The Hardest Person To Fire On A Team

Dealing with a team member who swings from locked-in and reliable…

To missing basic tasks like it’s their first week on the job... is a special kind of hell as a leader.

Especially when they’re also in a leadership role.

You know the type—big ideas, natural influence, bursts of brilliance… followed by basic mistakes that shouldn’t still be happening.

Because it’s not just their own performance on the line, it’s everyone they support, too.

You've witnessed the best version of them and the results it produced.

It's likely how they got promoted in the first place.

They’re often charismatic, high energy, and great at building relationships. People like them.

Until someone starts noticing the gaps...

Charm only works on those who can’t see through the cracks.

And those who can? Have zero tolerance for bravo without results.

So the problem isn’t their potential or who they could be.

It’s that you’re constantly holding your breath… hoping this week’s version actually shows up.

Now here’s the part nobody really talks about:

People who operate like this? They usually know they’re inconsistent.

And most of the time… they hate it.

They aren't oblivious.

They’re caught in a tug-of-war between who they want to be—and the habits, fears, or self-sabotage they haven’t figured out how to outgrow.

Which is what makes leading them so confusing.

You’re not just managing performance. You’re managing hope.

So what do most leaders do?

They wait, coach, and justify.

They remember the highs… and hope the lows were just a blip.

And to be fair, sometimes they are.

But with this type of person, the inconsistency is the pattern.

And eventually, you start bending over backwards trying to “unlock” them again…

• Giving more grace than you would anyone else.

• Holding back feedback because you don’t want to crush them on a bad week.

• Or worse—taking on their responsibilities yourself just to keep things afloat.

Deep down, you’re not just frustrated.

You’re confused.

You’ve seen what they’re capable of and want them to rise.

But now you're carrying the weight of their potential... instead of watching them carry it themselves.

You're leading who they could be... not who they consistently are.

And that’s where leaders get stuck the longest.

Because the question that haunts you isn’t just “Should I let them go?”

It’s “What if they finally become who I know they can be… and I gave up too soon?”

You can’t want it more than they do.

You can’t coach someone into consistency.

And potential doesn’t pay the price of admission, performance does.

This isn’t about giving up on people.

It’s about releasing the illusion that your belief in them is enough to carry the gap.

Sometimes the most loving thing you can do as a leader…is stop trying to save someone from the version of themselves they keep choosing.

Even if that means their growth happens outside your organization.

So here’s your weekly reminder:

Don’t let loyalty to someone’s potential sabotage the stability of a business and team.

If they can’t meet the standard consistently, they shouldn’t hold the seat.

Period.