module 4

Dealing with underperformance with integrity, dignity and fairness

Meet your module tutors

co-host

Arquay Harris

VP of Engineering 

Webflow

INDUSTRY EXPERT

Rod Garcia

VP of Engineering

Slack

INDUSTRY EXPERT

Adrienne Lowe

Senior Engineering Manager

Dutchie

INDUSTRY EXPERT

Kevin Goldsmith

Chief Technology Officer

Anaconda

Meet our session contributors

Module overview

For every engineering leader, there comes a time when they’re faced with engineers who are underperforming in their roles. This is always tough for the person underperforming, but also for you as a manager. Underperformance, if not addressed correctly, can have tangible consequences both for individuals and for the team. 

So how can you tackle these situations with integrity and ensure that you’re doing all you can to help people succeed?  

In this module, we’ll help you set out a plan of action to manage underperformance effectively, taking a look at how to set expectations, manage performance, and deal with any aftershocks.

Frameworks to define performance standards

Tools for being able to manage underperformers 

Communication methods to treat the person with fairness and dignity 

The ability to make hard choices confidently 

session 1

Managing performance with clarity and empathy

We’ll be exploring how to address underperformance in this module - but how can you even tell if someone is underperforming? For underperformance to be genuinely established - both you and the person you’re managing need to have clearly defined metrics for success and failure. 

 

We’ll outline how to set clear expectations for your reports in this session. We’ll look at how you need to write and communicate these expectations and set out what to do when your report is missing them. We’ll identify traps that new managers fall into, how to avoid them, and how to gain the confidence to say ‘you’re not meeting the expectations of the role’. 

Rod Garcia

VP of Engineering • Slack

Session 2

Managing compassionately through underperformance

You’ve identified that a person is underperforming, you’ve set expectations, and you’ve communicated to your report that they’re not meeting the expectations of their role. What comes next? Truthfully, a lot of work for both you and your report. Successful performance management only works when there is a clear action plan that you regularly check upon. 

 

In this session, we’ll identify what you should do to help manage someone out of underperformance. We’ll look at how to turn expectations into practical actions, how and when to check in, and how to provide the best support and give your report the best chance of improvement.

Adrienne Lowe

Senior Engineering Manager • Dutchie

Session 3

Firing like a Human

Unfortunately, there will be times when even the most thought out improvement plans don’t work out. And in these situations, it will sometimes be necessary to let a person go. This is painful for you as a manager and will have material effects on the life of your report - and as such, it can’t be a decision that is made lightly. 

 

In this session, we’ll provide three safeguards that will allow you to make this tricky choice confidently. We’ll ask: 

• Were you transparent with this person? 

• Did you support this person and give them the tools to succeed? 

• Did you act with integrity? 

We’ll then outline practical advice on how to hold a firing conversation.

Kevin Goldsmith

Chief Technology Officer • Anaconda

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