How do you tell an employee to shape up? What science says about motivation.

Now that she’s been promoted to manager, Nell discovers that one of her charges, John, is underperforming. He’s talented, and once was a good worker. After observing him for a week, she sees that he is simply slacking off. He arrives late, leaves early and chats on his phone throughout the day. He shows zero motivation. What should Nell do?

Take the You’re-the-Boss quiz:

Let’s agree that Nell’s first step is to get clear on her goal. Because John has proven valuable in the past, she wants to motivate him to do his best again. How do you think she can accomplish this?

a.) Chew him out publicly whenever he arrives late or obviously goofs off. This will shame him into changing, and set a firm example for everyone.

b.) Address him privately. Threaten him with dismissal if he doesn’t shape up, but promise him a bonus if he does. The carrot (of money) and stick (of fear) will motivate him.

c.) Meeting one-on-one, begin by expressing appreciation for the talent he has shown in the past. Ask John what’s behind his recent behavior, and how he suggests fixing the situation.

Being publicly berated creates huge stress.

Let’s look at some of the science around this issue. First of all, studies show that having a discussion with a superior at work tends to increase anyone’s stress level, no matter what the topic. If the talk involves being criticized, stress rises even more. And if the criticism is delivered in front of other people, stress goes through the roof. Publicly berating John would almost certainly be overkill, and likely make him a nervous wreck.

Fear breeds dislike and disloyalty.

As for b.),  fear is a poor motivator, and even worse, tends to breed secret disloyalty. If Nell threatens to fire John, she might get his outward compliance for a little while, but research indicates that he will permanently dislike her and she won’t be able to trust him in the future.

Studies also show that bonuses in general just don’t work. (Hint: we care about money a lot less than we think.)

Bad news delivered in a good tone comes out positive.

What does science say about choice c.)? Studies find that even if a boss delivers bad news or a negative evaluation, as long as they do so in a warm, encouraging manner, the employee will come away feeling positive about the interaction. So Nell should be respectful and even warm, while at the same time holding her professional ground. She’d also be smart to ask why John has begun slacking off. It may be that he’s under-challenged or feeling unappreciated.

Our drive for mastery requires challenge. 

As Dan Pink notes in his deeply researched bestseller, Drive, we need some challenge in our work, to maintain the constant improvement that fosters mastery. Pink defines our three main work drives as mastery, purpose and autonomy. If John is bored due to being under-challenged, Nell may want to revise his duties, or even help him transfer to another department.

Our other 2 drives: purpose & autonomy.

If he continues working for her, then to restore his sense of purpose, John must be convinced that his contribution matters. Nell should emphasize how valuable he has been in the past, and can be again. She should be specific, making clear he’s not just another cog in the machine. Finally, he also needs autonomy in order to feel motivated—so she is right to request that he come up with his own plan for improvement.

Of course she’ll keep an eye on him. Success is not guaranteed. If John refuses to step up, she may eventually have to fire him. But if, as is likely, he chooses to reform, they will enjoy an excellent working relationship and her reputation as a manager will shine.

How about you? Have you ever received negative feedback from a boss, or had to deliver criticism to an employee? Please share your valuable insights below. And if you’ve enjoyed this post, please click “Like.” Thank you for visiting!