Underperforming Employee
When a once high-performing employee begins to falter, the effects ripple across the team. Morale drops. Productivity declines. Tensions rise. It can be difficult to pinpoint what’s changed—especially when the individual has long been a trusted contributor. But ignoring the issue only deepens the impact. Addressing underperformance with clarity, curiosity, and care allows organizations to move beyond assumptions and uncover the real reasons behind the shift—creating a path toward resolution, renewal, or responsible transition.
Support Performance with Insight, Not Assumption
An unexpected drop in performance from a key employee often triggers frustration, concern, and uncertainty. What once worked no longer does. Leaders wonder what’s gone wrong—but without meaningful insight, it’s easy to misdiagnose the issue or respond in ways that escalate it further.
The causes are rarely simple. Has the role shifted? Have expectations become unclear? Is the employee disengaged, overwhelmed, or wrestling with personal challenges?
Without space for reflection and honest dialogue, the real answers remain hidden—while performance continues to suffer.
These situations require more than a performance correction—they require understanding. Addressing underperformance effectively means exploring root causes, clarifying expectations, and creating shared accountability for the path forward.
When handled thoughtfully, underperformance becomes a turning point: for renewed engagement, improved leadership, and a more connected, resilient team culture.
Prepare for a Successful Leadership Transition
Your business is more than a company — it's a reflection of your values, your vision, and years of your leadership. Preparing it to thrive without you requires more than good intentions. It demands a deliberate, human-centered approach to succession.
Most founders and owners are focused on solving business problems — managing growth, serving customers, driving results. Building the systems and developing the people needed to sustain the business beyond their own leadership often falls into the background until transition is near. That’s when the stakes become real—and the path forward becomes complex.
Success is not just operational. It's deeply personal.
Letting go of what you've built, entrusting it into someone else’s hands, surfaces real emotions: pride, fear, hope, and uncertainty. Without careful preparation, these unseen dynamics can delay or derail the process.
But when succession is approached intentionally—with a clear plan, stakeholder alignment, leadership development, and space to navigate the human side—it becomes a powerful chapter of growth, not just an ending.
We help founders, family businesses, and leadership teams design succession strategies that honor the past, strengthen the present, and secure the future. With the right guidance, the transition you make can be the strongest part of your legacy.
Solutions for Underperformance
Individual Performance Coaching
When an individual is struggling to meet expectations, targeted coaching provides a structured path forward. Through focused development conversations, skill assessments, and customized growth plans, employees gain clarity, build capability, and reconnect to purpose—or, when necessary, prepare for a respectful transition.
DELIVERED THROUGH:
Individual Coaching →
Need support for a struggling employee?
Team Performance Coaching
When performance challenges affect the broader team, coaching at the group level strengthens accountability, communication, and collaboration. Team performance sessions uncover hidden barriers, reset shared expectations, and align collective action—creating a culture of mutual ownership and excellence.
DELIVERED THROUGH:
Group Coaching →
Want to reset team performance?
Leader Development for Performance Management
Strong leadership is essential for sustaining high performance. Leadership training equips managers with the tools to set clear expectations, deliver feedback skillfully, manage accountability proactively, and foster a culture where individuals and teams can thrive.
DELIVERED THROUGH:
Training & Leader Development →
Want to strengthen your leaders?
Who We Work With
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Executive teams facing performance management challenges
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Managers struggling to address employee underperformance
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Organizations experiencing morale or culture impacts from unaddressed issues
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Teams seeking clearer accountability and role alignment
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HR leaders seeking to strengthen leadership performance practices
Services We Offer To Address Underperformance
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Performance expectation clarification and reset processes
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Employee coaching for growth or transition
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Leadership training for managing accountability
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Role and responsibility realignment facilitation
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Culture reinforcement and accountability programs
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Performance improvement planning support
What Our Clients Are Saying
Dan’s expertise in succession planning has been especially invaluable during our current transition, ensuring a smooth handover and preparing our next generation of leaders to step up with confidence.
Brady Wilkerson
GM, Heathman Lodge
Dan has been instrumental in helping our executive team navigate C-level leadership transitions. He facilitated critical group conversations, provided one-on-one coaching, and helped us stay accountable to a clear, actionable path forward.
Maili Morrison
President of COHO Services
Dan stepped in during a period of massive transition—brand changes, executive turnover, and layoffs—and immediately understood both our industry and our people. His leadership helped us rebuild trust, regain momentum, and come out stronger than ever.
David Kingston
Red Lion Hotel