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No doubt the phrase “low performer” brought someone bubbling up from your past. Right? Let’s call him Frank. Maybe you were a youngster, learning the business, working your way up the best you could—and there was Frank, working as hard as he could to avoid working as hard as he could.
He knew all the shortcuts, Frank did. He was the one pulling his coat on at 4:56 one day and 4:55 the next, putting in the absolute minimum effort required to get by, watching the clock and complaining endlessly about…well, everything.
What about the Franks hiding out in your organization today—low performers sucking the energy (I call these energy vampires) and profitability out of your company?
Not everyone can be a star, you might say. True enough. But did you know that low performers are the #1 cause of the downfall of unsuccessful CEOs, and that leaders who keep and coddle low performers are 13 times more likely to be fired than those who address the problem?
Low performers drain resources, create additional work for the high performers, and poison the culture. Worst of all, they send the message that low performance is an acceptable path through your organization.
It isn’t. If success is really important to you, it CAN’T be. So let’s assume you agree. How can you take the low performers by the horns?
1. Confront the problem directly and immediately. Don’t suggest, don’t imply, and don’t delay. Once you have solid evidence of a habitual low performer, schedule an immediate meeting.
2. Be specific and clear. Tell the person (1) what you have observed, (2) that it is unacceptable, (3) what you expect in its place, and (4) what consequences will follow if corrections are not made.
3. Make expectations crystal clear. It’s easiest to hold someone to a standard that has been clearly spelled out, both verbally and in writing.
4. Base your comments on measurable things. Vague criticisms about “not pitching in” or “dragging your heels” are too easily deflected. “You are expected to produce X leads per quarter and you produced less than half that amount for two quarters running”—hard to wiggle out of that one.
5. Follow through. If the person’s performance turns around, a word of appreciation can go a long way to keeping it on track. But if there’s little or no improvement, you MUST follow through on the consequences you promised.
Remember that there’s always an audience for these things—other low performers testing your resolve, and high performers silently cheering you on. Consistency is crucial. Ramp up the consequences for the next infraction, and follow through again. You’ll not only correct the behavior of one person, but establish a “no excuses” culture that benefits everyone.
And when its time to terminate the low performer, make sure your ducks are in a row, then PULL THAT SWITCH. It’s never easy, but knowing when to say ENOUGH is one of the marks of a genuine leader.