How Does Career Coaching Work for an Underperforming Executive?

In today’s competitive business landscape, even seasoned executives can experience performance plateaus. Some even face career-threatening situations at the workplace.

If you’re an executive feeling stuck or underperforming, career coaching might be the solution you need. But how does career coaching work for someone in your position? Let’s dive deep into this topic to answer all your burning questions.

Why Do Executives Underperform?

Understanding why an executive is underperforming is the first step toward improvement. Common reasons include:

Burnout: Constant stress can lead to decreased productivity.
Lack of Clarity: Unclear goals or roles can hinder performance.
Skill Gaps: Missing essential skills can affect leadership and decision-making.
Work-Life Balance: Poor balance can lead to fatigue and reduced effectiveness.

Career coaching addresses these issues by providing tailored support and strategies.

Important Reading About Career Coaching –

How Does Career Coaching Help Underperforming Executives?

1. Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

A coach helps you recognize your core strengths and pinpoint areas needing improvement. This self-awareness is crucial for personal and professional growth.

2. Setting Clear Goals

Together with your coach, you’ll set realistic and achievable goals. Clear objectives provide direction and motivation to enhance performance.

3. Developing Action Plans

Career coaches create step-by-step action plans tailored to your unique situation. These plans outline specific actions to overcome challenges and achieve your goals.

4. Enhancing Leadership Skills

Effective leadership is vital for executives. Coaching can help you develop key leadership skills such as communication, decision-making, and team management.

5. Improving Work-Life Balance

A coach can guide you in finding a healthier work-life balance, reducing stress, and increasing overall well-being and productivity.

6. Providing Accountability

Regular check-ins with your coach ensure you stay on track. Accountability helps maintain focus and commitment to your improvement plans.

Also Check – 15 Latest Trends in Career Coaching for Executives

How to Coach Underperforming Employees

Frustration is a common feeling leaders have when an underperforming employee isn’t meeting expectations. Your actions are impacted by how you think and feel, and frustration can lead to criticism or punishment of an underperformer. But does retribution truly improve the situation?

As a leader, your primary responsibility is to develop and empower the individuals within your team. When faced with an underperforming employee, the best approach is to coach them with empathy and a genuine desire to help them succeed.

By adopting a coaching mindset, you can unlock the potential of your team members and cultivate a work environment for high-performing teams. Here are six steps to coach an underperformer:

Step 1: Lead with Emotional Intelligence

Before doing anything, pause to understand the situation and separate facts from opinions. Approaching the situation from a place of care, not anger, has benefits for you and your team members.

Collect the facts by asking these questions:

What are your expectations for the role?
Have those expectations been communicated?
What behaviors do I see?
What behaviors are lacking?
What don’t I know?
What assumption am I making?

Step 2: Schedule a One-on-One Meeting

After reflecting on the current state, schedule a one-on-one meeting with your team member to discuss the performance issues. Engaging in open communication is the pathway to uncovering the root cause of underperformance.

Your primary goal is to create a supportive atmosphere where they feel comfortable sharing honestly.

Start by inviting them to share their experience and perspective by asking open-ended questions such as:

How is it going?
What are you the most proud of lately?
What has challenged you lately?
What is your greatest frustration in your role?
How would you describe your workload?
What feedback do you have for me?

After you ask a question, give your full attention and listen without judgment. This approach can uncover underlying issues like challenges in their personal life, lack of motivation, burnout, or inadequate training.

Step 3: Share Your Perspective of the Poor Performance

After your team member provides their perspective, share your observations. Start by describing your expectations for the role and ensure alignment. Once you’ve established what good performance looks like, describe the low performance you are observing.

Focus on observed behaviors and avoid personal judgments. For example, instead of saying someone is “lazy,” articulate specifics like “missed a team meeting” or “didn’t properly proofread a document.”

Step 4: Explore Next Steps and Co-Create a Personal Growth Plan

When coaching for growth, it’s crucial to give team members space to explore their own options and take ownership of the change process. First, express your belief in their strengths and potential. Then, ask open-ended questions to shift their mindset toward taking actionable steps:

What resources would help?
How can I help you?
What options can you try?
What is one thing you’re willing to try?

Encourage employees to identify solutions themselves, challenging them to take responsibility while offering guidance. Develop a detailed growth plan that includes:

Performance goals
Achievable milestones
Realistic timeframes

Address the root causes of performance issues by building their skills, providing additional training, reducing burnout factors, and increasing motivators.

Step 5: Provide Ongoing Support and Mentoring

Behavior change is a process that takes time and commitment. Leverage the talent of your entire team and partner the team member with a mentor who can help them strengthen or develop their skill set. Consider executive coaching, leadership development opportunities, or training programs to support their goals.

Step 6: Be an Accountability Partner

Schedule regular meetings to check in and assess progress, provide constructive feedback, recognize achievements, and adjust the action plan as needed. Being an accountability partner demonstrates an investment in their success and reinforces your commitment to their growth. By having frank discussions and holding them responsible for improvement milestones, you empower them to take ownership while offering support.

Your most important role as a leader is to develop the people in your span of care. When you can coach an underperforming employee through this approach, you’re providing a safe space for them to grow.

10 Tips for Coaching an Underperforming Employee

Following these manager coaching best practices can help you offer more effective guidance—and build an overall stronger development program.

1. Start with Clear Expectations

Clear expectations are foundational for effective performance management. Without them, your team members may be unaware of what they need to achieve or how you measure their success.

