Can you successfully deal with underperforming employees?

Use the following tips to handle an underperforming employee.

Timing Is Everything. Try not to reprimand an employee in the heat of the moment, when
you’re more likely to say something you’ll later regret. Once you’ve given yourself time to cool
off, schedule a one-on-one meeting with the employee. Be ready to have a two-way
conversation that allows for your employee to explain his or her side of the situation.

Focus On Facts. Getting negative feedback is never easy, and the employee is likely to take it
personally. To help prevent that from happening, focus on the facts, giving clear examples of
times when the employee failed to meet the expectations of the job. Explain how these
behaviors affect not just the rest of the team but the employee’s own future at the company -
including promotional opportunities, recognition, bonuses and job security.

Get to the Root of the Problem. Never assume you know why an employee is performing
poorly. Instead, take time to try to understand the underlying issue. Perhaps the employee is
overwhelmed by his or her workload. Or maybe the employee doesn’t feel challenged enough.
Perhaps your employee is simply unclear on his or her role and the expectations around it. Then
again, the issue could also be personal. Only once you know what the real issue will you be
able to find a solution and move forward.

Work On a Solution Together. Don’t simply say, “Here’s how we’re going to fix this,” and
dictate a solution. Work with your employee to come up with a solution together. Giving your
employee a chance to take ownership of the situation is empowering and provides extra
motivation to improve. As you work on a solution, outline clear objectives and necessary actions
to meet those objectives. See if the employee needs extra training or resources that would help
him or her perform better.

Follow Up. Once you’ve formulated a plan, create a schedule to follow up regularly (every
couple of weeks) and assess the employee’s progress and address any challenges that have
come up.

Recognize and Reward Improvement. If the employee is improving, let them know their
hard work is not going unnoticed, whether it’s by giving a gift card to the employee’s favorite
coffee shop or a handwritten note to say “job well done.” A personal and sincere gift that
shows you see and appreciate your employee’s hard work will go a long way to motivate him or
her to keep improving.
What traits does a good employee need to succeed?

1. Honesty

The moment a team stops believing their leader is telling them the truth, things start to fall apart.
Why should workers follow their bosses with any level of confidence if they’ve come to find out
their leader has been less than honest?

In the business world, honesty is critically important. When hiring a manager, look for
candidates who understand the importance of openness and transparency. Leading by
example, honest managers inspire the rest of their teams to be similarly truthful.

 A genuineness about you ,…..

2. Communication skills

It’s one thing for managers to know what needs to be done. It’s a whole different thing for them
to be able to clearly communicate those priorities to each member of their team — all of whom
are responsible for different tasks.

Great managers have excellent communication skills. They are able to get their team on the
same page so that everyone works toward the same objective — not seven different
interpretations of that objective. Managers need to be able to communicate verbally, but the
best ones are also able to communicate via the written word just as effectively.

3. Decisiveness

Whether they work for themselves or manage enormous departments, in addition to those
routine decisions, all managers have to make tough choices regularly. To make your business
more efficient, look for candidates who understand that the buck stops at their desk and aren’t
afraid to act swiftly when they need to. Strong leaders are able to make difficult decisions
quickly, after doing their due diligence and assessing all of their options.

 
4. Confidence

To retain the support of their teams, managers need to be confident that the decisions they’re
making are the right ones. After a tough decision is made, managers need to be able to
convince their teams to move forward — even the employees who would have made a different
choice. Candidates who project confidence are much more likely to inspire all of their workers.

From time to time, all businesses suffer setbacks. A court might rule against you. A new
competitor might enter the market and gain traction. A new product release might not be well-
received by your customers. In any such situation, managers need to remain confident so they
can lead their teams forward.

5. Responsibility

Great managers understand that they’re the ones in charge, meaning they’re responsible for
everyone’s performance — the successes and the failures. To this end, they keep tabs on all of
their employees to see what they can do to help them become better workers and develop
professionally.

6. Empathy

Back to that state about people quitting their bosses: if employees are drowning in work — and
70% of them feel like they are, according to our report — managers need to be understanding.
They need to be able to put themselves into their staff’s shoes and imagine what it’s like to do
their jobs.

