How to Manage Underperformance Before It Takes Over Your Calendar

In my recent leadership survey, I asked leaders what’s keeping them up at night.

Performance conversations landed in the top three.

One leader wrote, “I need to provide strong feedback so I can move away from day-to-day issues and focus on strategy.”

That one sentence said so much.

Because managing underperformance isn’t just a people issue; it’s a time and focus issue.

When you’re constantly putting out the same fires, dealing with the same behaviours and having the same frustrating conversations, you can’t lead strategically. You’re stuck.

Why Leaders Avoid Feedback

Most leaders I work with aren’t avoiding performance conversations because they don’t care. They avoid them because they don’t know exactly what to say, they’re worried about damaging the relationship or they’re hoping the problem will sort itself out.

It almost never does.

What usually happens instead is that the behaviour continues, your frustration grows and the conversation becomes even harder to have. The longer you wait, the heavier it gets.

What Managing Underperformance Requires

There’s a difference between venting about a performance issue and actually addressing it. Here’s what I’ve seen work:

1. Get clear on the specific behaviour, not the general frustration.

“Your attitude has been off lately” is not constructive feedback. Be precise. Name the behaviour, the moment it happened and the impact it had on the team or the work.

2. Separate the person from the pattern.

Underperformance is usually a gap between expectations and execution. Your job is to close that gap, not to judge the individual. When you approach the conversation with that mindset, it becomes much less personal for both of you.

3. Be direct without being harsh.

Many leaders either soften their message so much that it gets lost, or they overcorrect and come in too strong. Neither works. Say what you mean, clearly and calmly. Your team member deserves to know exactly where they stand and exactly what needs to change.

4. Set clear expectations going forward.

Feedback without a clear next step is just criticism. After you’ve addressed the behaviour, be explicit: what does success look like from here? What will you be watching for? When will you check back in?

5. Follow through.

This is where most performance conversations fall apart. The conversation happens, both parties feel relieved it’s over, and then nothing changes because there’s no accountability built in. Schedule a follow-up. Make it part of the plan. Accountability is a gift, not a punishment.

The Connection Most Leaders Miss

When you avoid performance conversations, you don’t just lose time; you lose credibility with the rest of your team. High performers notice when underperformance goes unaddressed. It sends the message that standards don’t really matter, and that can erode the culture you’re working hard to build.

Addressing it is one of the most important things you can do as a leader, not just for the individual involved, but for everyone watching.

If performance conversations have been sitting on your list, pick one. Not the hardest one, just one. Use the framework above and have the conversation this week.

Your team needs you to be strategic, and that starts with clearing the path to get there.

Want to see what else leaders said is getting in the way? Download the full trends report here.

I’d love to know what resonates most with you.

Thank you for sharing!

If you found this article helpful, please click the links below to share it on your favorite platform.