What to Do When Employees Aren't Performing

Doing stuff! I just love doing stuff! No…I don’t. I really hate doing stuff. In fact, I’d rather be reclining in a velvet divan while my admirers carry me to and fro. “Over there! Near the cherry tree! Ashley, did you bring the peeled grapes? Be a good minion and feed them to me? Yay, say I!” With my luck, Ashley would just stand there, examining their nails, while the grapes sit nearby, unpeeled. #FirstWorldProblems

In my pursuit of the glorious aspirational life of leisure, I talked about how to delegate your work to minions (episode 340). And then in episode 386, I discussed how to get over your natural fear of delegation. Today, we’re going to delve deeper.

Minions Are Unreliable

As much as you love peeled grapes, you’d rather not share them with your minions, right? I mean, minions can’t appreciate them. And besides, you’re better than they are. You are the one invited to Davos. They act out. They don’t do the tasks you’ve delegated. At least, I’m pretty sure they’re acting out. What other reasons could they have for not getting things done?

Er…well, maybe your specifications were unclear. Or they don’t know how to do the thing. Or their dog ate their homework. 

Upon reflection, may be many reasons they didn’t deliver. So what’s a world-dominator like yourself to do?

Ask Direct Questions

Sit down with your minion, and ask: "What’s going on? What support do you need to peel the grapes?"

As they answer, listen carefully for the how-to, want-to, chance-to that we talked about in episode 270, on Joe Yeager’s three questions to help you set goals. The lack of any one of the three is enough to keep them from delivering your peeled grapes.

People Often Say “I Didn't Have a Chance To”

Minions are often happy to report when they don’t have a chance to do the work. They’re busy. There were emergencies. Their alarm didn’t go off. It wasn’t their fault. 

Or they didn’t have a chance because they’re missing the tools. Ashley complains that I didn’t provide a grape-peeler for their use. And they expect that to be a...

Keep reading on Quick and Dirty Tips