Ever walked past a situation you later regretted?
Didn’t say something because you wanted to keep the peace?
Chose silence because it felt easier in the moment?
Have I ever.
And I’ve regretted every single one of them.
What I learned — sometimes the hard way — is that allowing sub-standard or below-values behaviour doesn’t just disappear. It quietly erodes what you’re trying to build.
The consequences of not having the conversation are almost always tougher than the conversation itself. But in the moment, I chose the easy way out.
Nipping things early can feel uncomfortable.
Having the conversation feels awkward.
Not saying anything feels… kinder.
But keeping people “happy” by avoiding tough conversations almost never works out — not for the company, not for the team, and not for you as a leader.
We’ve had a big realisation over the past couple of years.
Every time we avoided a tough conversation to keep the peace,
every time we walked past behaviour we shouldn’t have,
we unintentionally taught people what was acceptable.
And slowly, a sub-culture formed.
Not because anyone set out to do the wrong thing — but because standards weren’t being consistently reinforced. That misalignment came at the cost of what we were actually trying to achieve: true alignment within the team.
Alignment to our values.
CX Obsessed.
Better Together.
Makers Not Takers.
Change Agents.
All In.
The turning point came when we made a clear decision:
our values would be our North Star — not convenience, not comfort, and not conflict avoidance.
That meant harder conversations.
Earlier conversations.
Clearer expectations.
And the result?
We now have a team that’s genuinely aligned.
Dedicated to the cause.
A-players who are values-aligned and performing.
They’re ALL IN — and we couldn’t be happier. Because leadership isn’t about what you say.
It’s about what you tolerate.
And what you walk past…
is exactly what you teach.
