not necessarily. Behind the scenes, their reasons for underperformance could be worlds apart. Now, picture yourself as their manager. You want to be fair, but you also need to hold your team members accountable for their performance. So, where do you start? It's important to begin with few questions: ·     Is the employee new to the organization? Or Function? Or Role? ·     How was his / her performance in the past? ·     What has changed in the ecosystem – both internal and external? ·     What’s happening in his / her life outside work? ·     How has his / her relationship been – with me and others in the team?   Underperformance can happen due to several reasons: 1.    Lack Fitment to the role. I remember my first job in key account management, I disliked it and didn’t do too well. The reason was not my lack of knowledge or hard skills, but the personality mismatch. A person may also not fit the culture of the organization or function or the team (every team has a subculture with nuances).   2.    Ambiguity Overload that naturally comes with many roles today, or simply unclear on the expectations and deliverables.   3.    Lack of Capability to deliver the role, be it knowledge, critical cognitive or behavioral skills. While with right mindset and resources, anyone can develop the capability, it is important to identify the mismatch and address it.   4.    External Environment can significantly influence performance of an individual, be it dwindling customer pool, entry of new competition, regulatory pressures, difficult terrain… the list can be endless. Within the same organization, people are likely to face varying external pressure.   5.    Interpersonal Issues either with the manager or rest of the team or peers. Does the person feel valued? Recognized for his / her contributions? Or empowered to deliver results? It’s important to reflect on this as it needs effort from all parties to rectify interpersonal issues.   6.    Personal Battles can be varied: ranging from workplace stress and burnout, boredom with the job, to personal issues at home, poor health, or crisis at home. Sometimes life throws a curve ball and all we can do is keep our head above water.   So, here's the bottom line: The root cause of underperformance isn't always obvious. That's why it's crucial for managers to play detective and get to the heart of the matter. Only then can we strike the delicate balance between accountability and fairness. #performanceappraisal #managers #performance #performanceimprovement

Many managers avoid difficult performance conversations because they lack the tools to make them productive. The result is that talented people underperform while their potential goes unrealized. Work ends up being allocated unevenly, leading to frustration across the team. Over the past ten years, I have delivered performance management training to thousands of leaders. I teach a systematic approach that transforms these conversations from confrontational to collaborative: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲. Instead of assuming poor performance is about motivation, we use root cause analysis across four domains: Motivation, Environment, Knowledge, and Ability. Often the "problem employee" just needs clearer expectations or better resources. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀. Managers learn to structure conversations that minimize threat responses and keep people in a learning state. When someone feels psychologically safe, they're more likely to engage in problem-solving. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁. Global leaders need different approaches for different team members. What works in direct communication cultures can backfire in high-context environments. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲. The shift from "correcting" to "developing" changes everything. When managers approach performance conversations as partnerships, they see dramatically better outcomes. The leaders I work with report that their team members actually start seeking feedback rather than resisting it. They move from dreading these conversations to seeing them as opportunities to unlock potential. Performance management isn't about fixing broken people. It's about creating conditions where capable people can thrive. What support does your organization provide to help you handle performance conversations skillfully? What tips would you offer to a new team leader to make the most of their team's potential? 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.

Deadlines keep slipping, mistakes pile up - your once-reliable teammate is suddenly underperforming. What now? First: Pause and Diagnose Underperformance is rarely intentional. Possible causes: → Personal struggles or burnout. → Skill mismatch or unclear expectations. → Low motivation or disengagement. Step-by-Step Game Plan 1. Start with Empathy “I’ve noticed you seem swamped lately—how are you doing?” An open question signals you’re there to listen, not judge. 2. Deliver Clear, Constructive Feedback • Share specific examples of missed targets. • Focus on behaviors, not character. Co-Create a Recovery Plan • Set small, measurable goals and weekly check-ins. • Offer training, resources, or a mentor. Be Patient but Firm • Celebrate incremental wins. • Keep timelines realistic, yet hold accountability. Last Resort: Tough Decisions If performance doesn’t improve despite support, you may need to reassign or part ways, but only after every avenue is explored. Great leaders balance results with humanity. Often, a dose of empathy plus a clear roadmap turns an underperformer into a top contributor. Over to You How have you handled underperformance on your team? What’s one tactic that actually turned things around? Drop your insights below! 👇 #leadership #peoplemanagement #teamperformance #workplaceculture

𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 : 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰 & 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 ! 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞? 🤔 NO! Many a times we need to have difficult conversations as leaders where we see the potential in the employee who is not performing upto the mark. ✔ As a business and leadership coach, I often see managers and business leaders struggle with delivering poor performance feedback. No matter, It’s a tough task. However, these moments also present a prime opportunity to enhance the manager-employee relationship, transforming challenging discussions into collaborative growth opportunities. 📈 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Begin by aligning expectations. Clearly define what successful performance looks like and involve your employee in the conversation. 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 💹 Encourage your employee to self-reflect. Ask, "Have you met the set expectations? What would you change or improve?" This not only helps in understanding past actions but also in planning future improvements. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 🤝 Connect the discussion to their long-term career goals. Understand their values and how they see their role contributing to their professional growth. This aligns organizational goals with personal ambitions, increasing engagement. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 Offer clear, specific feedback based on real examples. Include insights from various stakeholders to provide a comprehensive view and avoid bias. Make it clear that the feedback is aimed at fostering growth, not assigning blame. 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 Create a safe space for open conversations. Share personal experiences to show empathy and encourage your employee to discuss non-work-related issues that may affect performance. 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Focus on the employee’s strengths and express confidence in their ability to improve. Highlight the importance of growth and continuous improvement. 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 Discuss future-focused strategies. Ask, "What would you do differently in a similar future situation?" This helps shift the focus from past shortcomings to future possibilities. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Clearly outline your expectations going forward and discuss how they align with the organization's goals. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞? 𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬! #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeEngagement #PerformanceManagement #BusinessCoaching #coachishleenkaur LinkedIn News LinkedIn News India LinkedIn for Small Business

Your team’s performance is a reflection of your leadership. Harsh? Maybe. True? 100%. I worked with a CEO struggling with team performance. The issue? -It wasn’t lack of talent. -It wasn’t bad strategy. It was accountability. 😶 No one took ownership. 😶 Deadlines were missed. 😶 Excuses piled up. The real problem? The CEO let it slide. ❌ Respect isn’t given because of a title. It’s earned through clear expectations, tough conversations, and follow-through. Here’s what we changed: → Set non-negotiables. No more “soft” expectations—everyone knew their role. → Regular check-ins. Not to micromanage, but to track progress and remove roadblocks. → Lead by example. The CEO showed up prepared, met deadlines, and held themselves accountable first. The result? A team that owned their work. No more finger-pointing. Just execution. If your team doesn’t respect you, ask yourself: Do you let poor performance slide? Do you avoid hard conversations? Do you hold yourself to the same standards? Fix that, and accountability follows. Want a team that steps up? It starts with you.