Performance Issues for Non-Supervisors

Suppose you're a team lead of some kind, and a team member — call him Oscar — is exhibiting a pattern of substandard performance that limits team performance. If you aren't Oscar's supervisor, how can you put this right? What are some common mistakes to avoid?

Let's define performance issues first. A performance issue is any pattern of failing to meet organizational standards of conduct, attitude, or results. Examples include accomplishing assigned tasks late, excessive questioning of the legitimacy of assignments, or failing to comply with team priorities or norms.

The essential elements of a performance issue are the pattern and the organizational standards. Occasional deviation from organizational standards isn't a performance issue, because Life happens. What makes deviation from standards a performance issue is repetition. And even though you might have expectations relative to conduct, attitude, or results, performance is an issue only if your expectations are consistent with organizational standards.

Here are seven guidelines for dealing with performance issues as a non-supervisor.

Confer with your supervisor and Oscar's supervisor

Before acting, confer with your supervisor. Alert him or her to the problem. Ask for comments on your plan. Do the same with Oscar's supervisor. Emphasize to both that you'd like to settle the matter personally with Oscar. Express confidence.

Have a private conversation

Speak with Oscar privately. Avoid embarrassing him publicly.

Remember: you aren't Oscar's supervisor

Approach the conversation with Oscar as a negotiation between peers. Because you don't supervise Oscar, you cannot issue orders or commands. Make your needs known to Oscar, and request his cooperation.

State your concerns clearly

Express your concerns, explaining to Oscar how his performance compromises team performance. Ask Oscar for any information that could change your perspective.

Seek agreement

The goal of the conversation with Oscar is agreement about what will change and when. Determine what he needs, and provide it if it's reasonable. Write down what you both agree to, in hardcopy, signed by both of you.

If you can't agree, explain what's next

Tell Oscar Occasional deviation from organizational
standards isn't a performance issue.
It is repetition that makes
substandard performance an issue.that you're disappointed that agreement wasn't possible, and that you'll be consulting your supervisor about next steps. Oscar will likely contact his supervisor to prepare a defense, but if he doesn't indicate his intention to do so, recommend it to him.

Follow through

If Oscar makes real progress, celebrate it in some way. Express your delight and confidence in him. If Oscar doesn't make sufficient progress, consult your supervisor and explain what went wrong. Let him or her know that the team's objective is at risk. Work together to deal with the problem.

If your supervisor can't or won't intervene effectively to address the issue, then the task for which you're accountable might be at risk. If you have a risk plan, add this item, omitting Oscar's actual name, of course. At this point, you've done what you can do. It isn't satisfying, but that's that.  Top    Next Issue

Are your projects always (or almost always) late and over budget? Are your project teams plagued by turnover, burnout, and high defect rates? Turn your culture around. Read 52 Tips for Leaders of Project-Oriented Organizations, filled with tips and techniques for organizational leaders. Order Now!

Your comments are welcome

About Point Lookout

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful, and that you'll consider recommending it to a friend.

Point Lookout is a free weekly email newsletter. Browse the archive of past issues. Subscribe for free.

Support Point Lookout by joining the Friends of Point Lookout, as an individual or as an organization.

Do you face a complex interpersonal situation? Send it in, anonymously if you like, and I'll give you my two cents.

Related articles

More articles on Personal, Team, and Organizational Effectiveness:

Enjoy Every Part of the Clam

Age discrimination runs deep, well beyond the hiring decision. When we value each other on the basis of age, we can deprive ourselves and our companies of the treasures we all have to offer.

Why Don't They Believe Me?

When we want people to believe us, and they don't, it just might be a result of our own actions or demeanor. How does this happen?

Hill Climbing and Its Limitations

Finding a better solution by making small adjustments to your current solution is usually a good idea. The key word is "usually."

How to Waste Time in Virtual Meetings

Nearly everyone hates meetings, and virtual meetings are at the top of most people's lists. Here's a catalog of some of the worst practices.

Paid-Time-Off Risks

Associated with the trend to a single pool of paid time off from separate categories for vacation, sick time, and personal days are what might be called paid-time-off risks. If your team must meet customer expectations or a schedule of deliverables, managing paid-time-off risks can be important.

See also Personal, Team, and Organizational Effectiveness and Effective Communication at Work for more related articles.

Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout

Coming April 21: Choice-Supportive Bias

Choice-supportive bias is a cognitive bias that causes us to evaluate our past choices as more fitting than they actually were. The erroneous judgments it produces can be especially costly to organizations interested in improving decision processes. Available here and by RSS on April 21.

And on April 28: The Self-Explanation Effect

In the learning context, self-explanation is the act of explaining to oneself what one is learning. Self-explanation has been shown to increase the rate of acquiring mastery. The mystery is why we don't structure knowledge work to exploit this phenomenon. Available here and by RSS on April 28.

Coaching services

I offer email and telephone coaching at both corporate and individual rates. Contact Rick for details at rbrenGBFYqdeDxZESDSsjner@ChacmtFQZGrwOdySPdSsoCanyon.com or (650) 787-6475, or toll-free in the continental US at (866) 378-5470.

Get the ebook!

Past issues of Point Lookout are available in six ebooks:

• Get 2001-2 in Geese Don't Land on Twigs (PDF, )
• Get 2003-4 in Why Dogs Wag (PDF, )
• Get 2005-6 in Loopy Things We Do (PDF, )
• Get 2007-8 in Things We Believe That Maybe Aren't So True (PDF, )
• Get 2009-10 in The Questions Not Asked (PDF, )
• Get all of the first twelve years (2001-2012) in The Collected Issues of Point Lookout (PDF, )

Are you a writer, editor or publisher on deadline? Are you looking for an article that will get people talking and get compliments flying your way? You can have 500-1000 words in your inbox in one hour. License any article from this Web site. More info

Public seminars

The Power Affect: How We Express Our Personal Power

Many people who possess real organizational power have a characteristic demeanor. It's the way they project their presence. I call this the power affect. Some people — call them power pretenders — adopt the power affect well before they attain significant organizational power. Unfortunately for their colleagues, and for their organizations, power pretenders can attain organizational power out of proportion to their merit or abilities. Understanding the power affect is therefore important for anyone who aims to attain power, or anyone who works with power pretenders. Read more about this program.

• A recording of a program presented June 29, 2017, Monthly Webinar, sponsored by Technobility Webinar Series. PMI members can earn 1.0 Category 'A' PDU by viewing this program. View this program now.
   
• A recording of a program presented June 29, 2017, Monthly Webinar, sponsored by Technobility Webinar Series. PMI members can earn 1.0 Category 'A' PDU by viewing this program. View this program now.
   

Bullet Points: Mastery or Madness?

Decision-makers in modern organizations commonly demand briefings in the form of bullet points or a series of series of bullet points. But this form of presentation has limited value for complex decisions. We need something more. We actually need to think. Briefers who combine the bullet-point format with a variety of persuasion techniques can mislead decision-makers, guiding them into making poor decisions. Read more about this program.

• A recording of a program presented June 24, 2020, Monthly Webinar, sponsored by Technobility Webinar Series. PMI members can earn 1.0 Category 'A' PDU by viewing this program. View this program now.
   
• A recording of a program presented June 24, 2020, Monthly Webinar, sponsored by Technobility Webinar Series. PMI members can earn 1.0 Category 'A' PDU by viewing this program. View this program now.