The quickest way to mishandle a team issue is to assume you already know why it happened.
Someone shows up late, checks their phone, misses a responsibility, or gives you attitude, and your brain fills in the rest. They’re lazy. They don’t care. Maybe that story is right, but once you believe it, you stop getting curious and start looking for proof.
Before you have the accountability conversation:
- Separate behavior from interpretation
“She was on her phone” is a fact. “She doesn’t care” is a story. - Get curious before you correct
Ask what happened before you decide why it happened. You can still address the behavior without starting from judgment. - Make sure the standard was clear
Do not hold people accountable to expectations you never clearly explained.
Getting curious does not mean lowering your standards. It means making sure you are solving the real problem instead of the one you created in your head. Good leadership requires curiosity first, then clarity and accountability.
P.S. If you’re frustrated with your team and feel like you’re constantly dealing with the same people problems, that’s exactly the kind of thing we help practice owners work through. Book a strategy call with me, and let’s talk about what’s happening in your practice and what needs to change.
