Right Leadership In Tech: Elevating Your Product Teams Performance
How to deal with an underperforming development team with these tips.
Have you ever found yourself meticulously planning out a product roadmap, only to feel like your development team isn’t keeping pace with your expectations? It’s a common challenge many product managers face, and it can sometimes feel like your planning efforts are in vain.
But before diving into strategies for addressing underperformance within development teams, let’s first understand how to identify the signs that suggest a deeper issue is at play. 👇
Detecting a Performance Problem in Your Team
Before we dive into the strategies to uplift a team's performance, let's first understand the signals that indicate a performance problem. They often manifest subtly, requiring a keen eye and an empathetic approach to be detected:
Missed Deadlines: Are projects consistently lagging behind schedule?
Declining Quality: Has there been a noticeable drop in the quality of work or an increase in bugs and issues?
Low Morale: Is the team's spirit not what it used to be? Do team members seem disengaged or less motivated than usual?
Communication Breakdown: Are meetings more silent than productive? Is there a noticeable lack of collaboration or information sharing?
Detecting these signals early on before they escalate is crucial. Like a gardener noticing the first signs of wilt in a plant, immediate action can often prevent more serious problems from developing.
Tips for Tackling Underperformance
Dealing with an underperforming development team requires a balance of empathy, strategic thinking, and action. Here are some techniques that might help you guide your team back to high performance:
Open, Honest Communication 🙋🏻♀️
Initiate a dialogue by expressing your concerns without assigning blame. Create an environment where team members feel safe to share their challenges and perspectives. This approach can unearth underlying issues that you weren’t aware of, such as unclear requirements, inadequate resources, or personal struggles impacting work.
Conversation starter 💬
"I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on our recent project. Your perspective is important for our mutual growth."
"Can you help me understand any barriers you might be facing in executing your tasks? I am here to support you."
Set Clear, Achievable Goals 🎯
Sometimes, underperformance stems from overwhelm or unclear expectations. Work with your team to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Breaking down larger projects into manageable tasks can help alleviate pressure and give the team a clear direction.
Conversation starter 💬
"Let's co-create our project goals to ensure they align with both the team’s capabilities and the company’s objectives."
"Do you feel our current goals are within our reach? How can we make them more effective and manageable?"
Provide Constructive Feedback and Support 🗣️
Offer regular feedback that not only highlights areas for improvement but also acknowledges the team’s efforts and achievements. Encourage a growth mindset by providing opportunities for professional development and training that align with both the project needs and individual interests.
Conversation starter 💬
"Your recent work had some fantastic elements, like A and B. I did notice area C could be improved, which we could collaborate on – shall we schedule a time to brainstorm?"
"I appreciate your hard work on the project. Would you be open to discussing some areas where I think we could enhance the outcome further?"
Foster a Culture of Ownership and Accountability 👨🏻💻
Encourage team members to take ownership of their work. This can be achieved by involving them in decision-making processes and giving them autonomy within their roles. When team members feel personally invested in the outcome of a project, their performance often improves.
Conversation starter 💬
"I'd love to see more of your ideas at the forefront of our projects. How do you feel about leading the next meeting on topic X?"
"Let’s talk about how we can ensure every voice is heard in decision-making. Do you feel like there are improvements we can make so that everyone feels a stronger sense of ownership?"
Re-evaluate Project Management Tools and Techniques 🧰
Sometimes, the tools and methodologies we rely on can either facilitate success or contribute to bottlenecks. Assess whether your current project management approach is the best fit for your team’s workflow. Agile, for instance, can offer flexibility and facilitate better communication and collaboration within the team (if properly implemented of course!).
Conversation starter 💬
"Our current project management tool has been integral to our process for some time. Yet, I wonder if there’s something more efficient out there. Would you like to help research some alternatives?"
"Reflecting on the projects we've had challenges with, do you think our methodologies are aligned with our goals? I'd value your opinion on this."
Monitor and Measure Performance Improvements 📊
After implementing changes, it's essential to track progress and assess the impact of your interventions. Use metrics like completion rates, the number of bugs reported, and team satisfaction surveys to measure improvements over time.
Conversation starter 💬
"Let’s examine our performance metrics together. Where do you think these numbers are directing us? Do you see a trend or an area for us to focus on?"
"I've observed some improvement in X since last quarter. What are your thoughts on our progress, and how might we continue this trajectory?"
Foster a Culture of Learning 📚
Encourage a growth mindset by promoting learning opportunities, be it through workshops, training sessions, or informal knowledge-sharing meetings. Celebrate failures as a stepping stone to success, ensuring the team understands that mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow.
Conversation starter 💬
"I believe that learning is a lifelong task. Would you be open to some additional training or workshops to enhance your skills?"
"What areas of professional development interest you most? We can explore these together to boost our collective expertise."
Embrace Flexibility 🔁
Different projects require different approaches. Be open to adapting workflows or methodologies that better suit the team's dynamics or the project’s needs. Flexibility can often rekindle a team's enthusiasm and creativity.
Conversation starter 💬
"Are our current working methods effective for you? If not, what changes do you suggest we make?"
"We've been following a certain workflow. However, I'm open to considering new approaches that may be more efficient."
Recognize and Reward 🏆
Recognition goes a long way. Celebrate achievements, no matter how small. This could be as simple as acknowledging a team member’s effort in a team meeting. It's about creating a sense of accomplishment and belonging.
Conversation starter 💬
"I want to take a moment to acknowledge the great job you did on this task. Your effort truly made a difference!"
"Your contributions have been pivotal to our recent success, and I want to ensure your efforts are recognized."
What to do When Nothing Seems to Work
Seek Outside Assistance 🧑🏻💼
If your interventions don't seem to be making a significant difference, it might be worthwhile to involve an external consultant or coach. A fresh perspective can help identify overlooked issues and provide new strategies.
Reevaluate Your Expectations 📝
Are the deadlines realistic or too demanding? Are the project goals too ambitious for the assigned timeline or resources? Sometimes, adjusting your own expectations can lead to a shift in team performance!
Consider Team Composition ⛹️♂️
Are team roles and responsibilities clearly defined and suited to individual strengths? Realigning team roles can play a key part in revitalizing performance. I always recommend having a RACI matrix where it’s clear to everyone what you expect from them and what they need to deliver.
Review Team Morale 😞
Is the team's morale at an all-time low? Chronic underperformance can lead to a negative performance spiral. You may need to reestablish a positive work environment and team spirit.
Reflect on Your Leadership Style 🫵
It’s important to critically reflect on your own actions and leadership style. Are you providing the support your team needs? A change in leadership behavior can sometimes prompt a change in team performance.
Wrapping Up
Every team's journey is unique, influenced by its members’ individual experiences, strengths, and areas for growth. As PMs, it’s our privilege and challenge to guide and inspire our teams through these journeys.
I hope you find the conversation starters useful. Starting these dialogues isn't about simply relaying information or directives—it's more akin to engaging in a collaborative effort where different views shed light on the bigger picture. The approachability in these conversations comes from a place of curiosity and a genuine interest in finding solutions together.
Have you encountered underperformance within your team? What strategies have you found effective in addressing these challenges? I invite you to share your experiences and join in on the conversation 💬