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Handle Underperformance — Engineering Leadership, Part 6

Shawn West
4 hours ago
3 min read

This is the hardest tech lead conversation. Done well: they improve or move on with their dignity. Done poorly: they leave bitter; team suffers.

Step 1: Diagnose Before Action (15 min)

"Underperforming" can be:

  • Skills gap — they don't know how

  • Motivation drop — life events, burnout

  • Wrong role fit — they'd thrive elsewhere

  • Team / environment issue — broken process; bad assignment

  • Personal issues — health, family

Each needs different response.

Spend time understanding before acting. A "fix" without diagnosis often makes it worse.

Step 2: Be Specific About the Problem (10 min)

Vague:

✗ "Your output has been low."

Specific:

✓ "In the last 3 sprints, you've shipped 2 tickets. The team
   average is 4. The Q2 OKR ticket you owned hasn't progressed."

Specific = actionable. Vague = defensive.

Step 3: Have the First Conversation Soon (10 min)

Don't wait until quarter-end review.

"I've noticed [specific pattern]. I want to understand what's
going on and figure out how to help."

Open. Curious. Not punitive.

The earlier you catch it, the more options exist.

Step 4: Listen First (10 min)

"What's been going on?"
"Where are you stuck?"
"What's the team / process not giving you?"

You might learn:

  • Personal crisis

  • Skills gap they hid

  • Bad project fit

  • Conflict with another team member

The "underperformance" might be a symptom. Treat the cause.

Step 5: Make Expectations Concrete (15 min)

"For the next 4 weeks, I need:
- Owning the [X] feature; shipping by Aug 15
- Active in code review; at least 3/week
- Communicating blockers early"

Specific. Measurable. Bounded.

Without this, "be better" is unfair to them and useless to you.

Step 6: Provide Support (10 min)

Don't just set expectations; help meet them:

  • Pair them with a stronger engineer

  • Reduce scope to fit current capacity

  • Provide training / time for skill gaps

  • Adjust around personal circumstances

Underperformance + no support = setting them up to fail.

Step 7: Document Everything (10 min)

For your own clarity and HR if it escalates:

2027-06-25 1:1
- Discussed ticket throughput; 2 vs. team avg 4
- Alice mentioned overwhelm with new feature area
- Plan: pair with Bob for 2 weeks; reduce scope to one ticket
- Re-check Jul 9

Documented. Specific. Date-stamped.

If improvement happens — you have a story of investment. If not — you have evidence for the next step.

Step 8: Escalate When Needed (15 min)

If after the support + plan + re-check, things haven't improved:

  • Loop in your manager / HR

  • Discuss PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) options

  • Consider role / team fit

PIPs are loaded. Sometimes appropriate; sometimes a path to managed exit.

Honesty: a PIP rarely saves someone unless they were unaware of expectations.

Step 9: The Hardest Conversation (10 min)

If it ends in separation:

  • Be direct; don't waffle

  • Specific about what didn't work

  • Treat them with dignity

  • Help with transition (references; advice)

Don't ghost. Don't drag on. Don't let HR do all the talking.

Sometimes parting ways is the right outcome — for them too. A bad fit is bad for everyone.

Step 10: Reflect (5 min)

After (success or separation):

  • What did I see late?

  • What patterns might repeat?

  • What process change would help next time?

You'll have multiple of these in a career. Each one teaches.

What You Just Did

Underperformance handling: diagnose, specific, early conversation, listen, expectations, support, document, escalate, hardest conversation, reflect. The leadership skill nobody enjoys.

Common Failure Modes

Avoid the conversation. Problem grows; team resents.

Vague feedback. "You need to improve" — improve what?

No support; only expectations. Punitive. Doesn't work.

Surprise PIP / firing. Without prior conversations, perceived as ambush.

Drag it on for months. Bad for them; bad for team.

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