Feedback: Is it a Skill or Will Issue?

One of the first things a leader should do is try to understand the cause of the issue – is it related to Skill or Will? In other words – is there a gap in the employee’s skill set that is related to her under-performance? Or is it a lack of motivation and willingness to change?

A gap in skill set might be resolved through training, mentoring, or an on the job learning experience. A motivational gap may be related to character (not so easy to change), or something in the employee’s environment that the manager could modify.

Knowing the underlying cause of performance related issues enables both the manager and employee to develop solutions that create behavioral change.

What Skill or Will issues do you see in your workplace?