Read Time: 3 minutes.

Let me set the scene.

I stepped on stage in front of 350 business owners.
I was delivering the keynote conversation on Day 2.

I say conversation instead of talk because I like to have a back-and-forth with the audience. No one likes to be talked at.

The topic for our conversation:

Mistakes I Made Learning How To Lead a High-Performing Team

As business owners, everyone in that room had employees. They were undoubtedly managers by design. And many were leaders by mindset.

I started that conversation with a statistic that our readers will be familiar with:

60%

"This statistic applies to everyone in this room. Anyone care to guess?"

It took a few beats for everyone to realize I genuinely wanted a response, so I let the silence work for me.

But this last one made me pause. It got a strong mix of groans and laughs from the crowd.

This was a room of people who had won. They had businesses large enough to be invited. They believed spending 3 days with other successful business owner was worth their time.

Would they really want to work for someone else?

So I revealed that the 60% number was the number of managers who failed in 18 months. I shared that it had been confirmed in multiple studies by reputable companies. And then I hit them with the knockout blow: One of the studies that confirmed this statistic focused exclusively on CEOs.

Jab. Jab. Hook!

But I was still stuck on that comment about wishing someone else was in charge. And since we we're now talking, I decided to practice what I preach: I got curious.

"By a show of hands, how many of you are willing to do what it takes to lead a high-performing team?"

I expected 95% of hands to shoot straight up.
Instead, I got a reluctant 25%.

Uh oh.

I've got 58 more minutes to talk about the virtue of building something the majority of this room doesn't want.

I honestly appreciated their candor and self-awareness. It is much easier to win when you know what game you're playing.

And saying you want to lead a high-performing team is an idea that's easy to agree with intellectually but hard to commit to in reality.

Here are 8 questions I use with CEOs I coach to test for the truth:

High standards aren't about perfection—they're about progression. The moment you accept mediocrity is the moment you guarantee it.

Your team is watching. They notice:

Most importantly, they notice what you ignore. Because what you quietly tolerate becomes case law for your culture.

Control is a virtuous lie we tell ourselves. And the tighter we squeeze, the more our team shrinks.

True empowerment means:

Your expertise and execution got you here. Your ability to inspire and empower others will determine where you go next.

Pressure flows downhill unless someone stops it. That someone is you.

Being an emotional shock absorber means:

Your team needs you steady when everything else isn't.

Heroes win battles. Systems win wars.

Great systems:

Individual brilliance is seductive. But sustainable excellence comes from systems that work when you're not there.

The best leaders are the best learners. They know that comfort and growth rarely coexist.

Growth requires:

Your personal comfort zone becomes your team's upper growth limit.

Easy choices make weak leaders.

Making hard calls requires:

Delayed decisions don't get easier—they just get more expensive.

Great teams aren't found. They're built, one conversation at a time.

Real development means:

Your return on investment in people compounds over time.

Building excellence takes time. Lowering standards offers temporary relief but permanent regret.

Staying patient means:

Great leaders don't lower the bar. They build the ladder.

*****

Nothing says you have to lead a high-performing team. There are plenty of example of highly successful companies and teams that don’t operate this way.

The key to winning is knowing exactly what game you’re playing.
And adjusting your system to that reality.

Did you miss this week’s MGMT Minute?

📌 We focused on handling high performers who are tough to work with.

And here are our most popular posts last week:

Our goal is to build a community of 1 million thoughtful, curious leaders.

Your ♻️ reposts on any or all of the above are always appreciated.

Thank you for reading. Appreciate you!

Dave & Mar

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