You’ve been there before.
A team member isn’t performing. You’ve tried coaching, feedback, encouragement, maybe even extra chances. But nothing seems to stick. Now you’re left wondering… should I keep trying or start looking?
This is the harsh reality of leadership: your success is directly tied to the talent on your team. Not the tools. Not the strategy. The people. Said differently:
“No leader outperforms the talent on their team.”
Even the best strategy falls flat with the wrong people. Talent sets your floor and your ceiling.
The Core Role of a Manager Is Talent
If you manage people, your #1 responsibility is building and developing a team that can perform. You’re not just a task manager or a project lead. You’re in the business of talent.
Jim Collins said it best: “First who, then what.”
You can have a great vision, a strong plan, and excellent systems. But none of it matters without the right people in the right seats. That’s why talent decisions are leadership decisions.
Managers Play Three Roles with Talent
Most managers think their job is to support the team. To have an open door policy or an always available in a virtual work setting. While that’s helpful, it’s not specific enough. Introverts won’t want to knock on your door and extroverts are too busy. Great leaders recognize this and focus on ensuring they are three essential roles when dealing with talent.
Scout
You identify and bring in the right people. This includes recruiting, evaluating fit, and filling roles with intention. You’re not just hiring, you’re building a roster and bench.
Shaper
You invest in people. Through coaching, feedback, and training, you help team members develop the mindset and skillset required to succeed.
Steward
You protect the standard. That means confronting poor behavior, reinforcing expectations, and making tough decisions when someone no longer belongs.
The Challenge: Develop or Replace?
This is where it gets tricky. Because people aren’t spreadsheets. They’re human. With effort, potential, baggage, and inconsistency.
You might see glimpses of greatness but deal with weeks of frustration. You might want to believe they’ll figure it out. But great leaders don’t rely on hope. They recognize that growth happens when they’re ready, not when you are.
“Growth happens when they're ready, not when you are.”
This is where the Skill vs. Will Matrix helps. It’s a simple tool to help you evaluate your team and take the right action.
COACH
High will, low skill. They’re trying. They care. They just need time and support. These are the ones worth pouring into.
EMPOWER
High skill, high will. These are your drivers. Challenge them and increase their responsibilities and ownership of people, processes, and outcomes.
INSPIRE
High skill, low will. They’ve got the talent but not the drive. Your job is to reconnect them to purpose or motivate their actions.
DIRECT
Low skill, low will. These are the tough ones. Clear direction first. Then, if nothing changes, it’s time to move on.
When to Develop and When to Replace
Here’s a simple way to frame your decision:
Develop when:
They show real effort and a desire to grow.
Their issues are skill-based, not character-based.
They’ve responded well to coaching in the past.
They’re raising others, not dragging them down.
Replace when:
The will is low and hasn’t improved.
The behavior affects the team or culture.
They aren’t meeting the role’s expectations, despite support.
You’re spending more energy managing them than leading everyone else.
And remember, holding on too long doesn’t just impact you. It affects the entire team.
“Keeping the wrong person costs you the right one.”
Every seat has value. Holding it too long delays someone who’s ready to thrive.
Closing
Making talent decisions isn’t easy. It’s not supposed to be. But you weren’t given a leadership role to avoid hard things. You were given it to make the calls others won’t.
You’re only as strong as the talent on your team. Choose wisely, develop consistently, and don’t shy away from tough conversations. Your team is counting on it.
Accelerate Leadership Blueprint: The Accelerate Leadership Blueprint is built around the six key fundamentals of Accelerating Leadership: Talent, Culture, Execution, Relationships, Coaching, and Accountability. Inside, you’ll get six principles and six practical tools to help you lead yourself and others with clarity. It’s a cheat code to align your team and improve performance in less than 10 minutes. Get the full blueprint for just $17. Download it here.
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About the Author: John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft and The Sales Infrastructure. He was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices. John is also the author of Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success. You can follow him on Instagram @johngeades.