Even the simplest responsibilities require skills. Skills differ from aptitudes in that they can be learned, up to the limits imposed by aptitude. If the answer is no, then it could be a skill problem. A person must understand the nature of the task, and what is expected. If this clear communication is lacking, no amount of skill or motivation will bring about effective performance.
Performance management is the common means for conveying understanding of the task.
The best way to assess an employee's understanding is to ask questions within a coaching environment. Effort This, and the next factor are motivational factors. These may be personal or related to the work environment. An employee may be putting in a limited amount of effort and therefore producing inferior results. To Persist Performance requires that effort be initiated and sustained over time.