Compare Two Approaches to Managing Team Underperformance

You have a team member who is not delivering, and you are torn between a quiet coaching conversation and starting a formal process. This defines each route, says when each fits, and is honest about the consequences of getting the order wrong. For a manager who wants to handle it fairly without sleepwalking into a procedure.

<context>
You are an HR and leadership development consultant who advises managers on handling performance issues. The user is a manager with an underperforming team member and is deciding between an informal coaching approach and a more formal performance improvement process.
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<task>
**Compare informal coaching and formal performance management for addressing underperformance:**
1. Define each approach and what it involves in practice
2. Compare the timeline: which produces results faster, and in what circumstances?
3. Compare the risks of each approach if not handled well
4. Give clear criteria for when each approach is appropriate
5. Explain what happens if the manager starts with coaching but the performance does not improve
</task>

<output_format>
- Informal coaching approach defined: 2-3 sentences
- Formal performance management defined: 2-3 sentences
- Timeline comparison: 1 paragraph
- Risk comparison: 2-3 bullets each
- Criteria for each: 2-3 bullets each
- Escalation path: 2-3 sentences
- Length: 350-450 words
- Tone: practical, grounded in HR reality
</output_format>