Most of us have experienced the exact same moment with a team member.
That one person who usually performs well and who you never have to worry about, suddenly starts missing deadlines. The quality of their work is dropping slightly and their communication becomes slower or not quite as clear as it used to be.
We’re naturally surprised by the drop off from an otherwise good performer.
It can feel like the performance problem appeared overnight.
But in most cases, it didn’t.
Performance issues rarely arrive suddenly. They usually build gradually, through small shifts that are easy to miss when everyone (especially you) is busy.
Before you start to notice the work quality changes, there are often subtle changes in behaviour, energy and communication. The challenge for you as a manager is that these signals are usually quiet (at least at this point).
The most effective managers learn to notice these early signals and respond before they turn into larger problems.
Why these early signals are so easy to miss
There are a few reasons these signals often go unnoticed.
First, most managers naturally focus on outputs and deliverables. It’s very easy to focus on tangible things such as:
- Deadlines.
- Project milestones.
- Client expectations.
- Work quality.
If someone is still delivering the work, it’s easy to assume everything is fine.
But good people often continue delivering – at least for a while – even when they’re struggling. Top performers know how to push through and get things done.
The second reason is that most people don’t openly say they’re struggling. They find themselves in a position where they:
- They may want to solve the problem themselves.
- They may worry about appearing incapable.
- They may not want to add pressure to you as their manager.
- Or they may simply assume the situation will improve and sort itself out.
So instead of explicitly raising the issue, the struggle shows up indirectly.
Finally, as mentioned above, it’s important to remember that behaviour usually changes before performance does.
When someone is overwhelmed, uncertain, or losing confidence, the first signals tend to appear in their behaviours – not in their results.
If you know what to look for, those signals can act like an early warning system for you.
The quiet signals to look for
I should say up front that none of these signals automatically mean that something is wrong. Remember that everyone (including you!) has bad days, fluctuations in energy, stuff going on outside of work etc.
The key is to try and notice patterns of consistent changes which may indicate that a real problem is occurring.
Changing in communication
One of the earliest signals often appears in how someone communicates. This also tends to be easier to spot because you have a baseline for how someone communicates when things are all going well.
You may notice changes such as:
- Someone who previously contributed regularly in meetings may become quieter.
- They may respond more slowly to messages or emails.
- They may stop proactively sharing ideas or updates.
In some cases, they may start avoiding conversations they would normally engage in.
Communication shifts often reflect changes in confidence, clarity, or headspace.
Someone who feels overloaded or uncertain may naturally speak up less. They simply may not feel like they have the energy. Which brings us onto the next signal.
Changes in energy or engagement
Sometimes the change isn’t what someone says, it’s how they show up.
You might notice:
- Less enthusiasm during discussions.
- Reduced curiosity or initiative.
- Lower engagement in team conversations.
- A sense that someone is “just getting through the work”
This doesn’t necessarily mean disengagement. Often it means someone is tired, overwhelmed, or unsure of themselves.
Energy is often one of the earliest indicators that something has changed.
Small shifts in reliability
Another signal can appear in small changes to work patterns. Again, this is quite a tangible one to spot because you have a benchmark and expectation already set for how reliable someone is. So noticing a change is a bit easier.
Someone who was previously very consistent might start doing things like:
- Missing small details.
- Taking longer to complete straightforward tasks.
- Hesitating on decisions they used to make easily (or keeping decisions to themselves instead of delegating).
- Asking for more reassurance than usual.
These changes can indicate someone is working harder than usual just to keep up.
They’re still delivering – but with more effort and far less confidence.
Withdrawal from the team
Another signal that’s easy to overlook is quiet withdrawal.
Keep an eye out for behaviours that look like:
- Participating less in informal conversations.
- Skipping optional meetings or discussions that they can add value to.
- Appearing more isolated, particularly in hybrid or remote environments.
Again, withdrawal doesn’t always mean disengagement.
But it can signal stress, burnout, uncertainty, or simply someone feeling disconnected from the team.
Understanding what might be behind these signals
The most important thing to remember is this:
Signals are not diagnoses. Don’t jump to conclusions.
A behavioural change doesn’t automatically mean someone is underperforming or disengaged.
There are many possible explanations.
Here are just a few:
- Increased workload pressure.
- Unclear expectations.
- A loss of confidence.
- Challenges outside work.
- Conflict with a colleague.
- Feeling overlooked or undervalued.
- Early signs of burnout.
As a manager, your role isn’t to immediately interpret the cause. Your role is to spot that there may be a problem, then remain curious to try and understand more.
Sometimes, someone may confide in you that something is going on that is affecting their performance at work and it could be one of the reasons above. If it’s a non-work reason, then there is only so much you can do, but at least you know what’s going on.
Although on this, I’d encourage you to remember boundaries with non-work issues.
What managers can do when they notice the signals
Responding to these signals doesn’t require a dramatic intervention.
Instead, it can start with a simple check-in. This can be during one of your regular one-to-one meetings, an ad-hoc chat or just having a stroll and a chat.
Start with observation, not judgment
Rather than assuming the cause, begin by describing what you’ve noticed.
For example:
“I’ve noticed you’ve seemed a bit quieter in meetings recently, so I wanted to check in and see how things are going.”
This keeps the conversation open rather than confrontational.
Be curious
Once the conversation starts, curiosity is far more effective than assumptions.
Questions like these can open things up and get them to share what’s on their mind:
- “How are things feeling at the moment?”
- “Is anything making the work harder than it should be?”
- “What would help right now?”
These questions signal that the conversation is about support, not judgment.
And often, once someone feels safe enough to talk, the situation becomes much clearer.
Offer support before solutions
I’ve made this mistake in the past and it’s something that I still struggle with sometimes.
My instinct is to leap directly to problem solving mode and talk about how to fix things. But not every situation requires a complex fix.
Sometimes the most helpful support is simply:
- Helping someone prioritise.
- Clarifying expectations.
- Temporarily adjusting workload.
- Offering reassurance or coaching.
- Listening without immediately trying to solve the issue.
Often people don’t need dramatic changes.
They just need space to reset.
I can summarise a lot of this by stating one leadership skill that is simple, quiet and powerful:
Noticing.
Noticing when someone who is usually engaged becomes quieter.
Noticing when energy changes.
Noticing when a small shift in behaviour might mean something more.
Because performance problems rarely appear overnight.
They grow quietly, over time – until someone pays attention.
And often, that someone is you – if you notice.
