Love Them Enough

As leaders, have you ever been guilty of making excuses for poor performance because “he/she is a really good person?” Is this person still employed on your team or within your organization? If yes, what’s the plan?

The quote in the picture above resonates with me deeply as a leader. When we turn our backs on consistent red flags or performance weaknesses, we send a clear message to the rest of our team that what we espouse to believe and expect within our organization really doesn’t matter. It sends the message that there are some members of the team that will never be held to the same standards as others. Most importantly, it is the number one way to DESTROY workplace culture.

We have all seen and experienced it- the one down the hall that refuses to implement a new practice, the one who casually strolls in 10 minutes late every day, the one who misuses their power and “tenure” to halt innovation, and the one who passively engages while others around them vulnerably take the risks to bring forward the dream.

Upon hire into a leadership position, we, as leaders, no longer get the luxury of pretending not to see and feel the effects of poor performance, lack of engagement and commitment, or disrespect. We are morally obligated to respond, correct, support, and follow up. As leaders, we are called to LOVE our people enough to address misalignment with the company’s vision and expectations. Better yet, we have a moral responsibility to LOVE all those we serve by proactively acting on this misalignment.

When we knowingly ignore red flags and performance concerns, all the work we poured into establishing a shared vision and beliefs, is undone and undermined. People notice this ignoring and become resentful of their time, commitment, and sacrifices made to contribute to bringing the organization’s vision to life. Two things happen next- 1.) They become less committed, less engaged, and become the next person you will need to address for misalignment. 2.) They leave your team. Both of these DESTROY culture, credibility, and momentum.

It is possible to be a good person and a low performer. As leaders, we can acknowledge their “goodness” while also addressing their lack of performance. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, let’s LOVE each other enough to hold each other accountable. Better yet, let’s love them so much that we CELEBRATE those who daily uphold and uplift the vision of the organization!

How do you celebrate those aligned and working towards the vision?

What are your plans for those who are not?