Look for managerial candidates who understand the importance of empathy. When managers
don’t listen to their employees and understand where they are coming from, bad things can
happen.

  

7. Focus

Any given company has an enormous amount of competing priorities. Many initiatives move
forward simultaneously, and there’s a lot to keep up with. For businesses to succeed, managers
can’t lose sight of something because they’re too busy dealing with something else.

It goes without saying managers need to be aware of the big picture. But they also need to have
a laser-like focus on the smaller things, too. Look for candidates who’ve demonstrated they’re
able to wear many hats at once. Great managers have a track record of successfully seeing
multiple projects through from conception to completion.

 
8. Creativity

Want to take your company to the next level? Hire a manager who has a knack for thinking
outside the box and coming up with amazing ideas.

Decisions aren’t always so black and white. Sometimes, creative solutions are required to solve
problems. 

As you search for managerial candidates, look for applicants who have demonstrated their
ability to solve complex problems creatively. Great managers tend to be creative people. They
are known for thinking about new ways to improve operations and serve customers better while
also making their employees happier.

If you consider candidates who have spearheaded projects, helped conceive new products or
services, and figured out ways to improve productivity, you’re likely to wind up with a great
manager.

9. Optimism

Everyone can struggle at work from time to time. And in some cases, a majority of workers can
struggle at the same time. Just think of a company overhauling its tech infrastructure and all the
resulting headaches.

It’s easy to get frustrated at work. When managers openly express their disgust about
something when everyone else is struggling, it can bring the team down even more. Great
managers understand this, which is why they try their best to remain optimistic and positive at
all times.

10. Commitment

Managers who view their roles solely as stepping stones to other, more lucrative positions
probably won’t do much to boost the team’s morale when they take another gig in 18 months.

Great leaders tend to stick around — they’re in it for the long haul. Maybe they have their sights
set on climbing the ladder. But they’re not looking to land the next job they can find. They’re
committed to the cause and are looking to get promoted and move up the ranks.

It may be hard to find someone who has all 10 of these traits, but they do exist. Worst case,
settle for the candidate who has a majority of them, and you should do just fine.
Tell me about a time when you had to make a tough
business decision that supported your company’s
purpose, but may have had a negative, short-term
financial impact.
You have to give the answer on the basis of your experience

If you could work on solving any problem in the world,

what one problem would it be?

You can give example of current major issue in India – Like Kashmir

How do you motivate your employees in tough times?

Talk informally with employees to find out what each needs to stay on track.

Keep your door open. ...

Don't bear down on employees because you're stressed out. ...

Praise and recognise hard work. ...

Help employees fulfil career goals. ...

Move dissatisfied employees. ...

Plug leaks. ...

Plan ahead. ...

Get out of the office.

**Plan get -together events

How do you delegate an important assignment to others
while ensuring that it will be completed successfully?

1. Learn to let go. The biggest problem most new bosses and leaders face is the inability to
let go of their own work. Sometimes they feel so dedicated to completing their own work that
they refuse to let other people help. Other times, they fear that nobody else has the skills or
abilities necessary to execute the work effectively.

Whatever the case may be, your first priority needs to be to learn to let go. Start small,
delegating only the smallest tasks, and gradually work your way up. Get to know your team
better and improve the trust among you and your co-workers. Take baby steps and know that
eventually you will have to let go of your work if you want your team to be successful.

2. Establish a firm priority system. As part of the letting-go process, start developing a
priority system for tasks. Of course, this system will vary on the basis of your expertise, your
industry, and the types of tasks you usually handle, but create at least four categories,
according to the degree of effort a task requires and the degree of skill. The highest-skilled
category should contain tasks that you keep on your own plate, while those in the lower-skilled
categories can be assigned to others. The degree of effort should tell you which tasks are more
important to delegate--for example, giving someone else responsibility for a high-effort, low-skill
task will save you lots of time.

Establishing a firm priority system will help you understand the nature of your tasks and
delegate efficiently.

3. Play to your workers' strengths. As a leader, you'll have to learn the subtleties of your
teammates. You should know each individual's strengths and weaknesses, including his or her
current, and potential, range of skills. When delegating, take a look at your team and assign
tasks to whoever has the greatest number of relevant skills for that task. It seems like an
obvious choice, but too many leaders delegate to whoever has the lightest workload or is the
most convenient.

