How can you give feedback to a colleague who consistently misses deadlines?

The conversation must start when the deadline is given, not when it is missed. The best way to drive accountability is to follow up in writing.

Begin the conversation by acknowledging any positive aspects of your colleague's work. This helps create a more balanced perspective and encourages a positive atmosphere for the discussion. Create an environment where your colleague feels comfortable discussing the reasons behind the missed deadlines. There may be underlying issues that you are unaware of, and understanding these can be crucial for finding a solution.

Nothing beats the empirical evidence, or data. Before even you two meet, collect the number of misses (major, minor) and bring that to table. Often, these individuals are oblivious people. With only talk, their brains would not even accept that they have actually missed this deadline volume. You need to show them these, and also how this affected the business outcomes and team morale.

Start with curiosity. It is important to remember we all have life happening outside of the workplace. While we understand deadlines and deliverables are important, we should look to the humanity and show a willingness to look first to understand with empathy rather than start with a condemnation. While we lay out our concerns with the missed deadlines, be prepared by making space for curiosity into the why. We can start with a question like: “I’ve noticed you’ve missed our last few/several deadlines, which seems to indicate you aren’t focused on your contribution to our team. Can you help me understand why you have missed the deadlines?

The key is to be supportive and focused on solutions rather than just pointing out problems. Prepare by noting specific missed deadlines. Discuss in private, using 'I' statements like 'I've noticed some deadlines were missed and and I'm concerned about their impacts.' Be specific about instances and impact. Listen to their reasons. Suggest collaborative problem-solving, asking for their input on improvement strategies. Set clear, achievable goals for future projects and offer your support in resource planning or prioritization. Schedule follow-ups to assess progress. Keep the conversation respectful and confidential to maintain a positive work relationship.

Normalmente é mais positivo a realização dessas conversas na parte da manhã, no primeiro horário. Ter uma conversa ao final de um dia mais difícil ou com maior stress pode não ser efetiva ao processo de feedback. Buscar horários mais receptivos e com a cabeça descansada pode ter uma receptividade melhor.

It is better to choose a convenient and comfortable place for the meeting and make sure that you can discuss the details. Personal details may come up during the meeting, so it is important to understand your time available.

My advice to a colleague who consistently misses deadlines will be first and foremost not to give any advice. I will start by noting my observation and then allow my colleague to explain possible reasons for this situation. Based on what is offered I will be a pillar of support and encouragement to assist my colleague in moving in the right direction towards rectifying this problem. We must resist the urge to conclude why this is so. When we have data our advice will be an informed one. My colleague may be a very responsible person who is challenged perhaps physically, mentally, emotionally financially, etc. I will show my colleague that I believe in him and his ability to turn around missing deadlines.

Choosing the right time and place will set the tone for how the message is received. This small effort could be the difference between someone feeling respected or immediately coming to the situation with their defenses up.

I've observed a concerning trend in many business models relying excessively on urgency. This approach often leads to unrealistic deadlines, creating an environment where it's assumed that deadlines can always be pushed back. In my view, this is not just inefficient, but a form of mismanagement. Deadlines should be set realistically and paced appropriately. Constant urgency can dilute the significance of true deadlines, leading to poor prioritization and burnout. We should strive for a balanced approach where deadlines are respected and planned for, not constantly extended or treated as negotiable. This would lead to a more efficient and effective work environment.

Please don’t speak in s**t sandwiches! If you’re the boss giving the feedback, you should be giving positive feedback when good performance happens, not sticking it in to “soften the blow.” If you’re peers and the relationship is rocky, they’re going to see right through some sweet opening message. When you’re objective and respectful in your feedback message and tone, there is no blow, no need to hurt feelings. You say your message and ask the person to talk with you about it. Ask for their view. Listen without agreeing or disagreeing - just try to understand what they’re saying. When both of you have spoken, figure out where you are and what problem needs solving then solve it together.

Start with positive qualities and feedback. It is important to position the employee for dialogue. Do not criticize without reason: provide clear examples, measurement criteria, feedback. It is possible without names if this is not necessary. Find out what the employee himself thinks. Express that you are ready to be his mentor during this time.

I strongly agree with respectful tones and manners but one thing I find extremely useful is to consider a time span. It is not possible to give an opinion or feedback without time to reflect.

Examples are also key here- blanket statements of how well they are doing or what to improve without examples will not be helpful. Aside from starting with the positives and having the things to improve in the middle, and then reinforcing the positives at the end helps to make for a balanced feedback session and for the feedback to be well received.

Prefiro utilizar a CNV junto com o SCI, situação, comportamento e impacto para estruturar o feedback, deixando claro os pedidos e acordos com a pessoa.

Start with asking how they are doing, and then listen. Maybe there is something going on that pops up personally that takes precedent. Maybe they have a hidden adaptability. Then ask if they are willing for some tips to be more on time. A good one is to plan to have the project done with a soft deadline a day ahead of the actual due date.

Yes to listening. And this is why sandwiching or making a bunch of suggestions up front doesn’t work. You should do a little talking not a lot. You raise an issue with observations not interpretations or assumptions. You say how it affected the work or you. That’s it, then you listen to them. You might not like what they say but so what? They listened to you and might not have liked hearing it! Practice listening without judgement and see what you learn about the situation. You may think you know the cause but you might be wrong, then all your solutions would be wrong too. Give the person space to talk. Then you can start to solve the problem together.

Yes , i agree. And this is why sandwiching or making a bunch of suggestions up front doesn’t work. You should do a little talking not a lot. You raise an issue with observations not interpretations or assumptions. You say how it affected the work or you. That’s it, then you listen to them. You might not like what they say but so what? They listened to you and might not have liked hearing it! Practice listening without judgement and see what you learn about the situation. You may think you know the cause but you might be wrong, then all your solutions would be wrong too. Give the person space to talk. Then you can start to solve the problem together.

