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by kappaloris 4144 days ago
Either you follow them more closely or let them go.

As a lead is your job to put them on the right track, so you should try to understand their way of thinking and weak points.

If even after trying hard you still can't get them to perform properly, let them go. It might be that they're too "scatterbrained" or that you weren't able to find the right way to approach them, but, either way, if you've been through, it doesn't really matter.

YMMV, but the point is: you're the one supposed to 'bend' more to make the collaboration work. If you can't, you still should try to solve the situation (for the sake of all parties involved, not only yours) by letting them go, having them reassigned, or something else.
3 comments
lifebeyondfife 4144 days ago
Saw this link on a previous HN thread: http://www.insead.edu/facultyresearch/research/doc.cfm?did=4...

I like how it describes the negatively reinforcing cycle of closer scrunity which results in worse performance etc. I'd also suggest personal coaching: don't tell your devs what to do, get them to realise what would be the most expedient method of proceeding (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GROW_model).

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madez 4144 days ago
There is a third option that is you leave.

It's arrogant and unfair to just consider the option to let them go if things in the end don't work. It might be that another lead could make things work.

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sosborn 4144 days ago
> It might be that another lead could make things work.

It might also be that another developer would get the work done. Unfortunately is it not easy to know which option is correct.

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pzs 4144 days ago
I agree. If I were you, I would try to understand why they behave as they do. They may be distracted because of reasons outside of work (such as an illness in the family, or a divorce lurking around the corner etc.). Or they may be overwhelmed with the complexity of the task and so they just try to do what they think they can instead of working straight towards the solution. After all, we are all people with ups and downs, and limitations of our own. The follow-up should depend on what you find.
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