As a leader, it’s easy to get frustrated when people don’t follow through. Maybe they miss deadlines. Maybe they don’t speak up in meetings. Maybe they resist new changes.
But here’s the truth: behavior is always shaped by the environment around it. That includes systems, schedules, tools, reinforcement, accountability—and you, the leader.
So instead of asking, “What’s wrong with this person?”, ask:
“What about their environment is making this behavior likely?”
For example:
- If employees aren’t following safety protocols, maybe the signage is confusing, or they feel rushed by leaders to finish tasks quickly.
- If a team isn’t collaborating, maybe meetings are too big, or there’s no clear way to track shared goals.
- If someone isn’t speaking up, maybe they’ve been ignored in the past. Maybe they’ve learned that contributing their ideas is punishing.
Most performance issues aren’t about people—they’re about systems and environments.
You don’t need to fix people. You need to fix the environment they work in. Start by identifying the behavior you do want to see, then ask: What’s missing from the environment to support that behavior?
Behavior is feedback. Use it to improve the system—not to blame the person.
