Most leadership problems don’t start at 100%.
They start at 10%.
A missed deadline that gets a pass. A difficult conversation that gets postponed. A team member who stops speaking up. A small drop in accountability that nobody addresses.
Nothing serious. Yet.
So we move on.
Until 10% becomes 30%.
30% becomes 60%.
The impact grows. Trust erodes. Friction increases. And what once needed a simple conversation now requires a much bigger intervention.
And suddenly, everyone is asking:
“How did we get here?”
The uncomfortable truth is that leaders are rarely surprised by the 100%. They are surprised by the consequences of the 10% they repeatedly chose not to address. Leadership is not only about solving big problems. Sometimes, it is about having the uncomfortable conversation while the problem is still small enough to solve.
What are you currently tolerating at 10% that you won’t accept at 100%?
