They show up on time, they check the boxes, and technically—they’re doing their job. But everyone sees it. The lack of effort. The refusal to go beyond the basics. The quiet withdrawal that drags the team down one unfinished edge at a time. Bare minimum isn’t neutral. It’s contagious. It tells the rest of the team that effort doesn’t matter, that ownership is optional, that carrying the load is someone else’s problem. And once that mindset takes root, high performers get resentful, standards start to slip, and suddenly your culture is running at half-speed. Here’s the hidden danger: when leaders don’t confront it, they’re not just tolerating mediocrity—they’re endorsing it. The whole team learns that showing up halfway is enough, and the ones who care the most start to care less. In this episode, I’ll show you how to confront the bare-minimum employee directly without sparking defensiveness or drama. You’ll learn how to draw a line that restores accountability, raises the standard, and makes it clear that coasting isn’t leadership-approved. Because leadership isn’t about rewarding the minimum. It’s about protecting the standard that drives maximum results.
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