Dealing with poor performers is one of the quintessential challenges that all leaders face. There are often many other reasons employees are performing poorly than the fact that they can't do their jobs. Here are four questions you can answer to help you diagnose or understand the root of poor performance. On average, managers spend 34 days a year dealing with performance problems. First question: Does this employee really understand my expectations? Second question: Does my employee have something outside of their control that's preventing them from performing? Third question: Does my employee know they're not performing up to my expectations? Fourth question: Am I in some way contributing to this performance problem? It is important to recognize the role you play in helping your employees to be successful. If you have gone through these questions, and the performance issue is still there, it may be time to face reality where you will both be better off.

The main issue with receiving feedback is how it's delivered and who is delivering it, says Sheila Heen, author of Thanks for the Feedback, told participants in the Fast Forward program. Everyone wants to be loved and no one likes criticism, but often the people we like least offer the best advice. Sometimes we should pre-empt feedback by asking how we could do things better.

When someone on your team is performing poorly, it's important to diagnose which of these factors is at play. Only then will you be able to help the person realize their full potential. If you suspect your team member is limited by their capability, first look at the equipment they use and the resources they need to do their job. Look for points of frustration, and ask them if they're missing anything. Next, see if they have any knowledge or skills gaps, and retrain them if necessary. If your team member is still struggling, you might need to rethink their role. Consider delegating tasks, or changing the role to better fit their skills and abilities. Alternatively, if nothing has worked, consider reassigning them to another role that fits their talents better. If your under performer has the knowledge and skills to do their job, then they might be suffering from low motivation. To address this, set some clear and meaningful performance goals. Make sure they understand what's expected of them, and what they need to do to improve. Next, help them succeed by making sure they have the support they need to meet these goals. Finally, provide regular feedback on their current performance and long-term expectations. When giving feedback, make sure it's timely. Also, be open and honest, and acknowledge success. But don't shy away from giving constructive criticism. Team members need to know their weaknesses, as well as their strengths. Ultimately though, if someone's performance fails to improve, it may be time for them to move on. Underperforming team members not only limit their own potential, but they can negatively affect your entire team. Fortunately, there's a lot you can do as a manager to help people improve their performance.

We all tend to put off difficult conversations because of the intensity and complexity of the emotions they arouse – both for the manager initiating the conversation and for the person they are speaking with. Fear of how people will react and whether you will be able to handle their reactions, feelings of vulnerability or concern about a loss of control can make us all reluctant to raise an issue face to face. You may even be concerned that you will not be supported by senior managers, your HR department and/or other colleagues if you take steps to address sensitive issues. However, by adopting the right approach, preparing yourself carefully and developing the right skills, mindset and behaviour, you will be able maximise your ability to handle the conversation effectively and steer it to a successful conclusion acceptable to all involved.

Here's Jean's 1MinuteOD on how you can approach appraisal conversations feeling confident, competent and committed!

What normally happens inside of you when some says: “I have some feedback for you?” Do you freeze up and prepare to hear something bad? If you’re like most of us, your immediate reaction is to go into DEFENSIVE MODE. With my leadership tips, you can learn to improve the way you react to and receive feedback. In this video, I share leadership tips on how you can HEAR and MORE EFFECTIVELY USE THE FEEDBACK that you get.