Dear Bob ... I have a junior sys admin who is a nice person, but not exactly the sharpest tool in the box. She's also slow responding to requests, and not great about following up, seeing things through to the end. Futhermore, she's OK dealing with small-ish tasks, but for a larger project, if I don't give her very specific details on how to execute it, it tends to languish. How can I light a fire under her? - M Dear Bob …I have a junior sys admin who is a nice person, but not exactly the sharpest tool in the box. She’s also slow responding to requests, and not great about following up, seeing things through to the end. Futhermore, she’s OK dealing with small-ish tasks, but for a larger project, if I don’t give her very specific details on how to execute it, it tends to languish. How can I light a fire under her?– Matchless Dear Matchless …Before I answer, a question: Does she pass the 70% test? That is, as things now stand does she provide enough value to the company to cover her salary plus 70%? (For details, see an old Survival Guide column, The 70% Solution.)Why is this important? Hold that question. How do you light a fire under her? Tell her what you told me, other than the “not the sharpest tool” phrase. She needs to know that she isn’t learning her job as quickly as she should, she doesn’t produce as much work as she should, she doesn’t follow up reliably, and so on.If she passes the 70% test, finish with this: “As a junior systems administrator your work is acceptable, although barely – you need to start maintaining a to-do list, so you don’t lose track of your assignments. If you want to progress at all, though, it should be clear what you need to do differently. If it isn’t, let me know what isn’t clear so we’re both on the same page.”If she doesn’t pass the 70% test, finish this way: “Your work isn’t acceptable, even as a junior systems administrator. If you want to keep your job, it should be clear what you need to do differently. If it isn’t, let me know what isn’t clear so we’re both on the same page.” Either way, end with this: “I’m confident that if you choose to succeed you’re fully capable of doing so. My job is to make sure you understand what it means to succeed, and to give you the opportunity. Your job is to take advantage of it.”And if you aren’t confident of her ability to succeed, say it anyway. It’s the difference between eliminating your ability to communicate in the future and encouraging the employee to consider you her ally.It’s the right thing to do – another example of the superior moral value of falsehood. – Bob Technology Industry