Do you have a team member that you know is capable of your performance standards, yet they consistently fail to hit the goal?
Your team member is smart. Technically, the team member is well trained. On paper, the team member should be able to meet expectations. Despite ability, the team member continues to fail.
Why do so many technicians, sales professionals, and CSRs struggle?
From my experience, team members fail to hit expectations for a few internal and external reasons. It’s in your best interest as a manager or owner to assess and get to the bottom of the reasons your employee is struggling.
The External Reasons A Team Member Fails
Here are a few reasons outside of the team member’s control that can cause failure:
- A non-existent sales culture
- Poor leadership
- Flawed Systems and Procedures
There are other reasons, but those are the top 3 external reasons I have witnessed.
For today’s example, let’s adopt the idea that this team member works for a good company. Ideally, working for a good company that is aware of the problems listed above would eliminate any external reasons for this team member. So, let’s focus on the internal reasons.
The Internal Reasons a Team Member Fails
In my coaching experience with underperforming team members, I have discovered a trend amongst the lower producers. I’ve labeled this trend “CORE”.
All team members should be Coachable, Open, Respectful, and Embrace responsibility.
Underperforming team members have a weak CORE.
Successful team members have a strong CORE.
If a team member can strengthen their CORE, then they can typically meet or exceed the company standards. If they cannot strengthen their CORE, then they will most likely be a drag on culture, sales, and leadership.
The key to CORE is that the team member must understand that these areas are up to them to improve.
- Coachable: a person that is coachable is one that listens with an open mind, asks questions that create personal clarity and applies what has been taught.
- Open: a person that is open is one that doesn’t hide the real issues that they are facing. They don’t misdirect the real issues. They allow others to understand them and seek to understand others.
- Respectful: a person that shows respect understands that they receive respect. Since no person is perfect, respect is a thing that is given to imperfect people. This means that all people should receive a base level of respect. From that base level, we add value to people for what they do well.
- Embrace Responsibility: Taking responsibility gives a person freedom. When you accept responsibility for your actions and for your outcomes, then you free yourself from excuses. Excuses provide a person with no benefit. Excuses dampen your personal potential.
Showing a Team Member their CORE
Reviewing the Keys of CORE with a team member can be a very helpful experience. It can awaken the reality that success is a personal responsibility.
Sometimes, you will only have to review CORE with an underperforming team member once. These team members are ready to strengthen their CORE.
Other times you will have to work on the CORE items with an underperforming team member on multiple occasions. It takes time for a person to change their outlook on themselves.
Will the team member change their CORE?
I don’t know.
In my experience, I’d say less than 50% of problematic team members decide to strengthen their CORE. It’s easy to stay stuck in old bad habits and blame others for their failures.
You may be wondering, “So, what do I do?”
You always try to coach the team member through CORE. If after a set amount of time and money the team member doesn’t change, then you might have to make a decision about the employment of the team member with your company.
Send Your Team Members To Workout Their COREs
If you can’t get through to your employee, then you give Service Excellence a call. We can help. Our coaches have guided every kind of trainee you can think of. If anyone can break through and help your employee see the reality of success, it’s our coaches.
I have personally witnessed every single one of the coaches change the lives of their trainees. I stand behind their abilities 100%, and you can feel confident that I’ll do everything in my power to get your team into shape. Give me a call! — Todd Liles
