It might be uncomfortable to reprimand a team member in front the rest of your team. We don’t like being told that we are not great, especially when it comes to our colleagues. You have the responsibility to inform your team members if they aren’t living up to their expectations.
“If we don’t discipline ourselves, then the world will do it to us.” – William Feather
If a member of your team is not up to it, it’s a good idea to have a private discussion. You want to make sure they are okay and that you are comfortable talking about the issue in private. You can express your concerns in private and allow your team member to respond. If, for example, a member of your team misses a deadline during a status meeting, you can ask him or her to explain. Do not ignore it. Ask the team member for a brief explanation. Then, ask for a commitment to a different date. If the new date is not feasible, tell them. After the meeting, follow-up and check in are done. If he or she is on a virtual call, stop by and ask if everything is okay. Ask if there are any obstacles that prevent the completion of his/her work. Most people will understand.
You might be more assertive if the team member is letting you down again. Perhaps you mention that this is the second time he or she has been late. You might ask for a new date. Also, make it a point to say that you will be following up with him/her later for further discussion. This will show that you aren’t ignoring the situation. This is similar to when you were in elementary school and knew that someone was being called to principal’s office. This approach should be fair and cautious. If you know that your team member is in a difficult situation, or a situation that he/she wishes to keep private then you need to temper your words. While you don’t want to make your team feel like you are beating them, you also don’t want them to feel that it is okay to miss deadlines. You might not be able to mention how many times a team member has been late but you should mention that you will speak later.
If you believe that a team member has been disrespectful to you or another member of your team, there is a situation in which you should provide a firm response. This behavior should be stopped immediately. While you don’t have to be harsh or mean, you should be firm. You want your team to see that you stand up to them and you stand up to yourself.