The Hidden Cost of Comfortable Managers: Why Avoiding Leadership Development is Killing Business Growth

Some managers and general managers (GMs) have been in a business for years. They know the business inside out, they keep operations running smoothly, and they’re often seen as high performers. But here’s the issue:

?? Too many of these managers stop investing in their own development—or worse, they half-commit to leadership programs, never fully following through—because they think they’re “too busy” or already “above it.” ??

This mindset is one of the biggest reasons businesses stagnate. It’s why turnover is high, why employees disengage, and why companies struggle to build high-performance cultures.

Here’s the reality:

?? If a leader thinks they don’t need to develop further, they’ve already stopped leading. ?? If a manager doesn’t follow through on their own leadership development, why would their team take growth seriously? ?? If they believe their team “doesn’t need it,” they are missing the biggest leadership opportunity—creating a high-performance culture that drives business growth.

The Leadership Comfort Zone: Why Businesses Get Stuck

?? They Avoid Personal Growth Because They Feel "Above It"

• Some managers believe they’ve already "made it"—they’ve been promoted, they’re respected, they’ve proven themselves.
• But leadership is not a one-time achievement; it’s an ongoing process.
• The moment a leader stops learning, they become outdated, ineffective, and a blocker to business growth.

?? They Don't Fully Commit to Their Own Development

• Some managers sign up for leadership programs but don’t apply the learning—they attend workshops, listen to coaching, but never change how they lead.
• These managers tell their teams, "You should grow," while leading by example in the opposite direction.
• This creates a culture of inaction, where development is talked about but never truly embraced.

?? They Avoid Performance Conversations

• If a manager says, “I don’t want to force my team into training,” what they’re actually saying is:“I don’t want to have difficult performance conversations.”“I don’t want to challenge my team because it’s easier to maintain the status quo.”“I’d rather let my team stay where they are, even if that means they are underperforming.”

?? They Fear Their Team Will Be “Exposed”

• Many employees resist further development because they know it will shine a light on behaviours, attitudes, and habits they have been covering up for years.
• Leadership development reveals gaps—and some managers and employees are more comfortable avoiding those conversations than addressing them.

?? This isn’t leadership. This is passive management. ??

The Financial Reality: What Comfortable Managers Are Missing

?? Every disengaged employee costs the business.

• Employees who are not actively developed are 20-30% less productive—a direct hit to profitability.
• Poor leadership leads to slow decision-making, internal conflict, and a lack of accountability.

?? Turnover is more expensive than development.

• High performers leave when they aren’t challenged.
• Every key employee lost costs 1.5 to 2x their salary in hiring, training, and lost productivity.

?? Leadership development is an investment, not a cost.

• A 5% increase in leadership capability can drive up to a 25% increase in productivity and efficiency.
• Strong leadership leads to faster execution, better decision-making, and increased revenue opportunities.

How Engine Room’s Change Agent & Change Leader Programs Break the Cycle

The Change Agent & Change Leader Programs at Engine Room Business Innovation are designed to challenge both managers and their teams to break out of stagnation and build a high-performance leadership culture.

? Half-Day, High-Impact Face-to-Face Workshops – No fluff, practical strategies that shift thinking and drive execution.

? Coaching & Virtual Coaching Sessions – Keeps managers accountable and ensures they actually implement leadership changes that drive business performance.

? AI-Powered Tools to Improve Leadership Decision-Making – Provides real insights into leadership blind spots and helps managers track their team’s growth.

? Short, High-Impact Virtual Workshops (1 to 1.5 Hours) – Ensures constant reinforcement so new leadership habits stick.

? Online Learning Modules for Continuous Growth – Leadership development is not a one-time event. These modules keep growth ongoing and embed leadership behaviours into daily business operations.

The Biggest Leadership Mistake: Thinking Development is "Forced"

?? If managers and GMs aren’t pushing themselves, they won’t push their teams—and that’s when businesses start to decline.

?? If they don’t challenge their employees, they’ll either check out psychologically or leave, creating high turnover and lost productivity.

?? If leadership development is ignored, they are missing a massive financial opportunity to improve efficiency, reduce turnover, and scale the business.

The Question Every Business Owner & GM Needs to Ask:

? Are your managers too comfortable? ? Are they blocking their team from development because they don’t want to challenge them? ? Is your business quietly bleeding money because leadership has stalled? ? Are your key employees dictating how leadership development happens, instead of managers leading the charge? ? Are your leaders skipping their own development because they think they’re too busy or too senior to learn?

If the answer to any of these is yes, then it’s time to stop accepting the status quo and start investing in leadership that drives real financial impact.

The Change Agent & Change Leader Programs aren’t just training sessions—they are leadership transformation programs.

The choice is simple:

?? Stay comfortable and risk stagnation. ?? Or step up, challenge your team, and start leading for the future.

Which will it be?

www.engineroombi.com or contact Glenn Taylor - [email protected]