Podcast Summary: Coaching Real Leaders

Episode: How Do I Deal with Low Performers on My Team? Release Date: November 4, 2024 Host: Muriel Wilkins, Executive Coach at Harvard Business Review Podcast Network

Introduction

In this episode of Coaching Real Leaders, longtime executive coach Muriel Wilkins engages in a transformative coaching session with Mo, a director based in the Middle East managing a client-facing team spread across multiple locations. Mo's team has recently doubled in size, presenting him with unforeseen leadership challenges, particularly in managing senior employees and maintaining team morale during a period of high turnover exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mo's Challenges as a Director

Mo begins by sharing his initial struggles upon being promoted from Project Manager to Director during the tumultuous COVID era. The sudden increase in team size coupled with high turnover rates made his transition particularly challenging.

Mo [01:23]:
"Before being promoted to director when I was Project Manager, I wasn't really having direct reports... I lost half of my team in actually a couple of months, and it was a big struggle for me at that time."

Despite his steady advancement and strong performance, Mo encounters unexpected difficulties in managing a diverse team comprising both junior and senior employees.

Managing Senior Employees and Accountability

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around Mo's struggle with senior team members. Initially, Mo believed that senior employees would require less oversight and that their experience would ensure autonomous and effective project management. However, reality painted a different picture, with senior employees lacking accountability and fostering tensions within the team.

Mo [02:18]:
"Usually, if you're having a diversified team from junior to senior employees, your expectation is always that you need to give a hand for the junior team and you trust the senior ones... But in reality, it's totally the opposite."

Mo highlights issues such as senior employees not meeting project milestones, poor communication, and reluctance to accept feedback, which in turn affects team spirit and performance.

Coaching and Feedback Strategies

Muriel delves deeper into Mo's approach to handling these challenges, particularly focusing on trust and accountability. Mo emphasizes his reliance on regular one-on-one meetings to monitor project progress and address challenges proactively.

Mo [05:01]:
"If I got the trust from them, if I felt that they are accountable, if I felt that they are able to manage their projects as expected without... it's mainly about trusts."

However, Mo faces difficulties when providing feedback, especially to senior employees who respond defensively, hindering effective communication and improvement.

A pivotal moment in the conversation is when Mo recounts dealing with a senior director who, despite his extensive experience, struggled to adapt to the company's culture and expectations. This employee's defensiveness and lack of accountability created ongoing performance issues and strained relationships with cross-functional teams.

Mo [06:58]:
"He was always coming with some guidance or recommendations. But at a certain point, it became that they are not accepting this kind of recommendations..."

Muriel emphasizes the importance of clearly defining expectations and supporting employees in meeting them. She suggests that Mo could enhance his feedback approach by ensuring mutual understanding and alignment on expectations.

Muriel [28:19]:
"And do they understand what the expectations are in terms of how they achieve those KPIs, meaning the behavioral expectations?"

Decision-Making and Trade-offs in Leadership

As the conversation progresses, Mo grapples with whether to continue coaching his underperforming senior employees or to implement more assertive performance management strategies, such as action plans with clear consequences.

Mo [22:11]:
"Like putting someone on an action plan that I'm not going to be easy anymore... maybe I'm not delivering the message in the right way."

Muriel assists Mo in weighing his options, highlighting the inherent trade-offs involved in each decision. She advises Mo to consider the impact on team morale and overall organizational goals when deciding whether to persist with coaching or move towards stricter performance management.

Muriel [23:55]:
"You have to figure out, you know, at what point do I move from one option to another?... You have to look at your company, like, what's the process... determine what's best for your team and the company."

Ultimately, Mo gains clarity on the necessity of balancing empathy with accountability, recognizing that making tough decisions is essential for the greater good of the team and organizational objectives.

Conclusion and Takeaways

By the episode's end, Mo feels more confident in his ability to navigate these leadership challenges. He acknowledges the importance of clear communication, setting explicit expectations, and fostering a collaborative environment where both he and his team can work towards improvement.

Mo [38:22]:
"I'm giving clear message... we're putting some expectations toward the attitude... we are mutually working on it together."

Muriel reinforces the key takeaway that effective leadership involves knowing when to coach and when to implement performance management measures. Leaders must understand their options and act in ways that best support their team's success and organizational goals.

Muriel [46:24]:
"A key takeaway here that every leader needs to pick up is knowing the difference between when an issue on your team calls for coaching versus when it calls for a performance management approach."

This episode serves as a valuable resource for leaders facing similar challenges, offering practical insights and strategies to enhance team performance and leadership effectiveness.

Key Quotes:

• Mo [01:23]: "I lost half of my team in actually a couple of months, and it was a big struggle for me at that time."
• Mo [02:18]: "But in reality, it's totally the opposite."
• Muriel [28:19]: "Do they understand what the expectations are in terms of how they achieve those KPIs, meaning the behavioral expectations?"
• Muriel [46:24]: "Knowing the difference between when an issue on your team calls for coaching versus when it calls for a performance management approach."

Final Thoughts

Mo's journey underscores the complexities of leadership, especially in dynamic and expanding teams. Through thoughtful coaching and introspection, leaders like Mo can develop the skills necessary to address performance issues effectively, ensuring both personal growth and organizational success.