It's also important to be consistent. For example, delegating the same type of tasks to the same
individual will eventually increase that individual's aptitude for those tasks.

4. Always include instructions. Even if the task process seems obvious to you, make sure
to include instructions with each task you delegate. If you have specific preferences for how the
assignment will be carried out, include that information. If you have a strict deadline or
milestones you need to hit, be clear about them.
Including details and straightforward instructions from the get-go will avoid most communication
gaps and will allow your tasks to be executed effectively. It's a proactive strategy that both you
and your employees will appreciate.

5. Don't be afraid to teach new skills. Lacking someone on your team with the ability to
execute a certain task on your to-do list doesn't mean the work can't be delegated. Most skills
can be learned--some more easily than others--so don't be afraid to teach as a part of the
delegation process.

Though the assignment of your first few tasks will take more time than it will save you (since
you'll need to train your chosen employee), consider it an investment. By transferring those
skills, you'll be opening the door to assigning all similar tasks to that individual in the future,
ultimately saving more time than you spent teaching.

6. Trust, but verify. Once a task is delegated, trust your teammate to execute it on his or her
own terms. This will allow the person to tackle the work the way he or she feels is best.
However, don't be afraid to occasionally step in and verify that the task is moving along as
planned. For example, if you made an assignment a week ago that's due tomorrow, trust that
your employee is on top of things, but send a quick verification email to make sure the person
hasn't hit any snags.

Doing so encourages more trust and respect within your team and helps prevent breaks in
communication or understanding.

7. Use feedback loops to improve delegation moving forward. Feedback is the most
important part of the delegation process, and it works both ways. If your workers have done well
with a task you assigned, let them know by publicly thanking them and offering genuine praise.
If they've fallen short, don't be afraid to give them some constructive criticism.

On the other hand, invite your workers to share their thoughts on how you're delegating--it's a
critical chance for you to determine whether you're providing enough information, or whether
you're assigning the right tasks to the right people.

Delegating isn't always easy, and the process isn't always clear cut, but the sooner you start,
the sooner you'll develop the expertise to do it effectively. Realize that the process will never be
perfect, but learn from your experiences and make ongoing adjustments for improvement.
How would you go about delivering bad news or a
decision that will not be popular
Families are upset not b’cos treatment went wrong or something ; but
more so adequate b’cos communication & transparency not there
during the course of the treatment
Communication regarding principles of treatment and the processes
involved
Litigation also for the same reason —-
Explain how the decision was made


Studies show that people are willing to accept an unfavorable outcome if they believe the decision-
making process was sound. This is often called “procedural fairness.” You might say to your employees,
for example: Here’s the process that was followed, the people we spoke with, and where things
came out.

Heathfield and Margolis agree that sharing your viewpoint on the decision is not necessary, and can in
fact cause harm. “Managers have a great deal of influence on employees. If they give them the
ammunition of ‘not even my boss believes this is right’ it can spark a lot of chaos, turmoil, and
unhappiness,” says Heathfield. However, Margolis says, if you feel you need to acknowledge your
disappointment in order to maintain credibility with the individual or team, you might add something
like: It’s not ideally where we wanted it to land but they followed these steps.

If you disagreed with the process, be sure to share your misgivings with the higher-ups, but don’t do it
with your people. “You won’t do anyone any favors by telling your team that you think the process was
rigged,” Margolis explains. Instead, say: This is how we made the decision this time but we’re going
to look into how these decisions are made going forward.
How do you go about coaching an employee who is not performing where they need to be

xplain. Clearly describe why something needs to change. Answering the "why" question is a
key motivator--it gives meaning to our work. Be proactive by answering the fundamental four
questions employees ask, whether or not you actually hear them:

Where are we going? (Strategy)

What are we doing to get there? (Plans)

What can I do to contribute? (Roles)

What is in it for me? (Rewards)

Clearly explain to the team member how his or her performance affects the team and how that
ultimately affects job security, promotional opportunities, recognition, credibility, chances for new
projects, and financial rewards.

