top of page

The Growth Edge

Offering business leaders practical insights to sharpen their competitive edge in growth, sales, and leadership, especially in times of change or scale
Search

How Decisive Leadership Unlocks Growth

  • Writer: Beth Torres
    Beth Torres
  • Aug 12
  • 2 min read

TL;DR

When managers delay taking action, or hope performance issues “work themselves out,” they miss the chance to elevate results, strengthen morale, and accelerate growth. High-performing teams thrive when leaders address challenges early, coach effectively, and create an environment where everyone can win.

Black shoes stand on asphalt beside two white arrows pointing opposite directions, suggesting a choice or decision, with a neutral mood.
Image by Jon Tyson from Unsplash

What would you do if your sales team kept missing quota?

Just the other day, someone asked me this question.


My answer? “I’d start by coaching and equipping the sales leader.”


The truth is, when performance issues span an entire team, the solution usually starts with the leader. Not with blame, but with empowerment, clarity, and the right tools to succeed.

 


What Is Manager Inertia?

Manager inertia happens when leaders, whether from overwhelm, uncertainty, or fear of conflict, pause too long before taking action. It might mean avoiding feedback conversations, sticking with an outdated strategy, or waiting for results to improve without intervention. From the outside, everything can look “fine.” The team is busy, meetings are happening, and reports are being sent, but under the surface, missed opportunities are compounding.

 


The Cost of Waiting Too Long

1. Opportunities Slip Away: Markets move quickly. Addressing challenges in real time can turn a quarter around, but waiting can make recovery twice as hard.

2. Morale Quietly Declines: When performance concerns go unaddressed, your best people start to feel unseen and unsupported. Gallup research shows employees are more likely to disengage when managers don’t act.

3. Growth Slows: Every month of hesitation means deals that could have closed stay stuck in the pipeline, and momentum is harder to regain.

 


Why Managers Hesitate

In most cases, it’s a lack of confidence, skill, or support. Common reasons include:

  • Underdeveloped Skills: Not knowing how to frame performance conversations effectively.

  • Overload: Competing priorities push leadership tasks to the background.

  • Fear of Misstep: Worrying about damaging relationships or morale.


The encouraging news is that every one of these challenges can be addressed with training, coaching, and a clear playbook.

 


Moving From Inertia to Impact

If you’re committed to building a high-performing team, start here:

  1. Invest in Leadership Development: Equip managers with tools for feedback, coaching, and data-driven decision-making. If you aren’t exactly sure where to start, reach out for a quick conversation, and I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

  2. Act Early and Often: Create a culture where performance conversations are proactive, constructive, and consistent, not just “when things go wrong.”

  3. Focus on Solutions, Not Symptoms: Use metrics that matter, such as deal velocity, customer outcomes, and milestone achievement.

 


The Bottom Line

Great leadership moves beyond simply setting a vision. It includes taking action that helps people reach it. When challenges arise, high-performing leaders lean in, address the root cause, and create pathways for their teams to succeed. The result is faster growth, stronger culture, and a team that knows their leader is in their corner.



Want more real talk on building high-performing teams, consultative selling, or scaling smart? Subscribe to The Growth Edge email newsletter.

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page