Adding to the approach of listening and empathizing, consider incorporating "collaborative problem-solving" into your feedback process. This approach shifts the focus from a one-sided feedback delivery to a two-way, solution-focused conversation.

A empatia é uma das habilidades que nos prepararam para a situação, pois nos ajudam e ter a ótica do que motivou a atitude do outro, o que nos permite encontrar meios adequados de abordar o tema com orientação assertiva.

Addressing colleagues who frequently miss deadlines? Guide towards future success. Begin with positives - acknowledge their value. Ensure each conversation starts on a high note to make them more responsive. Next, describe what success looks like. Say, "Timely Tuesday reports are crucial", refining the specifics of responsibility over generalities. Suggest tools for task management and deadlines, while promoting ownership of work. Promote an open-door policy; help shouldn't be a last resort. Lastly, celebrate improvements—growth over blame should always be the mantra.

Addressing colleagues who frequently miss deadlines? Guide towards future success. Begin with positives - acknowledge their value. We must ensure each conversation starts on a high note to make them more responsive.

Eu acredito no modelo de desenvolvimento com feedbacks transparentes e com foco nos resultados e desempenho esperados. Mais do que indicadores o importante é que quem recebeu o feedback compreenda e tenha transparência e clareza sobre os pontos abordados para seu auto conhecimento e reavaliação dos pontos indicados. Os Indicadores podem ajudar e ser uma forma de acompanhamento dessa evolução com foco no futuro e no resultado esperado.

Feedback is a tool for learning, but they aren't synonymous. Feedback aims to reflect actions and their underlying causes, emphasizing accountability. It's like a mirror showing not just what was done, but also why. This perspective highlights the need for consequences when actions, like missing deadlines, are repeated without change. The crux lies in differentiating between merely meeting a deadline and learning from the process. The risk, akin to passive promotion in schools, is that without accountability, undesirable behaviors persist. True feedback should balance achieving goals, like deadlines, with learning and growth, enforcing clear consequences for failures to ensure responsibility and improvement.

A couple of questions that have had significant impact for me and my teams are, “What support do you need?” And “Are there any roadblocks I can clear for you?” For a teammate or a subordinate this signals to them that you plan on being an ally while they improve. Follow through and follow up.

Remembering that missed deadlines are most likely not personal or deliberate helps you to refocus the conversation on a solution. Making sure that these types of conversations are in a private setting, shows resect for your colleague. Being diligent about corrective action conversations staying private even after you have ended the conversation will help build trust between you and your colleague. Nothing will undermine a relationship more than back biting comments or negative talk with other co-workers about another teammate.

You can be respectful and positive, but you also have to tackle the issue head on. Too many leaders are afraid to ruffle feathers and address issues as they arise. You’ll gain more respect and have a better team by addressing the issues directly with individuals as they arise.

Na minha gestão eu já começo sendo bastante transparente sobre alguns pontos e sempre alinhando com o por que de cada um deles, então é importante alinhar cada equipe com o que você espera dele e do trabalho e deixar ele sempre a vontade para vir até você para falar sobre algum problema que esteja ocorrendo. Costume dar feedbacks com regularidade isso ajuda também, o que me dá resultados também é pedir também um feedback sobre sua ação, essa troca faz total diferença

Ser respeitoso é fundamental para que sejamos ouvidos e para que consigamos contribuir para a evolução do colega. O comportamento e atitude nos ajuda muito na condução do tema.

Adding another perspective to this approach involves incorporating the concept of "growth mindset" in your feedback. This concept, pioneered by psychologist Carol Dweck, emphasizes the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Applying this to your feedback strategy can enhance its effectiveness and the recipient's receptivity. Here's how: Emphasize Learning and Development Encourage a Problem-Solving Attitude Highlight Potential Provide Constructive, Actionable Steps Set Goals Together Celebrate Progress!!!

If neurodiverse teammates are missing deadlines some of the best ways to support them are by breaking big projects up into smaller pieces, clarifying the scope, and then giving clear feedback throughout as the deadline approaches. We make great teammates, but big projects that are really just unclear concepts can set us (and everyone else!) up for failure.

Find out if they need some specific training, rather it is for some tool that will help them meet the deadline or knowledge of a better process. Once all skills are aligned, expectations are set, the deadlines should be met or the employee is not in the right position.

Missing deadlines is something that happens to everyone once in a while however if it is happening constantly something else must be happening. I agree with most of the opinions and insights that have been shared here. But, it might be possible that the worker is trying his/her level best to meet the deadlines but he/she always finds the work out of his/her abilities. Hence, there should be an open communication channel so that the worker can share his/her concerns. He/She may be given some capacity building training and the SWOT Analysis is must in this case before assigning any task to the worker by line manager.

When providing feedback about a person who is consistently missing deadlines, it is important to analyze their behavior patterns to gain an understanding of their ability to manage their workload. It is usually most effective to work collaboratively with the individual to help them find ways to manage competing priorities. Taking a collaborative approach can often be the most helpful.

Some considerations to consider are ways in which we can use Non-violent Communication. For example (let's call the developer Alex), Begin with Empathy: Start by understanding Alex's perspective. Maybe Alex is overburdened, facing personal challenges, or unclear about expectations. Approach them with a mindset of wanting to help rather than accuse. For example, you could say, "Alex, I've noticed you've been having a tough time meeting deadlines. Is everything okay?" Use "I" Statements: To avoid sounding accusatory, use "I" statements that focus on your feelings and observations. For instance, "I feel concerned when deadlines are missed, as it affects our project timeline."