During a review, the project manager finds that a formerly high-performing team member failed to complete their work on time. What should the project manager do?

The best first step is to talk directly with the team member. This allows the project manager to understand the root cause of the performance change, which could be personal issues, project-related challenges, or resource constraints. This approach is empathetic and aligns with effective team management, fostering trust and open communication. Speaking with the team member's manager or HR is premature and escalatory without first understanding the situation from the team member's perspective. Assigning less demanding tasks without understanding the problem might not address the core issue and could be perceived negatively by the team member.