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Think about your team’s daily rhythms and challenges.

Is there a time of day when things tend to have issues?

Are there specific tasks where your team struggles?

Is there a team member that constantly throwing off the workflow or rhythm of the team?

Observing these patterns will help you know when and where to intervene before productivity dips.

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How can supervisors proactively address performance issues while maintaining positive team dynamics?

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Identify time conflicts and address them WHEN you begin to see patterns.

Look for consistent patterns when the team gets stuck meeting deadlines or starts to lose momentum and becomes frequently tardy.

Use this observation to decide whether adjustments to workflow is necessary or a conversation to hold people accountable may be necessary.

If your team needs help meeting deadlines try changing or task splitting, give that person a break and have them switch with you or someone else temporarily.

If a team member is consistently late, ask reflective questions like:
"I noticed you were late to several meetings this week—what’s been going on?"
"How do you think being late impacts your meetings with clients?"

This helps them reflect without feeling accused.

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Maintain a structured log of performance observations and interventions for one week.

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Free Employee Performance Review Templates

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Choose from 13 free templates for Excel and Word, including annual performance review, professional development plan and employee evaluation forms.

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Notice is there is a team member who consistently seem overwhelmed or if some tasks are always delayed.

Use this as a coaching opportunity to connect with them. First try to understand what's going on with nonbiased and offer assistance if necessary.

Recognize that the first time is just a check in to understand, motivate and offer assistance.

If it continues that is when a adjustment would be necessary to address for upper management.

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Notice team members who show patterns of throwing off the rhythm of the workflow. This could be a person that may not be doing their part or starting conflicts.

As a leader be open to approach with empathy if they are someone who is throwing off the rhythm. Be Open and understanding to what they want to share but also be direct of what is expected of them.

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Effective communication is key to encouraging growth and development in your team. When addressing performance issues, especially with skills like technology proficiency, supervisors must use clear, supportive, and constructive communication.

Scenario:

One of your team members, let's call them Alex, has been struggling with technology. They have a background in hands-on, non-digital work, so they are new to the tablet and application on it, but it is important for these job duties. Despite being with the team for a few weeks, Alex is finding it difficult to adjust to using the technology, especially for tracking data and submitting notes. They’ve shown frustration in several situations, such as submitting notes in the wrong categories, misplacing data they’ve collected in the field.

What steps should we take to communicate with Alex?

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Learn and practice the SMART feedback model:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Actionable
- Relevant
- Time-bound

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- Recognizing when and where your team needs help
- Understanding timing and approach
- Conduct timely interventions

- Professional Communication that promote growth

- Document observations effectively

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Role-playing exercise: Practice delegating tasks with clear instructions and expectations. Includes feedback rounds from both 'supervisor' and 'team member' perspectives.

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How To Delegate Tasks Like a Pro: Team Task Management Tips

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Workshop activity: Write effective documentation for various performance scenarios. Share examples on a collaborative Padlet board for peer review.

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Interactive presentation on common performance issues and their early indicators. Use Padlet's collaboration wall to have participants share their experiences anonymously.

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THIS is why Your Employee is Underperforming (Identifying Performance Issues)

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Submit sample performance documentation for evaluation against best practices criteria.

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Create a detailed delegation plan for a complex project, including task breakdown, assignment strategy, and follow-up schedule.

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Today, we’re going to focus on a critical skill for any supervisor: performance management. This isn’t just about addressing issues when things go wrong or telling people what to do. You are not managing people you're managing the environment by empowering the workflow.

It’s about creating an environment where your team thrives, and you can guide productivity in a positive and proactive way.

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By the end of this lesson, supervisors will be able to:
- Assign tasks effectively based on team member capabilities
- Establish clear accountability measures
- Implement structured feedback processes

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Your team is missing project deadlines, tasks are piling up, and productivity is slipping. Some team members are struggling with prioritization, and others are unclear about their roles. The issue needs to be addressed before it gets worse.

How will you address the issue with the team?

Option A: Tell them how to fix it.

Option B: Ask them what the issue is and why it’s happening.

Option C: Monitor the situation for a day or two.

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Pros:

Quick Solution: You can address the issue immediately and provide a clear action plan.

Cons:

Micromanagement Risk: Constantly telling your team how to fix things can harm their ability to solve problems and cause frustration from lack of trust.

Reduced Team Independence: Relying on you to always solve problems could lead to a lack of initiative, instead of taking action themselves.

Decreased Morale: Over-directing can make employees feel less empowered and engaged in the problem-solving process.

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Pros:

Encourages Teamwork: Asking can encourages collaboration, helping you gather insights and avoid misunderstandings.

Empowers Employees: Involving your team or trust a team member in finding a solution gives them a sense of ownership, which can lead to more proactive problem-solving in the future.

Fosters Open Communication: Creates a space for honest dialogue and can improve communication between you and your team.

