How Avoiding Tough Conversations is Costing Your Business—and What to Do Instead

For many experienced leaders, the hardest part of managing a team isn’t setting the vision or sharing the strategy—it’s addressing the gaps in performance that quietly threaten to unravel it all.

These aren’t the glamorous moments of leadership. They’re the moments when you notice someone on your team falling short. Maybe their standards have slipped, or their mistakes are holding the business back.

You feel the pull to address it, but hesitation creeps in:

• “What if I make things worse?”
• “What if I lose their trust—or them altogether?”
• “What if this conversation creates tension across the team?”

So, you delay. And you hope the issue resolves itself.

But deep down, you know that silence has its own cost.

The Hidden Cost of Avoidance

Avoiding underperformance doesn’t just affect one person. It creates ripples that spread across your entire team, your culture, and ultimately, your results.

1. It Sends the Wrong Message to High Performers - Your best people are watching. They see when standards aren’t enforced and when others get away with doing less. Over time, their motivation dwindles. Why go above and beyond when it feels like “no one else has to?”
2. It Normalises Mediocrity - Every time underperformance is left unaddressed, it chips away at your culture and normalises subpar standards. Expectations start to feel more like suggestions. And when accountability fades, so does ambition.
3. It Costs You Precious Time and Energy - Leaders often end up compensating for underperformers—rewriting reports, fixing errors, or picking up slack. These might feel like quick fixes, but they pull you away from focusing on growth, strategy, and the bigger picture.

Why Experienced Leaders Still Hesitate

It’s easy to assume that leaders avoid tough conversations because they lack the courage or skills to have them. But that’s rarely the case.

The leaders I work with are often incredibly accomplished—CEOs, MDs, founders who’ve built thriving businesses. They’re no strangers to pressure or tough decisions. Yet when it comes to addressing underperformance, they hesitate.

So why is that?

1. Relationships Matter to Them - Great leaders care deeply about their people. They understand that trust takes years to build and seconds to damage. The fear of saying the wrong thing—and losing that connection—can be paralysing.
2. They’ve Seen These Conversations Go Wrong - Perhaps you’ve had a well-intentioned conversation backfire. Instead of inspiring change, it caused resentment or defensiveness. That memory lingers, making you tread cautiously the next time.
3. The Stakes Feel High - For leaders in growing businesses, every team member counts. Losing even one person—especially someone with potential and experience—can feel like a step back.

The Opportunity in Tough Conversations

Here’s the perspective shift that changed the way I approach these situations: addressing underperformance isn’t about confrontation—it’s about partnership.

When done right, these conversations can:

• Reinforce trust: People don’t fear constructive feedback when they know it comes from a place of care and belief in their potential.
• Drive growth: Addressing issues gives individuals a chance to rise to the occasion and improve.
• Strengthen culture: Holding people accountable reminds your team that standards matter—and so does their contribution.

But it all depends on how you approach it.

It’s All About the Words You Use

Language is everything in these moments. The wrong words can create tension, defensiveness, and resistance. The right ones can open the door to understanding, collaboration, and positive change.

That’s why I’ve spent years refining my approach to these conversations—and why I’ve created a FREE guide to share the exact phrases that have worked for me and countless other leaders.

A Free Guide to Fix Underperformance (Without Criticism)

In this guide, you’ll find 7 proven phrases to:

? Reframe the conversation from blame to solutions.

? Inspire accountability while showing empathy and understanding.

? Turn awkward moments into opportunities for growth and trust-building.

These aren’t theoretical tips—they’re real-world phrases that have been tried and tested.

Why Now Is the Time to Take Action

If you’re delaying a conversation, you know you need to have, ask yourself: what’s the cost of doing nothing?

If you’re delaying a conversation, you know you need to have, ask yourself: what’s the cost of doing nothing?

Take the first step to transforming those difficult conversations into meaningful progress.

?? Download my FREE guide: "Top 7 Phrases to Fix Underperformance (Without Criticising)"

?? Click here to get your free copy: https://go.leannebridges.com/fix-underperformance

Your team—and your results—will thank you.

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