Your Best Employee Suddenly Starts Underperforming

Your most dependable employee has always been a top performer. Lately, deadlines have been missed, the quality of their work has declined, and they've become noticeably withdrawn.

What would you do?

A. Begin documenting the performance issues immediately.

B. Schedule a private conversation to understand what's changed.

C. Reassign some of their responsibilities while you monitor the situation.

D. Wait a few more weeks to see if things improve on their own.

Let's Walk Through the Options

A. Begin documenting the performance issues immediately.

Documentation is an important leadership responsibility, especially if performance continues to decline. The question is whether it should be your first step.

B. Schedule a private conversation to understand what's changed.

A conversation allows you to gather information before making decisions. It may reveal factors that aren't immediately visible and help you determine the most appropriate response.

C. Reassign some of their responsibilities while you monitor the situation.

Redistributing work may relieve immediate pressure on the team, but it doesn't necessarily address the reason performance has changed.

D. Wait a few more weeks to see if things improve on their own.

Giving someone time can be appropriate in certain situations. However, waiting too long may allow the issue to grow and make it more difficult to resolve.

SRD's Recommendation

While every situation is unique, we recommend beginning with Option B: Schedule a private conversation to understand what's changed.

Strong leaders don't ignore declining performance, but they also don't rush to conclusions. They seek understanding before taking action.

A respectful conversation often provides the context needed to determine whether the issue is temporary due to a personal issue or disengagement due to another problem.

Once leaders understand what's behind the change, they can respond with both empathy and accountability. That's how trust is strengthened, performance is addressed, and the real issue is solved.

Point-to-Ponder

When performance changes, do you react to what you see or take time to understand what's behind it?

How SRD Can Help

SRD equips leaders with practical communication and conflict resolution strategies that strengthen trust, improve accountability, and build healthier workplace relationships.

📞 Book a free 45-minute consultation and discover how we can help you!