What if almost everyone is already doing their best?
One of the beliefs that has shaped my approach to leadership over the years is this:
Almost everybody comes to work wanting to do a good job.
In fact, I'd go even further. I believe that around 99.5% of people genuinely want to contribute, make a difference and leave work feeling like they've achieved something worthwhile.
Does that mean everyone's best looks the same every day? Of course not.
There will be days when someone's best falls short of what the business needs. Deadlines are missed. Mistakes happen. Performance dips. Sickness absence increases. Someone becomes quieter, less engaged or more irritable.
The behaviour changes.
What has always fascinated me is what happens next.
So often, the first response isn't curiosity.
It's judgement.
"They're off sick again."
"They've just lost motivation."
"They're being difficult."
"They don't care anymore."
"They're just lazy."
Before we've gathered any evidence, we've often already written the story in our heads.
The stories we tell ourselves
As humans, our brains are wired to fill in the gaps. We like certainty, so when we don't understand someone's behaviour, we create an explanation.
The problem is that those explanations are often based on assumptions rather than facts.
What if the person who's suddenly missing deadlines is caring for an unwell parent?
What if the colleague who seems disengaged hasn't slept properly for weeks?
What if the employee who is becoming short-tempered is quietly struggling with anxiety or financial pressures?
Or perhaps they're overwhelmed by their workload but don't feel safe enough to admit they're drowning.
The behaviour is visible.
The reason usually isn't.
Behaviour is the outcome, not the cause
One principle I return to time and time again is this:
Thinking and feeling drive behaviour.
When someone's behaviour changes, something has usually changed in their world first.
Sometimes it's something happening outside work.
Sometimes it's something happening inside work.
Sometimes it's a combination of both.
Yet our instinct is often to focus on correcting the behaviour rather than understanding what is driving it.
Imagine if, instead of asking, "What's wrong with them?", we asked:
"What's happened?"
"What might they be dealing with?"
"How can I help them get back to their best?"
Those questions don't remove accountability.
They simply add humanity.
Curiosity creates better leaders
The best leaders I've worked with don't ignore poor performance.
They address it.
But they do so with curiosity before judgement.
They understand that support and accountability are not opposites.
In fact, they're partners.
Sometimes all someone needs is a conversation.
Sometimes they need temporary adjustments.
Sometimes they need signposting to professional support.
Sometimes they simply need someone to notice that they're not themselves.
And yes, occasionally someone is making a poor choice.
But if we assume that from the outset, we risk missing the opportunity to help the far greater number of people who are trying incredibly hard while carrying burdens we know nothing about.
Changing the mindset
Imagine how different our workplaces could feel if leaders replaced assumptions with curiosity.
If absence prompted concern instead of frustration.
If a drop in performance became the start of a conversation instead of a conclusion.
If we recognised that behind every behaviour is a human being with thoughts, emotions and experiences influencing how they show up that day.
Leadership isn't about making excuses for people.
It's about understanding people well enough to help them succeed.
Because when people feel understood rather than judged, they're far more likely to recover, re-engage and perform at their best again.
Perhaps the question we should be asking isn't:
"Why aren't they trying harder?"
Maybe it's simply:
"What might be stopping them from being able to?"
That single shift in mindset could transform not only individual performance, but the culture of an entire organisation.