As leaders, we need followers.  We need people to work with us and help us implement the change we’re creating. We need to build a team in quantity and quality. But even when we’ve got the right people, they don’t always seem to do what they know they should.  Here’s a way to approach it..

In my experience, putting more pressure on someone who’s not performing rarely improves their performance.  On the other hand, reinforcing that I appreciate someone’s effort and that I trust them to do a great job even when they are struggling will usually inspire them to lift their game.

Choosing which emotion/mood/approach you should take with a team member can be counter-intuitive.  For example, it takes a skilled and courageous leader to provide more support to a team member when that person has made the same mistake four times.  A typical approach would be to reprimand. But how likely is it that a fourth reprimand will work when the previous ones have failed? Especially when that team-member already knows what they should be doing.

Nearly every team member will appreciate some support and recognition when they’re doing it tough.  After all, if you’ve got the right people they will know what they should be doing.

Give it a try.  Instead of focussing on what hasn’t been achieved, take the time to genuinely reinforce that you trust and appreciate that person’s work. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised..