The 5 Root Causes of Underperformance (And How to Fix Each One) | HR Systems Series Ep. 7

Performance management isn't about performance reviews - it's about clarity, alignment, and accountability. If your team feels confused, resentful, or like they're underperforming, it's almost never a motivation problem. It's an expectations problem. Most employees aren't failing to meet the standard; they don't know what the standard is. In this episode of Don't Waste the Chaos, Kerri Roberts breaks down the 5 root causes of underperformance (and why only ONE is actually a discipline issue), the three markers every role needs, three feedback models you can use this week, and the four-part performance rhythm that makes the annual review a non-event instead of a surprise. CHAPTERS 0:00 Performance management is clarity, not reviews 2:19 Where this fits in the HR Systems Series 3:00 Your "people problems" are systems problems 4:44 Three defined markers for every role 6:00 The four performance tiers 7:10 Building tiered reviews (a real client example) 8:00 Where expectations get set and reinforced 9:31 Document everything — verbal won't hold up 10:00 Diagnosing underperformance + the GWC model 11:40 Root cause #1: Skill gap 12:30 Root cause #2: Will gap 13:10 Root cause #3: Capacity overload 13:55 Root cause #4: Misaligned role 15:00 Root cause #5: Personal life interference 18:10 The diagnostic conversation, step by step 22:35 Feedback models: SBI, COIN & Feedforward 27:30 Monthly one-on-ones (with agenda) 33:30 Annual review tied to compensation 36:25 The five-point rating scale 40:30 Your action item + what's next If you've got an underperforming employee on your team right now, take the free HR Audit to see whether your people systems are actually set up to support those conversations. → saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit Resources to keep building: 🎯 Take the free HR Audit — Score your HR systems in 5 minutes and see exactly where your gaps are. 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/hraudit 📚 Explore the HR coursework — Self-paced courses, tools, and resources to build your HR systems step by step. 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/resources ✉️ Get the Monday Email — One practical idea for leaders, every Monday at 5:28am. 1,000+ leaders, 50%+ open rate. 👉 saltandlight.myflodesk.com/saltandlightadvisors Need fractional HR support or want to talk through a specific challenge? 👉 saltandlightadvisors.com/contact Mentioned in this episode: Traction by Gino Wickman (the GWC framework — Get it, Want it, Capacity). → https://amzn.to/4a3YJSm 🎙️ Previous episodes in this series: Part 1: HR Mindset Part 2: Hiring Part 3: Onboarding Part 4: HR Law & Compliance + Compensation and Classification Part 5: Employee Classification & Pay Equity for Small Business Part 6: Handling Employee Leave 🎧 LISTEN ANYWHERE Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0nmxuIY... Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2471085 Don't waste the chaos — embrace it. #HumanResources #SmallBusiness #Leadership #PerformanceManagement #HRforSmallBusiness #DontWasteTheChaos #KerriRoberts