Several years ago, at a national convention filled with some of the sharpest minds in business leadership, I stood on stage ready to share an insight that had transformed how I approached team management. I clicked to the next slide, revealing a simple yet powerful quote: “The culture of an organization is shaped by the worst behavior tolerated.”
The response from the room was immediate — murmurs, nods, and a shift in energy that told me I had hit a nerve. This idea was not only relatable; it was painfully familiar. It sparked reflections on what leaders had been accepting in their businesses without realizing the long-term costs.
The High Price of Tolerance
Look around your business. Have you noticed the team member who shows up 10 minutes late every morning? Or the employee glued to their phone when they should be engaging with clients or assisting their peers? What about the individual who constantly shoots down new ideas and throws up roadblocks to progress? These might seem like isolated incidents, but they form the foundation of your company culture.
The problem becomes magnified when technically skilled employees exhibit poor behavior or attitude. The natural inclination is to keep them because of their expertise, thinking their technical contributions outweigh their shortcomings. But here’s the hard truth: allowing this behavior signals to everyone that subpar teamwork and a poor attitude are acceptable. Over time, this erodes team morale, setting a new, lower standard for what is deemed permissible.
The Real Gut Punch
In my experience, the worst consequence of tolerance isn’t just dealing with one difficult employee—it’s losing your best team members because of them. High performers won’t stick around in an environment where excellence isn’t the standard. They won’t tolerate mediocrity when they’re giving their all. Losing them is the real gut punch, and it’s often a direct result of leadership allowing poor behavior to persist.
Making the Change
Deciding to raise the bar means taking action, and that starts with you. When you realize behaviors have slipped below your standard, it’s time to correct course. There are countless strategies to address this, and volumes have been written about dealing with underperformance. The essential choice is whether to handle it publicly or privately.
I don’t advocate for public shaming. Instead, I believe in direct, respectful measures that reinforce expectations. For instance, if your lead assistant consistently shows up late, replace them for the day. This sends a clear, strong message that accountability matters. No apologies, just ownership.
More often, dealing with these matters privately is best. It typically starts with a verbal warning, escalates to a written notice, and, if necessary, ends in termination — all done with discretion. The real magic, however, lies in those one-on-one conversations where you aim for positive change. Approach these talks with clarity and respect, and you may inspire improvement that reinforces your standards rather than undermines them.
Time to Reflect
If you find your team underperforming and your business falling short of your vision, take a moment to examine the behaviors you’ve been tolerating. These tolerances may have subtly reset the standards of your practice. What you allow is what you promote, and what you promote becomes the reality of your business.
The choice to change it is yours — and it starts now.
