28 Motivational Deficits Ask yourself these five questions to determine if there is a motivational deficit: 1. Do you believe the employee really wants this job? 2. Does the job utilize the employee's skills, values, and interests? 3. Do you hold the employee accountable for meeting the goals and standards? 4. Do you provide regular effective feedback to recognize good performance or specific strategies to improve performance? 5. Do you notice a sudden drop in performance that was once moderate to high? Five pointers for assessing motivational deficits Consider whether the employee has demonstrated the appropriate skills in the past. Is this drop in performance situational (due to a specific problem or change) or a chronic problem that has a pattern of sporadic performance drops? The manager must assess the performance history to determine if it is a reactive or long-term problem.