No Drags Allowed

Part of the Results On Purpose process is to help leadership teams paint a picture of what their company looks and feels like in the medium future. As we paint this picture, I suggest to leadership teams that they commit to a future with “no drags allowed.”

It’s been nearly 15 years since I learned a very important lesson as a business owner. That lesson became a rule…”no drags allowed.” One day as I was walking in the front doors of my office, I began to feel physically drained. It didn’t take much to realize that it was the anticipation of another day dealing with a particular employee that was sucking my energy. Now this employee made a profitable contribution and was a good person, but he also either lacked humility or he was overcompensating for low self-esteem. I’m not sure which, but it was a problem.

Regardless, his behavior towards his peers and me was often annoying at best and combative at worst. Without going into detail, he negatively impacted the culture and productivity, which was hurting our business. And on that day, I realized that if I didn’t want to be there with this person, probably nobody did. I did the only thing I could do and that was to let him go.

Now, there is not likely a business owner anywhere who has been in business for any length of time who has not had this situation or is having it right now. I empathize with all of you. But…