You Hired Adults.

One of the biggest transitions I see business owners struggle with is moving from being the person who does the work to being the person who leads the people doing the work.

It’s not easy.

You built your business because you cared deeply about the outcome. You know what great work looks like, and you know how you would do it. So when someone else doesn’t do it exactly the way you would, the temptation is to jump in, take over, or micromanage.

But here’s the reality.

You hired adults.

That simple statement has changed the way I think about leadership. Adults don’t want someone looking over their shoulder every five minutes. They want to know what success looks like, be trusted to accomplish it, and know you’ll support them when they need it.

That doesn’t mean you step away completely. It means you lead differently.

The first place this starts is with the job description. If it accurately described the role and expectations when they accepted the position, then your employee should know exactly what success looks like. One of the principles I appreciate from EOS is creating clarity around roles and responsibilities. When expectations are clear, accountability becomes much simpler.

If someone isn’t doing what they agreed to do, the conversation doesn’t have to be emotional or personal. It simply becomes a conversation about expectations.

“This is the role we agreed on. Here’s where we’re falling short. Let’s talk about how we get back on track.”

Notice how different that feels from frustration or criticism.

Another shift I encourage managers to make is changing the tone of their conversations. Too often, employees only hear from their manager when something has gone wrong. Instead of asking, “Why didn’t you get this done?” try asking, “How can I help you hit your goals?”

That simple change transforms you from your team’s biggest critic into their biggest cheerleader. It doesn’t lower expectations. It shows your team you’re invested in helping them succeed.

I believe quarterly and yearly reviews should work the same way. Instead of spending an hour reviewing everything someone did wrong, use that time to remove obstacles, develop new skills, and help them grow. Ask what support they need and how you can help them be even more successful.

Of course, none of this means avoiding difficult conversations. If someone consistently isn’t meeting the expectations of the role, then accountability is part of your job as a leader. When expectations have been clear from the beginning, those conversations become much more straightforward.

You can simply say, “My job is to make sure this company succeeds, and your job is to fulfill the responsibilities of your role. Right now, that isn’t happening, and we need to correct it.”

That’s not personal. That’s leadership.

Too many managers think holding people accountable means they aren’t being supportive. I see it differently.

One of the clearest forms of respect you can give someone is telling them the truth.

So this month, I’d encourage you to ask yourself one simple question.

Am I managing adults like adults?

Am I giving clear expectations? Am I coaching more than criticizing? Am I removing obstacles instead of creating them? And when accountability is necessary, am I making it about the role instead of the person?

When leaders make this shift, trust grows, accountability improves, and the entire culture begins to change.

If this letter resonated with you, hit reply and tell me about the leadership conversation you’ve been avoiding or the management challenge you’re facing. I’d love to help you think through it.

Until next time,