Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] When a few people in your team keep bending the rules, it's tempting to send a group email and set the record straight. But here's the truth. When you send a broad message to fix a specific problem, you often make the good people feel bad and the right people don't get the message at all. You're listening to why your business isn't growing and how to fix it, the Business Growth podcast for small business owners and SME leaders who want to scale, lift team performance and Sharpen leadership without 60 hour weeks.
[00:00:30] I had a session recently with a new SME leader who's been getting frustrated with some of his team members.
[00:00:36] In his team, one worker is rostered to take clients off site to events and outings. But lately other workers have been tagging along even when they weren't rostered or needed.
[00:00:47] After seeing this happen a few times, the leader decided to send a group email reminding everyone that only rostered workers should go off site.
[00:00:55] Now, he meant well. He wanted to be clear, consistent and fair. But here's the problem. When you address everyone to fix an issue that only applies to a few, your message usually lands flat.
[00:01:08] And this is what I call the broad brush problem.
[00:01:11] It's when leaders try to correct behavior by painting everyone with the same brush instead of having the direct one on one conversation with the few people who need it most.
[00:01:21] Now, the intention's good. You want to avoid confrontation, keep the peace and make sure everyone gets the message. But the impact is the opposite.
[00:01:31] The people doing the right thing feel like they're being told off. The people doing the wrong thing think he's not talking about me and the leader still hasn't fixed the real issue.
[00:01:42] It's one of those situations where as a leader, when you see something, you should say something directly and individually.
[00:01:50] Great leadership isn't about broadcasting clarity, it's about targeting accountability.
[00:01:56] And that means when behavior needs to change. Your first move should be a private, direct conversation with the people involved. And here's why. Firstly, it builds respect.
[00:02:07] When you talk one on one, you're showing the person you care enough to have a genuine conversation, not just hide behind a group email.
[00:02:15] Second, it builds clarity. You can explain exactly what needs to change, why it matters, and by when there's no mixed messages. And third, it builds consistency.
[00:02:27] You create a clear standard of behaviour for the future and the rest of the team sees that accountability isn't optional.
[00:02:34] And here's the key point. You can't build team trust by avoiding individual discomfort. It doesn't matter what size team you lead five, 10 or 50 people. You'll constantly find moments like this. Moments where it's easier to send the message to everyone, but more effective to have the conversation with one or two. Now, when I was talking with the new leader, he said something interesting. I didn't want to single anyone out. I just wanted to make sure everyone knew the rules. Now I get it. That's a common feeling, especially for new leaders who are still finding their voice. But the real leadership growth happens when you realize that clarity beats comfort. It's not about singling people out, it's about helping them succeed by giving them direct, honest feedback that helps them improve.
[00:03:21] Avoiding that conversation might feel easier in the moment, but it quietly erodes trust, respect and performance. And in the small business, those three things are your foundation for growth.
[00:03:35] Now here's three takeaways for you to use if the situation comes up.
[00:03:39] First, don't paint the whole team with the same brush. When the problem lives with one or two people, address it with the one or two people.
[00:03:48] Second, you see something, you say something directly. Conversations fix behaviour and emails rarely do. And third, choose clarity over comfort.
[00:03:59] Leadership is built on consistent, honest communication, not mass messages. And if you find yourself in similar situations where small issues keep popping up and you're not sure how to address them without losing morale, well, that's exactly what we help leaders master inside the High Impact Leader Club. It's where SME owners and leaders learn the simple leadership rhythms and communication habits that build self managing teams. The kind that perform without you needing to chase, remind or resend another email. You'll get practical frameworks, tools and support from a community of leaders who are growing their businesses through their people. So if you're ready to lead with clarity and confidence, head to LeaderByDesign Au Club and join the High Impact Leader club. Today you've been listening to why your business isn't growing and how to fix it. The Business growth podcast for SME owners and leaders who want to grow their business through better leadership, stronger teams and scalable systems. If today's episode helped you see how clear, direct conversations drive stronger performance and trust, follow the show, share it with a fellow business owner and keep building a team that thrives on accountability and not assumptions. Because success that scales is built by design. Grow yourself, grow your team, grow your business. Now go lead with impact.
