Have you ever had to deal with an employee who consistently underperformed? How did you address the situation?

Question Analysis

This question is a behavioral interview question designed to assess your leadership and management skills, particularly your ability to handle performance issues within a team. It seeks to understand how you address challenges, your problem-solving skills, and how you can positively impact team performance. The interviewer is looking for a specific example that demonstrates your approach to managing and improving an underperforming employee's performance.

Answer

Situation: In my previous role as a team leader, I noticed that one of my team members was consistently missing deadlines and not meeting the expected quality of work. This was impacting the overall productivity of the team.

Task: My responsibility was to address this underperformance while maintaining team morale and encouraging the employee to improve.

Action: I scheduled a private meeting with the employee to discuss the performance issues. During the meeting, I used a constructive feedback approach. I:

• Listened to understand any underlying issues or challenges they were facing.
• Provided specific examples of where performance was lacking and explained the impact on the team and project.
• Collaboratively set clear, achievable goals for improvement, outlining the expectations.
• Offered resources and support, such as additional training or mentorship, to help them improve.
• Established a follow-up plan with regular check-ins to monitor progress and provide ongoing feedback.

Result: Over the next few months, the employee showed significant improvement in meeting deadlines and the quality of their work. Regular feedback and support helped them regain confidence, and they eventually became a valuable contributor to the team. This approach not only helped the individual improve but also strengthened the overall team dynamics.