One of the most common calls I receive starts something like this:
“I don’t think this employee is a good fit. I think it’s time to let them go.”
But before you decide the employee is the problem, you owe it to your organization, yourself, the employee, and everyone affected by that decision to ask a harder question:
Are they really the problem?
It’s easy to label a person as the problem. It’s much harder, but far more effective, to step back and ask what is actually happening.
Because when we label the person as the problem, we stop looking for solutions.
The most effective leaders know how to separate the person from the behavior. Think about the difference: “John is the problem” vs “John’s approach during meetings causes others to shut down.”
One statement judges the person. The other identifies a specific behavior that can be discussed, understood, coached, and addressed.
That distinction matters.
Once we identify the behavior(s), we can start asking questions about what may be driving it and what the solution needs to be. Different reasons require different solutions.
- Is it a communication issue?
- Were expectations unclear?
- Was the employee properly trained?
- Has accountability been inconsistent?
- Are priorities conflicting?
- Is there a process that isn’t working?
- Does the employee even realize the impact they’re having on others?
- Or is the employee truly unwilling or unable to meet expectations?
Performance challenges are often rooted in unclear expectations, inconsistent coaching, poor communication, broken processes, or issues no one has taken the time to fully understand.
And if one or more of those things is the real problem, replacing or simply eliminating the employee won’t solve it. The next person will inherit the same environment, creating new challenges while leaving the original problem untouched.
So before deciding who the problem is, make sure you’ve identified what the problem really is. Pinpoint the specific behavior you’re trying to change, not the person you’re trying to fix. Behaviors can be coached and sometimes they may even reveal organizational issues that are the real root of the problem.