Steve Adubato’s Lessons in Leadership: Motivational Leadership

By Steve Adubato, Phd On Jul 21, 2025

In this special edition of “Steve Adubato’s Lessons in Leadership,” Steve Adubato and Mary Gamba talk with Peter Connolly, CEO, New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP), about the challenges and opportunities when it comes to manufacturers embracing innovation to enhance their productivity and efficiencies. Then, Steve and Mary are joined by Joe Griffies, Director of Veteran’s Affairs, The Welcome Home Radio Show, about military leadership and the evolution of his radio show and the inspiring guests he has featured. 

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Recently, I was leading a seminar for a group of professionals on providing direct and specific feedback to employees who are just not getting the job done. In many cases, it was the second, third, or fourth conversation they’ve had with this employee, talking about the same performance issues. The frustration level of seminar participants was off the charts. Many kept asking the question; “Why don’t they get it? If they keep underperforming, we are going to have to let them go.” It seems like a simple question, but for many underperformers in the workplace, there are a variety of reasons for their lack of effectiveness. Let’s explore the potential reasons for our team members underperforming and how we can better manage them:

• Skills gap. Some employees simply lack the skills required for their roles. And, in many cases, the employee simply doesn’t know what they don’t know, which can lead to even greater frustration and lack of ability to perform the task at hand. You can set clear expectations and communicate effectively, but if someone doesn’t have the ability to deliver, it’s not a communication issue—it’s a competency issue. Conduct a skills assessment to identify gaps and provide targeted training to support growth and improvement.
• Lack of engagement or motivation. Other employees have the skills but lack the drive. They may feel disconnected, uninspired, or disengaged—but they’re unlikely to admit it openly. After all, who’s going to say, “Boss, I’m just not into this anymore, but I need the paycheck”? Great leaders stay connected to their people and look for signs of disengagement. Explore ways to reignite motivation, whether it’s shifting responsibilities, assigning a new project, or simply asking what would make their work more fulfilling.
• Personal struggles. Even high-performing employees can hit a rough patch when dealing with personal crises, such as serious health issues, family problems, or financial stress. These external pressures can affect focus, energy, and performance. Leaders must approach these situations with empathy. Offer support, provide access to resources, and be flexible with time off if necessary. Sometimes, compassion is the most productive management tool you have.
• Unclear expectations. You may think you’ve made it crystal clear what the performance expectations are, but the employee is confused. When it comes to communicating with team members, it is essential that you confirm specific deliverables, such as exactly what is expected to be done by when, with very specific deadlines. Further, document what has been agreed to in writing by sending an e-mail and asking that the employee confirm receipt. Schedule regular check-ins to ensure the team member is on track and can ask any questions for clarification.
• Lack of recognition. When it comes to underperforming employees, it can often be caused by feeling underappreciated or not valued by the leaders within the organization. There is a direct correlation between lack of recognition in the workplace and decreased motivation, job satisfaction and productivity, which can result in turnover and negatively impacts the organization. The key is to foster a culture of appreciation through personalized and authentic recognition practices. This can be done by establishing a formal system for recognizing employee contributions, or more informally through verbal praise or acknowledgement in a meeting or other public setting.

Simply put, managing underperformers isn’t just about addressing what’s going wrong—it’s about understanding why it’s happening and taking the appropriate steps to support, develop, or redirect the individual. Leadership means doing the hard work of diagnosing the issue and taking thoughtful, strategic action.

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