The Game.
In 2008, Pep Guardiola took over Barcelona.
He wasn't the obvious choice - He'd never managed at the top level. He had no track record.
One of his first decisions shocked everyone. He told Ronaldinho, the best player in the world just two years earlier, that he was no longer part of the plan.
Why? Ronaldinho was still talented?
But Guardiola saw something else. Ronaldinho's discipline had slipped. He was arriving late to training, his focus had drifted and crucially, younger players were watching.
If Guardiola kept Ronaldinho despite the declining standards, he'd be sending a message to the entire squad: the rules don't apply to everyone.
So he made the call. Ronaldinho left.
The culture shifted immediately.
Guardiola didn't need to give a speech about professionalism, he showed them. The standard applied to everyone, no exceptions, and the team responded.
That season, Barcelona won the treble - La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. The football was extraordinary. But it started with a decision about culture, not tactics.
Your team doesn't listen to what you say. They watch what you tolerate, and they become a reflection of it.
The Analysis.
In business, leaders constantly complain about their teams. They're not accountable enough, they're not hungry enough, they're not performing at the level required.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: your team is a reflection of you.
If your team lacks accountability, look at what you tolerate.
If they're not executing with urgency, look at how you operate.
If they're cutting corners, look at the standards you've set and whether you actually enforce them.
Ray Dalio writes in ‘Principles’:
"The biggest mistake most people make is not seeing themselves and others objectively."
Most leaders blame their teams for problems they've created by tolerating mediocrity.
The best leaders don't just set the standard - they enforce it.
It’s consistent, without exception, even when it's uncomfortable and even when it costs the team a ‘star player’ or a ‘top-performer’.
What you tolerate becomes your culture.
Jim Collins talks about this in ‘Good to Great’:
“Getting the right people on the bus matters, but so does getting the wrong people off. If someone isn't aligned with your standard, keeping them sends a message that the standard doesn't really matter”
Your team is watching you. They're not listening to your all-hands speech about accountability, they're watching whether you hold people accountable.
They're not inspired by your talk about urgency, they're observing whether you operate with urgency yourself.
If you're frustrated with your team's performance, the answer is in what you're tolerating.
The Reflection.
What are you tolerating in your business that's creating the culture you're complaining about?
Best,
Daniel Holloway
Founder, Sport of Business
P.S. Know someone building a business who thinks like an athlete? Forward this to them. The best performances are by those who understand the game.