Step 2: Ask. Confirm that your employee understands. Don't proceed until you and the
employee are both perfectly clear. Listen 80 percent and talk 20 percent. In a situation dealing
with a performance issue, do not react emotionally. Wait for an appropriate break in the
employee’s work, and seek to understand why the employee did not perform. Reserve judgment
until you've listened to his or her answers.

Step 3: Involve. Discuss ideas for potential solutions and approaches. Continue your
discussion to identify the root cause for the performance gap (focus on performance, not the
person). Solving symptoms is easy (and also futile), so ensure you identify the

root cause.

Collaborate with the employee to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant,
Time-framed) performance goals for improvement. Then, ask yourself, "What can I do to
prevent this in the future?" Winning leaders always look inside to see what they can improve.

If performance does not improve, your discussion should focus on the team member’s ability to
keep commitments to you, rather than on the performance problem itself.

Step 4: Appreciate. Recognize positive movement or effort in order to encourage continued

progress toward the agreed-upon goal. Look for things they are doing well and reinforce it.
Demonstrate your appreciation for who they are, not just what they are doing.
When you enter a new workplace with new employees,
how would you go about gaining rapport with them?

Rapport must be a two-way connection between people, so it's not something that you can
create by yourself. You can, however, learn how to stimulate it by following these six steps.

Warning:

Use your best judgment when applying these techniques. Be sure not to use them cynically or dishonestly,
to sell people something that they wouldn't otherwise want, for example, or to manipulate them into a
course of action that's against their best interests.

1. Check Your Appearance

First impressions count , and your appearance should help you to connect with people, not
create a barrier. A good rule of thumb is to dress just a little "better" than the people you're about
to meet. However, if you arrive and see that you're overdressed, you can quickly dress down to
suit the situation.

2. Remember the Basics

Always remember the basics of good communication :

Be culturally appropriate .

Smile.

Relax .

Remember people's names .

Hold your head up and maintain a good posture.

Listen carefully and attentively .

Don't outstay your welcome.

These basic tenets form the foundation of great communication. It will be hard to establish
rapport without them, as they will help you to establish trust, empathy, and a feeling in people
that you are listening to them.

3. Find Common Ground

Identifying common ground can help to establish rapport, so use small talk to find something
that you both share.
Most people like talking about themselves, and the more genuine interest you show in them,
the more likely they are to relax and "open up." Use open-ended questions to discover personal
information: perhaps you attended the same college, share the same hobbies, grew up in the
same city, or support the same sports team. Even just expressing your shared frustration at the
traffic that delayed your journeys to work can help you to draw closer to someone.

Tip 1:

It's important to be genuine and sincere, and to avoid overdoing things. Don't make up an interest or try
too hard, just to create rapport. Not only can this seem desperate and off-putting, but it can also dent your
credibility!

Tip 2:

Laughter is a great tool for building rapport, but do use humor with care. Not everyone can tell a joke, and
what might seem like acceptable sarcasm to you could cause offense to somebody else. If you think
there's a possibility that a comment might be taken the wrong way, don't make it.

4. Create Shared Experiences

Rapport can't grow without human interaction, and a great way to interact is to create new,
shared experiences. Shared experiences can be as simple as attending the same conference
session together, or as complex as cooperating on a new management process. Working
collaboratively to define problems, devise solutions, and design strategies, for example, can
help to bring you and the other person closer.
Describe how you would manage your work week

You have to answer this by your own

How to handle different personalities at work?

Here are some ideas and tips on how you can manage different types of personalities in the
workplace.

...

Managing Different Personalities at Work

Remember: You all are on the same team. ...

Don't take everything personally. ...

Learn to handle egos. ...

Keep gossip positive.

How would you handle a decision that you made that did
not have the affect that you were expecting to achieve?

You have to answer this by your own

How would you go about disagreeing with your supervisor
about a decision that you know is not the right one?
It’s tricky when you have a beef with your boss. How do you disagree with a person who most
likely hired you—and has the power to potentially fire you?

Say something, and you run the risk of being seen as difficult or even adversarial. Stay silent,
and you could seem ambivalent or complacent.

