Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, working together is success. - Henry Ford

You have noticed that one person on your team has not been contributing “enough” for a while. Through your observations or feedback from other team members. This person is negatively affecting the team’s function and productivity. While others are doing their best or doing what is required of them, you cannot see the same performance from this colleague. You may have also started to smell dissatisfaction, injustice, and unhappiness within the team.

The right person, the right job, person-job fit are topics I have always emphasized and unfortunately are overlooked in our country (there are many reasons, let’s park this topic for now). As long as a leader looks out for his/her team members, keeps his/her focus on the integrity and performance of the team, and acts by creating ethical and optimum options in this direction, he/she is an effective leader. One of these options could be parting ways with some team members. At this point, I think the leader should ask himself a few questions and answer them honestly before making a decision.

1. Was this person included in an effective orientation or onboarding process?
2. Has this person experienced a major life event or events (accident, divorce, loss, etc.) in the last 6 months?
3. Is this person subject to exclusion, rudeness, or other negative behavior by the team?
4. Can I transform this person into a productive and hard-working person? (Do I believe in myself in this regard?)
5. Have I observed any positive developments in line with the feedback and feedback I have given this person before? (Do I have evidence of improvement with feedback and feedforward?)
6. Do I believe in this person’s high performance potential?
7. Can I remove the invisible barriers that will allow this person to work harmoniously and effectively with other team members? (Is this possible and do I believe in myself?)
8. Is this person a “right” person to be with given training, coaching and time?

I have a favorite saying. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If you don’t strengthen the weakest link, that chain is doomed to break. If you believe that you can strengthen that weak link and promise yourself that you will put in the effort, keep going.

If most of your answers to the questions above are “NO”, then you need to face the truth and make a decision quickly. You can talk to Human Resources, have them transferred to a different team, part ways or develop different options together. Make sure you have the right people on your team to create synergy and maintain high performance. Don't leave the chains hanging...