At some point in every business, you’re trying to get your team from where they are to somewhere they haven’t been before.
It might be growth.
It might be a process change.
It might be fixing something that isn’t working.
Whatever it is, the goal is the same:
You need your team to move forward.
Getting to the Other Side
Think about it this way.
You’ve got a team that needs to get to the other side of a river.
That’s the objective. That’s the mission.
You don’t need everyone to have all the answers.
You don’t need everyone to move at the same pace.
But you do need people who are willing to engage with the idea that getting to the other side is possible.
And this is where the difference starts to show up.
Two Very Different Approaches
There’s one person who says:
“We need to get to the other side. How do we do that?”
They:
- look for options
- ask questions
- talk to people who’ve done it before
- try things
- adjust when something doesn’t work
They don’t ignore the obstacles.
They don’t pretend it’s easy.
But they are focused on figuring it out.
Then there’s the other person.
They say:
“That’s not possible.”
And they don’t just say it once.
They:
- explain why it won’t work
- point out every obstacle
- reinforce every past failure
- question whether the goal even makes sense
And even when you give them:
- a plan
- a map
- tools
- support
They stay focused on why it can’t be done.
Where Leaders Get Stuck
Most business owners and managers recognize this dynamic.
Where they get stuck is what they do next.
Because the natural instinct is to try to bring that second person along.
“If I explain it better…”
“If I give them more support…”
“If I can just get them to see what I see…”
They invest more time.
More energy.
More attention.
And it doesn’t go to the people who are trying to figure it out.
It goes to the person who has already decided it can’t be done.
What This Actually Costs
This isn’t just frustrating.
It slows everything down.
Because while you’re trying to convince one person that the river can be crossed:
- your team is waiting
- momentum stalls
- energy shifts
- doubt starts to spread
And over time, that second person doesn’t just stay stuck.
They start influencing other people to stay stuck too.
The Shift That Needs to Happen
At some point, leadership requires a different decision.
Not a reactive one.
Not an emotional one.
A clear one.
You stop trying to convert resistance into commitment.
That doesn’t mean:
- they’re a bad person
- they don’t have strengths
- they couldn’t be successful somewhere else
It means:
They are not aligned with the direction your business needs to go.
And alignment matters.
When Someone Says They’re On Board—But Their Behavior Says Otherwise
This part isn’t always obvious at first.
Because not everyone who resists the mission says it out loud.
Some people will tell you:
“I’m on board.”
“I get it.”
“I’m good with this.”
But when you watch what they do, it tells a different story.
- progress doesn’t happen
- follow-through is inconsistent
- the same obstacles keep showing up
- energy goes into explaining why things aren’t working instead of finding a way forward
This is where it’s easy to stay stuck as a leader.
Because on the surface, they’re saying the right things.
You give it more time.
More support.
More explanation.
And sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed.
But at some point, you have enough information to recognize what’s really happening.
The Conversation That Comes Next
Before you make any decisions, this is where the hard conversation belongs.
Clear. Direct. Grounded.
Something along the lines of:
“This is the direction we’re going. This is what needs to happen.
I need you fully on board with moving us there.”
Not confrontational.
Not emotional.
Just clear.
This gives the person a real opportunity to:
- step into the expectation
- adjust how they’re showing up
- or be honest about where they stand
Because the goal isn’t to catch people failing.
It’s to give them a fair chance to align.
When It’s Still Not Working
If you’ve had the conversation…
you’ve clarified expectations…
you’ve given support…
and nothing changes…
That’s when a different decision becomes necessary.
Not because the person is a problem.
But because the misalignment is.
At that point, keeping them in the role doesn’t just hold them back.
It holds the entire team back.
What That Decision Really Means
Sometimes the right next step is to part ways.
Not quickly.
Not reactively.
Not because someone raised a concern or asked a hard question.
But because:
- the direction is clear
- the expectation has been communicated
- the opportunity to align has been given
- and the behavior hasn’t shifted
That’s not a failure of leadership.
That’s leadership making a decision.
Where Your Energy Actually Belongs
Your job isn’t to drag people across the river.
Your job is to:
- set the direction
- support the people who are willing to move
- remove obstacles where you can
- and make decisions when someone is consistently working against the mission
Because the people who are trying to figure it out?
They don’t need you to convince them it’s possible.
They need:
- clarity
- support
- and space to move
The Bottom Line
Every team has a mix of people.
Some are focused on figuring things out.
Some are focused on proving things won’t work.
You don’t need a perfect team.
But you do need a team that’s willing to move in the same direction.
And sometimes the most strategic decision you can make…
is recognizing where your energy is no longer well spent.
