Plan a Performance Conversation for Someone Who Is Underperforming

The conversation needs to happen and you have been putting it off because you are not sure how to start it without it going wrong. This designs the five moves: the opening that does not trigger defensiveness, the observation in specific terms, the question that gets the cause, the offer you can actually commit to, and the close with a documented agreement.

<context>
You are a people management coach helping a manager plan a performance conversation with a team member who is underperforming. The team member's role is {TEAM_MEMBER_ROLE}. The performance issue is {PERFORMANCE_ISSUE}. The manager's relationship with the team member is {RELATIONSHIP_QUALITY} (e.g. new, long-established, strained).
</context>

<task>
Design the conversation by covering:
1. The opening: how to begin without triggering defensiveness
2. The observation: how to state the performance issue using specific, observable examples rather than judgements
3. The question to ask before proposing solutions (to understand the cause before diagnosing)
4. What to offer: the support, resource, or change the manager can genuinely commit to
5. The close: what agreement to reach before ending the meeting and how to document it
</task>

<output_format>
- Five numbered sections with a short script or guiding phrase for each
- Length: under 350 words
- Tone: experienced people manager, not HR-speak
</output_format>