What is an appropriate way to handle a team member who misses commitments?

• A. Discuss privately, understand blockers, adjust plan, offer support, escalate if necessary.
• B. Publicly blame them in team meeting and replace them.
• C. Ignore the issue and hope it improves.
• D. Set impossible deadlines to 'motivate' them.

Answer: (A)

When a team member misses a commitment, the best approach is to handle it with a private, supportive conversation to uncover blockers and find a practical path forward. Start by asking open questions to understand what prevented the commitment—was it a blocker from dependencies, an unclear requirement, competing priorities, or capacity issues? Listening carefully shows you value their perspective and helps you identify the real issue.

From there, work together to adjust the plan: revise deadlines if needed, reallocate tasks, or provide additional resources or guidance. Offering concrete support—clarifying expectations, providing required information, or connecting them with someone who can help—demonstrates you’re on their side and focused on the team’s success. If the situation requires broader coordination, escalate appropriately to keep stakeholders informed and ensure alignment, but do so in a way that preserves trust and accountability rather than blame.

Publicly blaming someone damages trust and morale and tends to reduce future performance. Ignoring the issue allows problems to grow and risks missing commitments down the line. Imposing impossible deadlines to “motivate” the team backfires, lowering quality and engagement. The constructive approach of privately addressing the miss, understanding blockers, and adjusting the plan with support is how to maintain progress and accountability.