An example of performance management

Summary

When I joined Zendesk in August 2021, I inherited a design team. One designer, Nia (fictitious name), had emotional responses to change and took longer to process feedback, which raised concerns about her long-term fit. Though she met expectations, her behavior became problematic in mid-2022 when she started showing visible frustration and disengagement at work.

I worked with Nia to give her alternative projects and options for growth. When her negativity resurfaced, I escalated to Employee Relations (ER) and reset expectations. By mid-Q4 2022, her performance stabilized. However, the issues returned in early 2023, resulting in a more formal intervention. I initiated an 8-week Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with detailed documentation, clear deliverables, and daily check-ins to ensure accountability.

Nia successfully completed the PIP and significantly improved her behavior and performance. The feedback from peers shifted to positive, and she became a high-performing team member who now tackles tough situations with a solutions-oriented mindset.

I joined Zendesk in August 2021 as a Manager and inherited a pre-existing team. During my early weeks, I noticed that Nia, one of the Senior Designers, had emotional responses to even small changes and struggled with processing feedback. While her performance met expectations, her reactions raised concerns about potential future issues.
Key Concern: Nia showed signs of being a “loose cannon” due to her sensitivity and unpredictable behavior, so I began keeping a closer eye on her and sought feedback from her peers.

Throughout 2021, I observed a few incidents of behavioral issues with Nia, but I refrained from immediate action since she continued to deliver on projects. I focused on understanding her motivations, providing positive reinforcement, and discouraging negative behavior during our 1:1s. This helped us maintain a good working relationship for a while.

At the start of Q2 2022, Nia’s Product partners had minimal work for her. I assigned the strategic-level tasks to our Lead Designer and encouraged Nia to explore her interests in product improvement. I also offered her the opportunity to take courses for career growth.
Initially, she responded well and worked on a concept around data collection but became demoralized when the idea didn’t gain traction. She refused to take on other work, leading to visible frustration during meetings. Her team members reported her negativity, which started to affect team morale.
Key Challenge: Nia’s refusal to engage and growing negativity risked impacting the team’s productivity and morale.
Solution: I intervened by having a candid conversation with her about her frustrations and gave her a new project I had been planning to pursue in my own time. She responded well and worked on it with renewed energy, stabilizing her mood temporarily.

Despite this temporary resolution, reports of Nia’s negative behavior resurfaced at the end of Q2. To address the recurring issue more formally, I reached out to ER, who advised me to reset expectations with Nia. I had a frank discussion with her about her role and how she was expected to behave as a Senior Designer, reminding her that more work was coming in Q3.
Key Challenge: Nia’s behavior needed more structured intervention, but the approach needed to be measured.
Solution: With more design work arriving in Q3, Nia’s performance improved, and her mood stabilized. We went through Q3 and half of Q4 without major issues.

In mid-Q4 2022, Nia refused to work with a particular PM, claiming she didn’t like them. I organized a mediation session with the PM, Nia, and the Product Director to resolve the tension. I facilitated the session, and we came to an agreement on how to move forward under clear expectations. The rest of Q4 proceeded without incident.
Key Challenge: Personality conflicts with cross-functional partners threatened project delivery and team dynamics.
Solution: The mediation session allowed both parties to reset expectations, and I kept ER informed throughout the process.

In January 2023, Nia’s issues resurfaced. She returned from the holiday break in a bad mood and resumed conflicts with the same PM, halting project progress. I had an urgent meeting with her, where I stressed the importance of working together and improving her attitude.
Key Challenge: Resetting expectations was no longer working, and the behavioral issues were now jeopardizing the team’s ability to deliver work.
Solution: After consulting with ER, I initiated a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), giving Nia the option to either undergo the PIP or face termination. I spent two weeks documenting her areas for improvement, gathering feedback from her peers, and ensuring the PIP was detailed and clear.

Nia chose to proceed with the PIP, and over the next 8 weeks, I provided continuous support, ensuring she had clear deliverables, daily check-ins, and 1:1s every week. She also attended specific classes to improve her skills and worked on two projects with defined outcomes.
Key Challenge: The PIP process required consistent monitoring and feedback to ensure Nia stayed on track.
Solution: Nia understood the gravity of the situation and stepped up. She didn’t miss a check-in, delivered on her projects, and maintained a positive attitude throughout the process.

Nia successfully completed the PIP and significantly changed her approach to work. Afterward, we had an open conversation about the process, where she acknowledged that her previous behavior and performance had been holding her back.
Her peers, including the PMs she had issues with, noticed a stark improvement. They expressed surprise at how much Nia had changed in such a short period, noting her new solutions-oriented mindset.
Looking back, I wish we could have started the PIP earlier in 2022.
Long-Term Impact: Nia is now a high-performing team member who tackles challenges head-on and collaborates effectively with her cross-functional partners. The support I provided during the PIP helped her realize the importance of her career and motivated her to turn things around.