When evaluating a software engineering manager’s ability to handle low performers in interviews, I often ask: Tell me about a low performer you had on your team, Why were they not performing well? When did you first talk to them? What did you do about it? How long did it take to let them go or turn around?
Initially, answers often sound promising, suggesting that the manager did the right thing, such as:
I had a developer that didn’t deliver on time, produced more bugs than they solved or had an attitude. I gave them feedback a few times, ensured they understood what was expected from them and tried to help them improve, but things didn’t work out, so I had to let them go..
Development Process
Delving deeper into the manager’s story may reveal that the manager didn’t put enough efforts to help the underperforming employee, or even worse, the employee wasn’t necessarily a low performer — the manager was.
Although their story sounds compelling when first said, sometimes the processes have flaws which make it easier for the team to commit mistakes (or underperform), let’s understand the processes the manager follow with their team:
- How do you ensure your team stays on track and identify risks or blockers early?
- Tell about the process you follow for implementing a new feature, beginning with requirements gathering until rolling out to production.
Once you ensure that the process protects the team, let’s better understand the underperformer case in particular:
- Tell me about a specific incident where they failed to deliver high-quality work, or missed a deadline, and what was the impact.
- Did a more senior developer ensure that they’re following the right approach?
- When did you notice that they will miss the deadline?
- Was this the only incident they did? If not, tell me about other incidents
Feedback
By reaching this point, you should have already built an understanding whether the employee had clear requirements and guidance or not. Assuming they did, how did the manager inform the employee that they’re not performing well?
- How frequently did you give feedback to the low performer?
- How did they take it?
- How do you articulate it?
More context
Employees don’t suddenly become low performers, either it was a bad hiring (which raises a question on the hiring process), they lack motivation or maybe got distracted by something outside work.
- How long has the employee been with the company?
- How was their performance evaluation earlier?
- What do you think was the issue that made them underperform?
Action Plan
If you’re now convinced that the employee is not doing well, you should understand how the manager tried to help them improve.
- What did you about the low performer? How did you set their expectations of what is required from them?
- Did you have an action plan? Who wrote it?
- How often did you check with them if they were improving, and what was the structure in that checkpoint meeting?
- What kind of support did you provide to help them improve?
Interviews about managing low performers reveal not only the manager’s experience with underperforming employees, but also their ability to give and receive feedback, streamline processes, and make right hiring decisions. A manager could fire a low performer after exhausting all solutions, but I think having patience and helping them turn around is a success story.
