It’s normal to underperform from time to time. After all, everyone has bad weeks — or even months. But don’t just sit back and wait for a painful performance review; be proactive and talk with your manager about what’s going on (before they have a chance to discover it on their own). Explain your view of things in straightforward, direct terms. Talk about whether your underperformance is a one-off situation or an ongoing trend, as well as whether external factors are involved. But don’t make excuses — take responsibility. It may be appropriate to express contrition, in which case a sincere “I’m sorry” goes a long way. And then segue into how you can make things right going forward. Focus on this last part — what you can do to correct the situation — to show that you’ve thought carefully about a solution. You can also ask your boss for their advice on next steps, which will show that you respect their opinion.
Adapted from "How to Talk to Your Boss When You’re Underperforming," by Rebecca Knight
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