If any of your IT staffers need to improve their performance, tackle the problem early on before the situation escalates. Few managers want to get to the point where they have to dismiss an employee.

"Many leaders are hesitant to deal with performance issues, so they send indirect messages and subtle signals, or simply avoid the situation hoping it will go away," says Jennifer Forgie, managing partner at OnPoint Consulting. OnPoint is a consultancy that specializes in organizational and leadership issues.

It’s not just about conducting annual performance appraisals, but providing coaching and feedback throughout the year and using performance management as a tool to manage the business. OnPoint offers the following advice for nipping poor performance in the bud:

* Let everyone know what good performance constitutes. In order to be able to pinpoint poor performance, you need to get very clear about what high performance looks like, and translate that into specific behaviors and outcomes.

* Clearly communicate your expectations. When you’re setting goals, state what meeting expectations looks like and what exceeding expectations looks like.

* Don’t let IT expertise, revenue production or customer satisfaction let a poor performer off the hook. You still have to take corrective action with a star whose behavior doesn’t mesh with company values.

* Don’t put it off. Confrontation can be difficult, but it’s the only way to prevent performance issues from snowballing.

* Celebrate small victories. Recognize progress towards improvement and all positive behavior.

Amy Schurr is the former managing features editor of Network World.