Learn how to identify, set, monitor, and evaluate goals for team members who miss deadlines, and how to provide feedback, support, and escalation.

I strongly believe that employees do not come in and try to miss a deadline. There is always a root cause, and true to what other people have said, managers do not always try to find the reason for this. It maybe personal reason, something going on in the employee's personal life, that is impacting their work, maybe it is professional and good leaders will work on supporting their employees to solve whatever underlying issue it might be. I very recently shared thoughts with a colleague, who talked about "positive stress" - when person can see a stressful situation as an opportunity that will lead to a good outcome. I am totally sold to this concept and how to extend it in challenges like this.

What are the best ways to address team members who consistently miss deadlines?

Missing deadlines can be a major source of frustration and conflict in virtual teams, especially when they affect the quality and delivery of the project. How can you address this issue effectively and constructively, without damaging the trust and collaboration among your team members? In this article, we will share some best practices and tips to help you manage this challenge and improve your team's performance and satisfaction.

1 Identify the root cause

The first step to address the problem of missed deadlines is to understand why it is happening. There could be various reasons, such as unclear expectations, unrealistic timelines, poor communication, lack of resources, personal issues, or low motivation. You need to have an open and honest conversation with the team member who is falling behind, and listen to their perspective and challenges. Try to avoid blaming or accusing them, and focus on finding solutions together.

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Krista Kisselburg

Leader in Customer Success , Professional Services, Solution Delivery, and Product & Program Management
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I strongly believe that employees do not come in and try to miss a deadline. There is always a root cause, and true to what other people have said, managers do not always try to find the reason for this. It maybe personal reason, something going on in the employee's personal life, that is impacting their work, maybe it is professional and good leaders will work on supporting their employees to solve whatever underlying issue it might be. I very recently shared thoughts with a colleague, who talked about "positive stress" - when person can see a stressful situation as an opportunity that will lead to a good outcome. I am totally sold to this concept and how to extend it in challenges like this.

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Farzad Soltani

Lead Software Engineer at Supademo
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I think that the most important factor that is rarely considered is finding out the reason why people miss deadlines. Having a short one-on-one talk with the team member usually leads to valuable insights. These insights need to be obtained in a very delicate manner and you must provide a comfortable environment for the team member. Make sure you acknowledge your role and any direct/indirect effects you may have on the current situation.

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Brian S.

The most humbling experience is knowing the fact that you are making a difference in other peoples lives every day. This is why I do what I do.
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In my experience, too many times people do not really take the time to do a true root cause analysis. Without truly knowing the cause you cannot fix the problem. And sometimes this process can be hard because of unconscious bias, and other influences. But it very important to be objective while investigating. Because if you do the analysis correctly, you will able to effectively address the situation and resolve the problem.

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Coen Hammer

Head of Industrialization & Technical Sales Support (Services Delivery)
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Another approach would be to make clear what the consequences will be of missing a deadline. If people are aware of the impact of not reaching a deadline they will take the deadline more serious.

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2 Set SMART goals

Once you have identified the root cause, you need to set clear and specific goals for the team member to follow. A useful framework to do this is the SMART criteria, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This means that the goals should be well-defined, quantifiable, realistic, aligned with the project objectives, and have a clear deadline. You should also agree on how you will monitor and evaluate the progress and performance of the team member, and what are the consequences of not meeting the goals.

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Ifeadi Anigbogu GPHR, ACIPM

Bilingual Global Talent Leader/ Tech Leader/ Software Developer Advocate/ Recruiter/ Speaker/ Writer/ Content Creator/ Career & Business Success Coach/ Founder, CareerBanters With Ifeadi
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To help a team member overcome missed deadlines, here are some helpful ways this can be achieved 1. Start with open and clear communication to understand the reasons behind the delay habits. 2. Offer support or resources to assist them 3. Help by setting realistic deadlines together. 4. Show them how to prioritize accordingly to help them accomplish important task quickly 5. Encourage time management techniques, give them guidance, and create a positive, collaborative environment to foster improved performance. Encourage them to have quiet times alone everyday. During this time, they can reflect on the tasks at hand and dedicate sometime to those tasks as maybe necessary without distractions.

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3 Provide feedback and support

Another important step to address the problem of missed deadlines is to provide regular and constructive feedback and support to the team member. You should acknowledge their efforts and achievements, as well as point out their areas of improvement and offer guidance and suggestions. You should also check in with them frequently, and ask them how they are doing, what challenges they are facing, and what help they need. You should also encourage them to communicate with you and the rest of the team, and share any issues or concerns they have as soon as possible.

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4 Escalate the issue if necessary

If the problem of missed deadlines persists despite your efforts to address it, you may need to escalate the issue to a higher level of authority, such as your manager or the project sponsor. You should do this only as a last resort, and after you have exhausted all other options. You should also inform the team member that you are going to do this, and explain why and how. You should also document the issue and the actions you have taken, and present them to the relevant stakeholders.

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5 Learn from the experience

Finally, you should learn from the experience of dealing with missed deadlines, and use it to improve your future virtual team management. You should reflect on what worked and what didn't, and what you can do differently next time. You should also share your insights and feedback with the team member and the rest of the team, and ask them for their input and suggestions. You should also celebrate the successes and achievements of the team, and recognize the contributions and efforts of each team member.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the best ways to address team members who consistently miss deadlines?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify the root cause

2 Set SMART goals

3 Provide feedback and support

4 Escalate the issue if necessary

5 Learn from the experience

6 Here’s what else to consider

Virtual Teams

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What are the best ways to address team members who consistently miss deadlines?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify the root cause

2 Set SMART goals

3 Provide feedback and support

4 Escalate the issue if necessary

5 Learn from the experience

6 Here’s what else to consider

Virtual Teams

Rate this article

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