1. Spend some time evaluating the good as well as the bad. Is this person worth trying to keep? It's rare for an employee to be pure poison. Start by carefully evaluating every pro and con this person brings to a job. Some people may have a killer work ethic but lack organization; others have great personal appeal but little drive. Breaking down the pluses and drawbacks not only gets to the root of the problem, it also highlights solid reasons to try to keep someone on board.

2. At the same time, know that some people absolutely must be fired. However unsettling it is to fire someone, know when the decision is out of your hands. An employee who's underperforming is one thing. Someone who's stealing, lying or immersed in conscious mischief can't be treated as a work in progress. Escort them to the exit as expediently as possible.

3. Pinpoint the problem employee's problem(s). If an employee warrants help, identify what's at fault, be it training, attitude or some other issue. Florence M. Stone, author of "The Manager's Question and Answer Book," suggests sitting down with an employee one-on-one and going into exhaustive detail. "Coach the person and review their performance carefully. Reinforce their good work, but find out where the lapses are."

4. Was the employee's skill set a bad match for the job to begin with? Often, subpar performance is simply a matter of appropriate job function. If an employee needs more or different skills, offer additional training. If another position is a better fit, consider a transfer. Consider if a particular position offers enough work. Business coach Joyce K. Reynolds notes that many jobs are simply not challenging enough for some. "They're like the troublemaking kids in school who only get into trouble because they're bored," she says.

5. Has the job changed? Nothing's more maddening than a formerly top-notch employee who inexplicably starts to slide toward the pink-slip chasm. Although the employee may indeed be at fault, check to see if the functions of the job have changed drastically enough to make the position an increasingly poor fit. "Upon closer inspection, you'll probably find that the requirements of the job changed in a manner that no longer makes the best use of the employee's key talents," says Joe Santana, co-author of "Manage I.T."

6. Look inward at yourself as a supervisor. Lack of motivation or poor attitude aren't always purely internal issues. If a worker's enthusiasm is circling the drain, don't overlook the possibility that your managerial skill may have helped to pull the plug. Perhaps you've been unduly critical or insufficiently supportive of an employee who needs every prop he can get. "You have to ask yourself if you're contributing to the problem," Stone says. "Are you micromanaging a talented employee who needs to be left alone?"

7. Explain a pass-over. This describes an employee who loses out on a promotion and, as a result, lets work and attitude slip south. Don't let the situation fester. "Explain why they were passed over," Stone says. "Let them know the specific reasons that led to the decision and, if need be, offer additional training that can fill some of those gaps."

8. Take them out of themselves. Creaky job performance that can tumble toward dismissal can often be reversed through close, ongoing contact — not just with a supervisor, but with other employees as well. If you think an employee warrants it, hook her up with a mentor to oversee her progress. Consider a variant on the idea by having the employee, in effect, serve as a mentor to someone else. "If the person has talent but isn't working out, pair her with a new hire to see if they can help develop that person," says consultant John Baldoni. "The point is not to spread disgruntlement, but to get the troubled employee to think outside of self as a way of helping someone else."

9. Above all, be blunt. It's critical to be as straightforward as possible. If things simply don't get better, it may be prudent to make an employee aware in the most diplomatic form possible that his future at the company is fading: "If you can point to evidence that his work is just not improving, you can always suggest that it's a good idea that he start looking for a new job somewhere else," Stone says. And if that doesn't prompt a serious change, it's time to get out the axe.