Your top performer is falling short despite coaching. How do you turn their performance around?

While reassessing goals is definitely an option, use techniques like "Time & Motion" to gauge of the goals were defined accurately. In addition shadow the employee to understand the challenges, are support in eliminating those. It would also be worthwhile to look at assigning mentors for motivation, in addition to coaches to help the employee navigate through the challenges.

First of all we should start by understanding the root cause through detailed assessment and feedback from peers. Reevaluate and clarify goals, adjusting responsibilities if needed, and enhance support with additional training and resources. Implement a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with clear milestones and regular check-ins. Assign a mentor, encourage collaboration, and reignite motivation through recognition and career development opportunities. Maintain open communication, create a supportive work environment, and address any organizational issues. Regularly monitor progress and be flexible in adapting strategies based on what works best for the individual.

It’s a question of high’s and low’s in one’s work performance. Many factors play a critical role including personal situations at home, too much to achieve in less time causing stress etc. One has to dig deeper into each of such cases to take corrective measures instead generalising same solutions for everyone

To turn around a top performer's declining performance, I start by understanding underlying issues through one-on-one discussions. I then set clear, achievable goals and provide tailored resources and support. By recognizing their strengths, reigniting their passion, and offering continuous feedback, I empower them to regain confidence and excel.

Besides that, consider the broader context in which these goals are set. Industry changes, company strategy shifts, and personal life events can all impact an employee's ability to meet their objectives. Regularly reviewing and adapting goals not only ensures they remain relevant but also demonstrates a commitment to the employee's evolving career path. Incorporate their feedback in the goal-setting process to foster a sense of ownership and motivation. Balancing short-term tasks with long-term career aspirations can create a more engaging and fulfilling work environment, ultimately boosting performance.

Also, consider the impact of team dynamics and organizational culture on their motivation. A supportive team and a positive culture can enhance engagement and motivation, while a toxic environment can hinder even the most driven individuals. Facilitating peer support, promoting a collaborative atmosphere, and ensuring alignment with the organization's values can further boost their motivation and overall performance. In short, point #3: Explore Motivation and point #4: Provide Support are interdependent.

Motivational elements can change over time; what motivates a candidate at a certain moment might not remain reliable throughout their entire employment period. Setting a clear career progression plan and opening a dialogue through formal and informal meetings, including performance sessions, and ensuring trust can be pillars for assessing motivational drivers. It isn't guaranteed that when demotivators decrease, motivators will increase. Some employees only need recognition, while others might need different motivators, including widening their exposure, L&D opportunities, monetary recognition, etc. Communication, focusing on the humanity aspect, addressing employees' needs, and setting realistic plans can potentially hinder demotivators.

Staying open and curious is key. Adress the situation by showing care and concern with your top performer. Explore the resons behind the lack in motivation together and also ask for self-reflection. Try to approach it by identifying when and why they feel happy at work to see how you can incorporate more of that. Be clear about your commen goal that you want them to thrive and be happy. That you want them to be able to grow and feel challenges and supported at the same time.

Often times when top performers performance decline it is due to an issue they are facing and which requires emotional support. Leaders must listen and genuinely empathize with them to understand how they can provide them with the support they need.

I completely agree with Dr. Jessy Rahal. Sometimes people are not aware themselves that a deeper or dormant issue is the underlying cause of their declining performance. People love victory/achievements. If someone is not performing, there is always a reason behind it. Here is something to get accustomed to : - Genuinely empathize and provide support. Turn your phone off and mute your Teams/Outlook, while having a conversation with them. - Be curious, ask questions, and through their choice of words, body language on a subconscious level you'll have more information to work with. Lastly, through kindness, compassion and empathy, great leaders know how to turn the worst situation into the best situation.

Also, think about their work-life balance and the support they have. Encourage them to take breaks and use their vacation time to recharge. Regular check-in conversations can help spot burnout early. Make sure they know about any wellness programs or mental health resources available. Keep an open dialogue about workload and stress, so they feel safe voicing concerns. Remember, personal life stresses can also impact their performance, so offering flexibility like remote work or adjusted hours can help. Tackling burnout from all angles can keep their performance high and ensure they stay healthy and happy.

As per my experience, top performers lag when you add too many reporting layers on them. Their focus shifts from performance to trying to prove themselves. Obviously they will need support and workload adjustment to have a better work life balance but if they will feel that their performance is now under constant criticism or reporting check by extra management layers, they will get frustrated. Instead the workforce planners should create peers to support and create back up for the top performers.

Step back and evaluate the situation by asking good questions. Are you relying too heavily on one top performer in your team? Are there external factors you haven't considered, like a tough family situation you failed to recognize? Did you give clear expectations of the outcome? Is it the first time your employee is working on this type of project and did you give enough opportunity to learn before you expected great outcomes? Does the employee have the right skills to do the job or did you not match the skillset to the work required? And always, have an honest conversation about how they feel things are going and how you can help them to be more successful!

Conversations, that’s where it has to start. First a few baseline data: 1. Was the coaching for behaviour or task achievement? 2. Was the coach internal or external? If the coaching was for task achievement, then the conversation needs to be about, targets, team, process. If the coaching was for behaviour, then the conversation needs to be about motivations, personal life.