You're managing an underperforming team member. How do you balance empathy and accountability effectively?
When managing an underperforming team member, you must strike the right balance between being understanding and ensuring results are delivered. Here’s how you can achieve this:
How do you balance empathy and accountability in your team? Share your thoughts.
You're managing an underperforming team member. How do you balance empathy and accountability effectively?
When managing an underperforming team member, you must strike the right balance between being understanding and ensuring results are delivered. Here’s how you can achieve this:
How do you balance empathy and accountability in your team? Share your thoughts.
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'Now Théoden son of Thengel, will you hearken to me?' said Gandalf. 'Do you ask for help?' He lifted his staff and pointed to a high window. There the darkness seemed to clear, and through the opening could be seen, high and far, a patch of shining sky. 'Not all is dark. Take courage, Lord of the Mark; for better help you will not find. No counsel have I to give to those that despair. Yet counsel I could give, and words I could speak to you. Will you hear them? They are not for all ears. I bid you come out before your doors and look abroad. Too long have you sat in shadows and trusted to twisted tales and crooked promptings.'
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I would approach this with a systematic and scientific mindset. First, analyze the root cause of underperformance: is it due to lack of skills, unclear expectations, or inadequate tools? Provide precise training and standardize tasks to eliminate inefficiencies. Balancing empathy and accountability involves setting clear, measurable goals while understanding individual challenges. Engage the team member in collaborative problem-solving and support their improvement, but maintain firm accountability by tracking progress against defined standards. I will use this as an opportunity to apply continuous improvement principles, treat underperformance as a gap in the system, not just the individual, and refine processes to prevent recurrence.
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Show empathy by listening to their concerns and identifying any obstacles they face. At the same time, set clear performance expectations and timelines for improvement. Provide support through regular check-ins and feedback. Balancing empathy with accountability helps the team member feel valued while ensuring they take responsibility for their role in the team’s success.
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Empathy in leadership means understanding where a team member needs support, and accountability means equipping them to meet expectations. I’d provide targeted training to address gaps, ensuring they have the tools and confidence to improve. This investment in their growth creates a win-win scenario and is a principle I apply when helping e-training and coaching businesses develop thriving, capable teams.
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Maybe a thought is that empathy in this case means that we recognize diversity as a source for different talents; we accept that we cannot all do the same things and we therefore match people to accountabilities that bring out the best in them...