“I think we have a lot of fear about bringing up opposing ideas because we think it’s going to
create conflict,” says Rebecca Vertucci, career coach and principal at the Vertucci Group.

“But your boss wants you to be successful. Often we’re surprised by being able to say
something and it not going as poorly as we thought it was going to.”

Your company hired you because they think you’re an asset, so bring your experience and point
of view to the table—but do it strategically:

Step 1: Time it right

Bringing something up at an inopportune time can spell doom for whatever issue you’re trying to
address.

“I think what happens is that people feel like their opinion isn’t important, so they bite their
tongue a few times,” says David Couper, a career and work expert in Los Angeles. “Then,
they’re in a meeting and disagree in the heat of the moment. Then it becomes really heated.”

Choose the right moment—likely a private chat—to discuss things.

“I worked with a Big Five partner, and the easiest way to get him was to grab him in the hallway
between meetings and give him two to three facts about why I disagreed,” Couper says. “Nine
times out of 10, I would succeed.”

Step 2: Know your boss’s motivation

Key in any negotiation is understanding what the other side values. The best way to get them to
listen is to be able to reflect back to them that you understand what’s important to them.

This might take some detective work on your part.

“It may be that you have to ask some good questions, because you may not understand what’s
behind the decision or action that you’re disagreeing with,” says Tammy Gooler Loeb, a career
and executive coach in the Boston area.

So before you state an opposing view, “You have to understand what it is you’re disagreeing
with at the root.”

You can use this information to frame your suggestion as something that’s different from theirs
—but that still serves your boss’s ultimate purpose or priority.
Step 3: Make it their idea

If you present information in the right way, you might change your boss’s mind about things—
and let her come to her own conclusion.

The way to do this gracefully is, “you kind of accept what they’re saying (even if you don’t agree
with it), come back to them, talk about other issues, and if you’re smart enough, they come up
with the new idea, which is kind of what you wanted,” Couper says. “They’ve just changed their
mind because you’ve given them information.”

This approach will usually take more than one discussion, so don’t give up. Plan on having a
few conversations over time to make this happen.

Step 4: Help them look good

“When managers and bosses are dealing with their team, they get a lot of the brunt of what’s
not working and the complaints,” Vertucci says. Remember that your boss is trying to look good,
just like everyone else, and if you can help her do that, you’ve got a greater chance of success.

“You may not agree with them, and you may have some constructive feedback, but if they feel
like you are trying to help them shine, they will be more open to your ideas.”

Step 5: Don’t wait until the last minute

No matter what, make your thoughts known while there’s still a potential opportunity to take
action.

“Sometimes people will bring up a dissenting point of view after the fact, when no one can do
anything about it, and that’s just not productive,” Gooler Loeb says.

That said, it could be that it’s too late already—and you just don’t have enough information to
know that. But to the extent that you can, act promptly.

Step 6: Be prepared to lose

There’s always a chance that you’ll speak your mind and nothing will change. And you have to
mentally prepare for that possibility.

“Your point may be taken, but it may not be taken well, in that it’s not going to change anything,”
Gooler Loeb says. “It doesn’t mean losing your job, it just means you may have to comply with
something that your boss feels is the best approach.”

If that’s the case, give it your best can-do attitude. “Take that lemon and make lemonade,”
Gooler Loeb says. “Try to learn from that or understand it, even if you disagree with it. Trying to
understand it will help you at least be able to support it.”

Step 7: Be prepared to leave

If you find yourself in one of those jobs where you can’t seem to see eye-to-eye with your boss
about anything—or she never seems to want your feedback, it might be time to look for a job
where you can respect your manager a bit more. Or, where your ideas can be heard.

Join Monster and you can upload five different versions of your resume, so you’ll be ready to
send the right one out as soon as you see a good match. We’ll also email you new jobs as soon
as they’re available, so you can jump on them and get yourself in a job where you’re growing in
your career—not butting heads with your boss.

You are at a point with an employee that it is best to

have them leave the organization. How would you go
about the conversation

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-strategies-would-you-use-to-motivate-
your-team-2061134

https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/10-ways-to-improve-employee-retention.html

Go through with these links