The Performance Conversation I Could Not Avoid

A team member is technically capable but repeatedly misses commitments, communicates risks late, and requires more intervention than expected. Other team members are compensating for the gaps, but the person has not received direct feedback because their manager hopes the situation will improve naturally.

Avoiding difficult feedback can feel empathetic in the moment, but it transfers the cost to colleagues and denies the individual a fair opportunity to improve. The leadership challenge is to be direct without reducing the conversation to blame.