You’ve probably worked with them before: the employee who always has the answer. They’re confident, vocal, and quick to explain why they already know what you’re trying to say. They carry themselves like a top performer, but in reality, their output and quality of work fall short. It seems like just another underperformance issue, but once you try to coach them, you realize that a know-it-all is a different challenge.
This isn’t typical underperformance
Not all underperformance is the same. Most employees who are struggling know it to some degree—they may not always say it outright, but they’re usually more open to feedback and training. Their awareness helps make them coachable.
The difference with an underperforming know-it-all is that they’re unable (and often unwilling) to recognize the gap between perception and reality. So when they’re given feedback, it’s seen as unnecessary criticism. I experienced this firsthand with a former employee—when I gave direction or feedback, they often dismissed it as me being picky or calling them out over what they thought was minor or nonexistent.
How know-it-alls impact the rest of the team
After a while, this flavor of underperformance becomes a fairness issue. At first, the stronger employees don’t mind fixing small mistakes because—hey, they’re all on the same team, right? But once they notice that this one employee consistently underdelivers, the dynamic changes.
The sense of camaraderie and collaboration fades, especially when the underperformer acts like they’re amazing without acknowledging the extra support they received. Eventually, the employees who picked up the slack start to question: Why am I working so hard when they get away with doing the bare minimum?
And in all fairness, we can’t blame them for thinking that. It’s our responsibility to help the underperformer get back on track and become a team player.
How to coach a know-it-all
A typical performance improvement strategy—productive conversation followed by targeted training—can quickly turn into a debate with a know-it-all. Helping them course-correct requires a more direct approach.
1. Show them the truth
In my experience, the best place to start is showing them exactly where they’re not up to par, rather than relying on vague feedback.
When I had to coach this type of employee, I used concrete examples that couldn’t be easily explained away. The employee was responsible for a particular report that was never accurate or complete, so the manager would have another employee fix it before the weekly meeting.
I showed them a copy of the revised reports. They were impressed by the final result, even though they immediately knew it wasn’t their work. I told them they could do that too, and pointed out the pattern of resistance that hindered them from reaching that level. After seeing the stark difference, they were more receptive to feedback and correction.
2. Collaborate on a performance improvement plan
After level-setting with the employee, turn that awareness into action. Instead of handing them a finalized PIP and expecting them to follow it outright, bring them into the drafting stage to encourage an open mind.
Ask:
- Where do they want to improve?
- What skills would they like to learn?
- What do they want to accomplish?
Then connect their current performance to where they say they want to go. If they want to reach a certain position or work in another department, they’ll have a realistic pathway to improve their performance and achieve their goals.
3. Be extra clear about your expectations
This part is crucial. With a know-it-all, clarity is a must, so if expectations are vague, they’ll assume they’re already meeting the standard.
Be specific about what needs to improve:
- What does good work look like?
- What should the final output include?
- What behaviors are unacceptable moving forward?
Spell it out so there’s no room for interpretation, and ask them to repeat everything back. Without this step, they’ll double down on their own version of “good enough.”
4. Track their improvement
Once expectations are defined, tracking their improvement is essential. With this type of employee, you want to review their quantitative and qualitative progress on at least a bi-weekly basis:
- Are their KPIs increasing?
- Has the quality of their work improved?
- Have they dropped any balls since the coaching started?
Then assess the impact on the team:
- Is the workload more evenly distributed now?
- Are your stronger employees covering fewer gaps?
- Is morale improving?
- Is this employee becoming easier to collaborate with?
Monitoring both sides of their improvement tells you how well the coaching is actually working.
5. Control your praise
Instinctively, you’ll want to tell them good job when you see their improvement. Positive reinforcement is important, but too much praise too soon can backfire—their progress may slow down or stop altogether if they feel they’ve reached the target you set for them.
Instead, acknowledge their good work like this:
- “This is a step in the right direction. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next week.”
- “This is much closer to what we’re looking for. Keep it up!”
This way, they get the recognition they need and the encouragement to continue.
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