A short spoken leadership lesson by Donald Burns urging leaders to address underperforming or harmful team members rather than avoid difficult decisions. Burns argues that failing to act breeds a toxic, selfish workplace culture, erodes trust and respect, and that true leadership requires facing fear and taking action.
If you're honest, you probably have at least one person on your team that you should let go of. Your team knows it too. But by not stepping up and being the true leader, you create a tidal wave of negativity that runs through your culture. The culture becomes toxic and selfish with every person looking out for their own well being. Toxic cultures just suck. No one wants to be there. The team is constantly fighting amongst themselves. It's because you're afraid. And that fear has you paralyzed from taking action. Being a leader means making tough decisions. It means facing the fear and taking action in spite of that fear. See, when you fail to act as a leader, you lose trust and respect from your team.
If your restaurant only works because you work 80 hours a week, it doesn't work.
