The Tolerance Trap

Reading time: 3 minutes

What you tolerate, you become. That’s true in leadership, business, and life. Yet, many managers unknowingly set their limits low by tolerating things they shouldn’t: missed deadlines, subpar work, or even their bad habits or behaviours. Over time, those tolerances build a ceiling over your growth, your team’s performance, and your organization’s potential.  

So, let me ask you: Are your frustrations the result of what you’ve been allowing? Let’s explore.

The tolerance trap is sneaky. It starts small—a missed deadline here, an inefficient process there. You don’t address it because it feels easier to let it slide. But every time you tolerate mediocrity, you set a new benchmark for what’s acceptable. Before long, your team isn’t meeting standards, your systems are broken, and you’re wondering why everything feels so hard.  

It’s not just about your team. Many managers tolerate things in themselves that hold them back: overthinking, pleasing others, not rocking the boat for fear of conflict, skipping workouts, staying stuck in routines that don’t serve them, or avoiding difficult conversations. These little compromises pile up, draining energy and confidence.  

What You Tolerate, You Become  

Think about this: if you let your team miss small deadlines, they’ll assume deadlines don’t matter. If you allow a lack of preparation in meetings, you’ll end up running disorganized discussions with no clear conclusion. And if you tolerate mediocrity in yourself, your team sees that and will follow your "path of the least resistance".

In project and operations management, this plays out every day. A manager who doesn’t address delays signals that hitting targets isn’t a priority. An operations leader who tolerates outdated processes stifles efficiency and conveys the message that new ideas are not welcome. And a manager who procrastinates on their own development misses opportunities to grow into the leader their team needs.  

The good news? It works the other way, too. Refuse to tolerate subpar work, and your team will rise to meet your standards. Address your own habits, and you’ll inspire others to do the same. What you allow sets the tone for everything around you.  

The Cost of Tolerance

Tolerance comes with a steep price—both professionally and personally. Professionally, it results in missed goals, disengaged teams, and eroded credibility, often losing the support of peers and organizational allies. Personally, it manifests as stress, burnout, and a persistent frustration that things should be better but aren’t.

One manager I worked with spent his days firefighting because he allowed inefficient workflows to persist. Another felt physically and mentally drained, repeatedly prioritizing work over his health. In another case, a manager’s procrastination stemmed from an unwillingness to act unless success was guaranteed, leaving critical decisions in limbo. Similarly, a manager avoided addressing subpar performance from former peers, fearing the discomfort of difficult conversations, even though it compromised overall standards.

In every instance, the breakthrough came when these leaders raised their standards—not just for their teams, but for themselves. They took ownership of their role in the system, confronted their patterns of avoidance, and embraced strategic action. Whether it meant enforcing existing standards or redefining them entirely, these steps required courage but delivered transformative results.

By claiming responsibility, prioritizing what truly matters, and committing to action, these leaders reclaimed control. They discovered that progress begins not by demanding more from others but by holding themselves accountable to higher expectations.

Balancing Perfection and Good Enough  

Refusing to tolerate mediocrity doesn’t mean chasing perfection in every circumstance. Leadership is about being strategic, not obsessive. It’s on you as a leader to define what excellence looks like, communicate those standards clearly, and enforce compliance with them. Without clarity, even the most well-meaning teams will struggle to meet expectations, and resources will be wasted chasing irrelevant details.  

The key lies in prioritization and focus. Not every task or process demands perfection, but the areas critical to success must meet uncompromising standards. Ask yourself:  

Does pursuing perfection here significantly improve outcomes, or are the gains marginal?  

Will excellence in this area directly impact the team, customers, or stakeholders?  

Are the costs—time, energy, resources—of perfection worth the value it adds?  

When the answer points to high-impact areas, it’s your responsibility to ensure those standards are met. This might involve setting clear expectations, providing guidance, and addressing lapses firmly and constructively. If the task at hand isn’t mission-critical, allow “good enough” to be enough, knowing your efforts are better spent on what truly matters.  

For example, in a product launch, ensuring flawless customer experience might be non-negotiable because it directly impacts brand reputation and loyalty. However, internal processes, like reporting or documentation, can be refined incrementally without immediate consequences.  

Great leaders navigate this balance skillfully by maintaining clarity and focus. They identify where excellence is essential, articulate what it looks like, and hold themselves and their teams accountable for achieving it. Strategic leadership means enforcing these priorities with precision, ensuring that refusing to tolerate mediocrity leads to meaningful progress without unnecessary burnout.  

Breaking Free from the Trap  

Here’s how to escape the tolerance trap:  

1. Identify what you’ve been tolerating—in your team and yourself.  

2. Set clear, non-negotiable standards for what excellence looks like.  

3. Address gaps head-on, even when it’s uncomfortable.  

4. Hold yourself accountable to the same standards you expect from others.  

5. Regularly reflect and adjust as your team and goals evolve.  

Remember, it’s not about perfectionism—it’s about raising the bar where it counts.

Choose Excellence, Every Time  

Every day, you have a choice: tolerate mediocrity or demand excellence from yourself and others. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. Because what you tolerate today will define your leadership tomorrow.  

Take a hard look at what you’ve been allowing. Raise your standards, and watch how everything around you transforms. Choose excellence every time.  

As you reflect on what you tolerate and how it shapes your leadership, I invite you to explore how coaching could transform your journey.

Let’s Talk - schedule a 1:1 conversation and uncover how coaching can help you break free from limitations, raise your standards, and thrive. Together, we’ll chart a course for your next big leap.

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Summary:

What does it take to transition from leading a close-knit, agile business to thriving in the vast complexity of a global corporation? This article explores Steven's journey as a former entrepreneur who became a corporate VP of sales after his company was acquired. Through the lens of a transformative coaching program, we unravel the challenges he faced—letting go of absolute control, navigating intricate power dynamics, overcoming imposter syndrome, and redefining his identity as a leader in a much larger organizational ecosystem. The pivotal metaphor of moving from a familiar village to an expansive metropolis frames his story, highlighting the profound mindset shifts required to succeed in this new role.

For professionals standing at similar crossroads, this article offers more than inspiration—it poses a question: Are you ready to scale your leadership and adapt to the demands of a larger stage? With 9 examples of transformative role transitions, it challenges readers to consider coaching as the most reliable path to growth. Whether you’re stepping into a new corporate framework, leading broader teams, or redefining your professional identity, coaching can catalyze your journey. Let’s explore how these principles can help you thrive in your next leap.