The Hidden Cost

The Hidden Cost of Avoiding Hard Decisions

A client recently shared a story that might sound familiar. They had a long-term manager – positive, enthusiastic, always saying the right things in meetings. The relationship was good, which made it easy to overlook the growing gap between words and actions.

Trust was slowly eroding. Accountability slipped. Customer service standards dropped. But those crucial conversations never happened because the manager’s infectious optimism and the comfort of hearing what they wanted to hear masked deeper issues.

It wasn’t until the manager moved on and a new leader stepped in that the real impact became clear. The previous leadership vacuum had created a toxic culture, poor cost control, and stalled staff development.

The true cost? Far more than just financial losses. The business had developed:
– A culture where accountability was optional
– Staff who had missed out on training and development
– Systems and standards that had quietly deteriorated
– Most critically, customers had started to notice the slip

This last point is particularly damaging. By the time customers notice declining standards, you’ve already lost ground. Some will quietly stop visiting. Others will share their disappointment with friends or leave reviews. Rebuilding that trust takes significantly more effort than maintaining it.

When we dig into why business owners delay these decisions, it often comes down to:
– Prioritising harmony over honesty
– Hoping issues will resolve themselves
– Fear of confrontation or conflict
– Concern about finding replacements

Early Warning Signs

The red flags are often subtle at first:
– Team members start working around the manager rather than through them
– Negative comments from staff start reaching your ears more frequently – not isolated grumbles, but a pattern of concerns
– Standards become negotiable – “just this once” becomes the norm
– Simple tasks need constant follow-up
– Excuses replace solutions
– Customer feedback shifts from specific issues to general dissatisfaction

The biggest warning sign? When you find yourself having the same conversation repeatedly with no real change.

The “whisper network” of staff concerns is particularly telling. While you can’t act on every complaint, when multiple team members start finding ways to let you know things aren’t right, it’s time to pay attention. These conversations often start with “I don’t want to cause trouble, but…” or “Maybe it’s just me, but…”

Practical Approaches

1. Document the Gap
Create a clear record of what was agreed versus what happened. This makes it harder to dismiss patterns of behaviour as one-off incidents.

2. Address Issues in Real Time
Don’t wait for performance reviews to raise concerns. A quick “Can you help me understand what happened here?” is more effective than storing up examples.

3. Get Specific
Instead of general feedback like “standards are slipping,” focus on specific instances: “The bar wasn’t fully stocked before service yesterday, which meant customers waited longer for drinks.”

4. Set Clear Expectations
After each conversation, confirm:
– What needs to change
– By when
– How it will be measured
– When you’ll review progress

5. Follow Through
If nothing changes after these conversations, be prepared to make difficult decisions. The longer you wait, the more your business, team and customers suffer.

Remember: Having these conversations early isn’t about being harsh – it’s about being fair to everyone involved, including the manager. Clear expectations and honest feedback give people the opportunity to improve or recognise that the role isn’t right for them.

Building a Resilient Business

The hardest leadership moments aren’t usually the obvious crises – they’re the quiet decisions we delay. Every day you avoid addressing an issue, you’re actually making a choice: a choice to accept declining standards, to let problems grow, to allow your team and customers to become increasingly frustrated.

My client’s story had a positive ending. Their new manager quickly showed what was possible with clear leadership and consistent standards. But they lost months of momentum and some great team members along the way.

The strength of your business isn’t measured by the absence of problems – it’s measured by how quickly you spot them, address them, and learn from them.

Sometimes the kindest thing you can do – for your business, your team, and even the manager involved – is to have that difficult conversation sooner rather than later.