I’ve been privileged to be surrounded by a lot of high performers. We work in a task-oriented field, and many in project management excel at pushing through a checklist, all with quality control and customer relationships top-of-mind. These folks are the core of our company and are much appreciated. Most days, they make achieving our goals easy, because they do it all without much direction. It’s a part of our culture.
What happens when one of these team members we count on goes through a tough period where being a self-starter doesn’t come as easily? It’s tempting to either ignore the concerning performance, hoping it will resolve itself. We’ve found it’s worth it to set aside the time to compassionately address the root of the problem. Is someone close to them having health concerns? Is their home life in a challenging period? Are they hitting a cycle of burnout?
When one approaches any issue with respect, you’ll almost always find it will be met with the desire to work through the rough patch. The bonus will be that trust and loyalty is strengthened.