Set Goals: Collaborate with your team members to set specific, measurable goals.
Regular Reviews: Revisit these goals during regular one-on-ones to gauge progress.
Objective Feedback: Center performance discussions on goals to provide objective feedback and measure improvement.

2. Establish Trust

Trust is crucial for a productive coaching relationship. Your team members must know that you have their best interests at heart and are truly trying to help them succeed.

Personal Connection: Get to know your team members personally.
Professional Goals: Learn about their professional aspirations.
Balanced Feedback: Share both praise and constructive criticism.

Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor, says: “To have good relationships and build trust with employees, you have to be your whole self and care about each of the people who work for you as a human being. It’s not just business; it is personal, and deeply personal.” She adds, “Challenging people is often the best way to show them that you care when you’re the boss.”

3. Build a Culture of Feedback

Creating a culture where feedback is regularly exchanged fosters continuous improvement and open communication. It also normalizes feedback as a tool for growth rather than a sign of failure.

Regular Exchanges: Encourage informal feedback exchanges during team meetings and one-on-ones.
Model Behavior: Actively seek and gracefully accept feedback yourself.

4. Make Use of Teachable Moments

Be aware of real-time opportunities for learning and growth. For example, if you overhear a team member make a snarky comment on a phone call or submit a report with significant errors, address it promptly.

Immediate Feedback: Provide feedback soon after incidents to make coaching more relevant and impactful.
Quick Corrections: Enable team members to adjust their approach and improve performance promptly.

5. Approach Performance Discussions from a Place of Curiosity

Leading with curiosity fosters a nonjudgmental atmosphere, encouraging open dialogue and deeper understanding.

Open Dialogue: Share your observations and ask your team member to share their perspective.
Exploratory Questions: Use questions like, “Can you tell me more about what happened?”

Underperformance could be caused by factors beyond skill deficits, such as personal challenges or the need for more support. Listening to your team member’s perspective helps you address the performance issue appropriately.

6. Offer Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback is essential for growth. It helps your employees understand their strengths and areas for improvement without feeling demoralized.

Positive Start: Share positive observations before addressing areas for improvement.
Specific Examples: Provide detailed examples of the behavior or performance that needs improvement, focusing on specific actions rather than personality traits.

For example, instead of saying, “You’re not very detail-oriented,” say, “I appreciate the direction you’re going in with this report, but I need it to be a lot more detailed. Here are some areas we need to build out further.”

7. Brainstorm Solutions Together

Collaboratively brainstorming solutions leverages your team member’s insights and ideas, leading to more personalized action plans and ensuring buy-in.

Safe Space: Create a safe environment for discussion.
Creative Thinking: Encourage creative problem-solving and consider various solutions.
Action Steps: Outline the steps needed to implement identified solutions.

Ensure clarity on roles and responsibilities, and establish regular checkpoints to review progress and make necessary adjustments.

8. Provide Ongoing Support and Resources

Some performance issues require ongoing support beyond initial discussions.

Consistent Meetings: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings to discuss progress and address challenges.
Additional Resources: Offer mentoring, executive coaching, leadership development opportunities, or training programs to support their goals.

9. Ensure Feedback and Coaching Are Offered Equitably

Women, Black and Hispanic professionals, and people over 40 often receive lower-quality feedback compared to their peers. This disparity can negatively impact their growth opportunities.

Awareness of Bias: Be aware of potential biases in your coaching approach.
Equitable Support: Ensure all team members receive the support they need for professional growth.

10. Celebrate and Reward Progress

Recognizing and celebrating progress boosts morale and reinforces positive behavior, motivating employees to continue improving.

Recognize Achievements: Acknowledge achievements in team meetings, one-on-ones, or via emails.
Incentives: Offer rewards such as bonuses, raises, or promotions for significant improvements.

Also Check – 20 Ways to Maximize the Outcome of Your Coaching Session

And – How to Measure Progress With A Career Coach

Benefits of Career Coaching for Underperforming Executives

Increased Self-Awareness

Understanding your strengths and weaknesses leads to better decision-making and personal growth.

Enhanced Performance

Targeted strategies and accountability improve your overall performance and effectiveness as a leader.

Career Advancement

Coaching can open doors to new opportunities, promotions, and career transitions.

Improved Relationships

Better communication and leadership skills enhance relationships with colleagues, subordinates, and stakeholders.

Greater Job Satisfaction

Achieving your goals and overcoming challenges leads to increased job satisfaction and motivation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can career coaching really make a difference for an underperforming executive?

Absolutely. Many executives have transformed their careers through coaching by addressing specific challenges and implementing effective strategies.

2. Is career coaching confidential?

Yes, reputable career coaches maintain strict confidentiality. Your discussions and personal information are kept private.

3. How much does career coaching cost?

Costs vary depending on the coach’s experience, the program’s length, and the services offered. It’s an investment in your career, so consider the potential return on investment.

Check out – How much it costs to hire a career coach in India

4. Can I switch coaches if it’s not working?

Yes, finding the right coach is crucial. If you’re not seeing progress, discuss your concerns or consider trying a different coach.

5. How do I measure the success of career coaching?

Success can be measured through the achievement of your set goals, improved performance metrics, and enhanced personal satisfaction.

Conclusion

Career coaching offers a structured and supportive approach for underperforming executives to regain their footing and excel in their roles. By addressing the root causes of underperformance, setting clear goals, and providing ongoing support, a career coach can be a game-changer in your professional journey.

Additionally, adopting effective coaching strategies for your team members can transform an underperforming employee into a valuable asset, fostering a high-performing team environment. If you’re ready to transform your career and enhance your leadership abilities, consider investing in career coaching today.