Tracy Kreikemeier

The most tried and true technique that I have seen is coaching. Many schools record reps on the phone and use those recordings to review in coaching sessions. Giving examples of what they should do vs. what was done is the best way I have seen to break bad habits and establish good ones. Again, the key here is consistency. You have to follow up and monitor progress. I think it is really important to let them hear examples of your superstar so they can learn from them as well.

It is difficult to choose a standard timeframe on how much time you give an underacheiver before letting them go. It depends on what the causes are for their poor performance. If it is a work ethic issue I would not have much patience with it and set clear expectations. If those are not met in a short amount of time that has been communicated it is time to part ways. If there are little things that need to be tweaked to make your underacheiver a performer I would give them more time as long as they are making progress. I would make sure there is a clear plan with measureable expectations in place regardless of the situation.