Cons:

Risk of Overthinking and Delay: Sometimes the team might focus too much on the why rather than how to fix it, delaying action further. Can delay time if this is an easy fix. Know when it is appropriate to ask one team members verses all of them.

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Option C: Monitor the Situation for a Few Days

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Option C: Monitor the Situation for a Few Days

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Pros:

Tests Problem-Solving Skills: Allowing your team to handle the situation on their own encourages them to think critically and develop their problem-solving abilities.

Cons:

Risk of Escalation: If the issue is not addressed soon enough, it may grow into a bigger problem, requiring more time and effort to fix later.

Delayed Resolution: Waiting to see if the issue resolves on its own might lead to wasted time, especially if the problem continues to affect team performance.

Uncertainty: Monitoring without intervening may lead to uncertainty or confusion.

Potential Frustration: If the team feels unsupported or with little guidance it could lead to frustration, demotivation, or disengagement.

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As a supervisor, it’s important to recognize when an employee’s performance is falling short and intervene at the right time. Early intervention can prevent issues from escalating and provide employees with the opportunity to improve before problems affect the team or workflow.

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Scenario: You notice a team member is struggling with technology, and proficiency in tech is essential for her field and client tasks.

Step 1: Assess the Issue – Look at the task or behavior that is impacting performance. Is it a one-time mistake or a recurring issue?

Step 2: Consider the Timing – Is this an isolated event or part of a pattern? Is there a larger trend, such as challenges with technology across the team?

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Scenario: You see the team member struggling repeatedly with the tablet and they needed for fieldwork.

Step 3: Timing Your Intervention – Address the issue promptly and calmly, start by offering guidance that but don’t rush into it during a stressful moment. If they are still having issues document and find a the right moent to chat in at a quiet, private time to discuss the issue with the employee. The earlier you address it, the better the chances for improvement.

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Step 4: Empower with Coaching – Use the Empowering Coaching Tool to guide the employee. Ask open-ended questions such as, "What challenges are you facing with the technology?" or "What support would help you improve your skills?"

Step 5: Set Goals and Offer Support – Collaborate with the employee to set small, achievable goals for improvement. Offer training, resources, or mentorship to help them gain confidence in using the technology.

Let's Demostrate.....

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Action: Approach the team member calmly and objectively. Start the conversation by asking how they are doing. Segway into open ended questions and try to see if they acknowledge the challenge.

Example:

"How have you been feeling about working with some of the application on your tablet? Can we talk about what’s been going on?"

If they do not bring up the challenge be more direct and use scenarios that explicitly prove their challenges.

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Scenario: The team member explains their challenges, such as feeling overwhelmed or unfamiliar with certain systems.

Action: Listen actively without interrupting. Acknowledge their feelings and validate their concerns. Example:

"I understand that learning new technology can be overwhelming. Let's explore how we can address these challenges together."

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Set Clear Expectations and Create a Growth Plan:

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Set Clear Expectations and Create a Growth Plan:

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Scenario: After discussing the challenges, you want to help the team member improve their tech skills.

Action: Develop a Growth Plan with specific, measurable goals and a timeline. Example:

"To help you improve, let’s set a goal to complete the tech training by the end of next week, and we can schedule a weekly check-in to see how you’re progressing."

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Scenario: The team member needs help accessing resources or training.

Action: Provide guidance and resources to help them improve. Example:

"I’ll share some online resources and tutorials to help with the technology. If you need help, I’m available to walk through any parts you find difficult."

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Encourage Accountability and Regular Follow-Ups:

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Encourage Accountability and Regular Follow-Ups:

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Scenario: You want to ensure the team member stays on track with the growth plan.

Action: Encourage them to take ownership of their progress and schedule regular check-ins. Example:

"Please email me by the end of each day to let me know how things are going, what challenges you faced, and how I can help. We’ll also have a quick follow-up meeting each week to review your progress."

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Active Listening is essential to understanding the challenges your team members face.

Growth Plans should be clear, specific, and achievable, with regular follow-ups to ensure accountability.

Encouraging Accountability is important in promoting independence and growth in your team.

Supportive Communication helps build trust and creates an environment where employees feel comfortable addressing their challenges

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Scenario Role-Play:

Objective: Practice having a conversation with a team member who struggles with technology.

Instructions: In pairs, role-play a scenario where one person plays the supervisor and the other plays the team member. Focus on listening, setting goals, and offering support.

Growth Plan Development:

Objective: Develop a growth plan for a team member struggling with technology.

Instructions: Using the scenario above, create a growth plan that includes clear goals, timelines, and regular check-ins. Be sure to include how you’ll offer support and how you will hold the team member accountable.

Email Follow-Up Practice:

Objective: Practice writing a follow-up email to encourage accountability.

Instructions: Write an email to a team member (from the role-play or scenario) outlining the agreed-upon goals, resources, and a request for daily updates.