How to Talk to an Underperforming Team Member: The Art of Support Without Blame

Sarah, an experienced Scrum Master, knew her team's dynamics well. But for the past few Sprints, she'd noticed a shift in John, one of the team's most reliable developers. John, usually active in Daily Scrums, completing his tasks on time, and supporting his teammates, had become quiet, his tasks were delayed, and he seemed disengaged from the team's overall rhythm.

When Sarah noticed this, she faced a dilemma: should she confront John directly about what was happening? Or should she wait for him to resolve it on his own? The team was starting to struggle to meet its Sprint Goal due to John's delays. Sarah pondered how to handle this delicate situation, aiming to support John without undermining his motivation, while also protecting the team's performance.

When faced with an underperforming team member, initial reactions can often make the situation worse. Here are some approaches to avoid:

Direct Accusation: Questions like 'What's wrong with you? Why aren't you finishing your work on time?' push the person into defensiveness and erode trust. This contradicts a Scrum Master's servant leadership role.

Passive Avoidance: Ignoring the situation, hoping it will resolve itself, negatively impacts both the individual's and the team's morale and productivity. Proactive team conflict management is crucial.

Immediate Problem-Solving: Offering immediate solutions like 'You should do this' disempowers the person from finding their own solutions and deviates from agile coaching skills. This goes against the Scrum Team's principle of self-organization.

In such difficult conversations, a Scrum Master's most important skills are non-judgmental observation, empathy, and adopting a coaching stance. The goal is not to fix the problem, but to help the individual find their own solution. This preserves the team's psychological safety and autonomy.

As a Scrum Master, your role is not that of a 'manager' but a 'facilitator' and 'coach'. This requires creating a safe space to understand the real reasons behind the person's performance decline. Perhaps there's a personal issue, a technical impediment, or a problem within team dynamics. The key is to ask the right questions to uncover these reasons.

Here are the steps a Scrum Master like Sarah can follow to structure a conversation with an underperforming team member:

1. Choose the Right Time and Place: Conduct the conversation in a private, calm, and uninterrupted setting. Events like the Daily Scrum or Sprint Planning are not suitable.

2. Share Your Observation Factually, Without Judgment: State the situation using only observed facts, without personal interpretation. Use phrases like 'I've noticed that...', 'I've observed that...'

3. State the Impact on the Team: Explain the concrete impact of the person's performance decline on the Sprint Goal or the team's overall progress. This emphasizes team accountability rather than being a personal attack.

4. Ask Open-Ended, Curious Questions: Encourage the person to share their own insights with questions like 'What's going on?', 'How are you feeling?', 'How can I support you?' These types of coaching questions for Scrum Masters are crucial.

5. Listen Actively and Empathetically: Listen carefully without interrupting what the person is saying. Try to understand their feelings and show empathy. Sometimes, just being heard can make a big difference.

6. Collaborate on Next Steps: Help the person find their own solution. If necessary, suggest resources the team or organization can offer (training, mentorship, HR support). The goal is for the person to take responsibility and improve the situation.

Sarah scheduled a private meeting with John and initiated a dialogue like this:

Sarah: 'John, do you have a few minutes to chat?'

John: 'Sure, Sarah, I'm listening.'

Sarah: 'Great. Over the last couple of Sprints, I've noticed you've been less vocal in Daily Scrums and some tasks haven't been completed as planned. For example, the 'Payment Integration' task last Sprint was completed two days later than planned, and this impacted the progress of other developers working on 'User Experience Improvements'. I'm concerned about the impact this might have on our Sprint Goal. I'm curious what's going on, and I'd like to understand how I can support you.'

John: (Pauses slightly) 'Actually, Sarah, I've been dealing with some personal issues at home, and it's affecting my work. I'm finding it hard to focus.'

Sarah: 'I understand, that must be difficult. First, thank you for sharing that with me. I want you to know that as a team, we're an important support system for you. What specific difficulties are you experiencing with this situation impacting your work? Perhaps we can re-prioritize some tasks or discuss how your teammates can support you.'

This dialogue is a great example of sharing observations without judgment, showing empathy, and adopting a solution-oriented approach. Sarah enables John to take responsibility while also demonstrating her readiness to support him.

Talking to an underperforming team member is one of the most challenging yet rewarding tasks for a Scrum Master. Approaching these conversations without judgment, with empathy, and with a coaching stance not only improves that individual's performance but also strengthens the team's overall health, psychological safety, and ability to self-organize.

Remember, as a Scrum Master, your role is to remove impediments for the team and create an environment where they can perform at their best. Mastering these difficult dialogues is an example of true servant leadership.