The dilemma

The coast branch missed its number again this month, the third miss this quarter, and on the regional call the other managers went quiet the moment you named it. Head office has already said that if the region misses at review, staffing cuts land on the weakest stores first, so the coast numbers now sit on other people's jobs, not just yours. Marisol used to run the tightest store in the chain. Twice this month she has dropped off the call early with her camera off, saying only that something came up. The board review is in ten days.

Your options

1. Call her yourself, one to one, as the person who gave her the store, and ask what is really going on.
2. Shift the branch's biggest accounts to your strongest store, so the region's number is safe.
3. Set one clear rule for every manager: same targets, same reviews, no exceptions, starting now.