Be increasingly direct, but make sure they know that you'd rather help them improve, or work out what the problem may be, than have them out the door. It's a t

Be increasingly direct, but make sure they know that you'd rather help them improve, or work out what the problem may be, than have them out the door. It's a tough gig. Plan some kind of approach and run it by a friend or partner to see how it might come across from the outside.