How To Find The Cause Of Performance Anxiety: 17 Tips For Managers

When employees consistently feel nervous about their performance, it can impact productivity, morale and long-term engagement. Whether the anxiety stems from unclear expectations, lack of support or fear of failure, managers must identify the root cause(s) and create an environment where their team feels valued and empowered.

Here,17 Forbes Coaches Council members offer their top strategies for uncovering and alleviating performance-related stressors among your team. Follow their advice to help your employees build trust, motivation and resilience.

1. Create A Culture Of Safety And Belonging.  It starts with creating an intentional culture of safety and belonging. If you have nurtured a culture with regularly scheduled one-on-ones where the team members have access to a mentor, and they can advance their skill and knowledge, perhaps there is a basic lack of transparency that is undermining trust. – Edward Doherty, One Degree Coaching, LLC
2. Determine Whether Your Goals Are Realistic.  The leader might want to check whether the direction and goals set are realistic and how much “bottom-up” input was included. They should also clarify the consequences of not meeting stretch targets. Management by fear, hire-fire and hero-to-zero leadership practices are very destructive to company performance and employee mental health. Focus on creating a high-performing and high-learning culture. – Isabelle Claus Teixeira, Business and Human Development Consulting Pte Ltd
3. Understand Your Team’s Values And Motivations.  The more a manager understands the intrinsic values and motivations of their team, the easier everything else follows. If there is nervousness around performance, the manager should work to understand the root cause as well as their overall desire for “next” (whatever that might be). The combination of these two pieces of information will be invaluable in supporting the development of their team. – Tami Chapek, WeInspireWe
4. Lead With Empathy And Open Communication.  Treating employees as family, with empathy and support, builds trust and boosts confidence, morale and drive. Managers can uncover the root cause of team members’ performance anxiety by fostering open communication through one-on-ones. Prioritizing emotional intelligence (EQ) over IQ, they should recognize achievements, provide clear expectations and offer coaching.
5. Help Employees Reframe Their Thoughts And Beliefs.  Emotions come from the thoughts you think and the beliefs you have, so feeling nervous is a byproduct of those things. Help them identify how they would like to feel and have them discuss and write down statements and thoughts that align more with the desired feeling. Ask them how they could practice those thoughts and desired feelings on a more consistent basis and, “Feel forward to who you want to be.”
6. Use ‘Confidence Mapping’ To Identify Hidden Triggers.  Create “Confidence Mapping Sessions”—one-on-ones where you trace the anxiety ripple effect backward. In many cases performer’s presentation jitters stemmed not from fear of public speaking, but from uncertainty around data interpretation. Built a “skill scaffolding” approach—micro-challenges that built mastery gradually. Remember, anxiety isn’t the problem; it’s the symptom.
7. Shift The Focus From Criticism To Growth.  Start with curiosity, not criticism. Ask open-ended questions to uncover fears and barriers. Often, lack of clarity or trust fuels nerves. Build confidence by setting clear expectations, celebrating wins and empowering them to take ownership. Confidence grows when leaders lead with support.

The others are:

Prioritize Recognition And Meaningful Feedback, 

Increase The Frequency Of Good Quality Feedback, 

Provide Clear Success Indicators And Growth Opportunities, 

Host Reflection Sessions To Identify Hidden Performance Stressors, 

Embrace The Role Of Manager-Coach, 

Connect With Your Team On A Personal Level, 

Encourage Leadership To Reflect On Their Own Impact, 

Use Anonymous Feedback To Uncover Workplace Stressors, 

Clarify Expectations And Provide Tailored Support, 

And Help Employees Challenge Assumptions And Reduce Self-Doubt.

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