In the high-stakes world of professional sports, accountability is non-negotiable. Whether it’s the team owner, head coach, or star player, everyone is held to a performance standard. Fall short, and replacements are waiting in the wings. Championships, ticket sales, and legacies are on the line. If the coach can’t lead the team, they’re fired. If the quarterback keeps throwing interceptions, they’re benched. If an owner mismanages a franchise, they face pressure from fans and investors to sell.
This same principle applies in business. CEOs, managers, and employees are expected to perform — or step down. The stakes may look different, but the essence is the same. When someone underperforms in a business setting, it impacts far more than their own career. It affects customers who depend on timely, quality service. It affects investors who risk capital expecting growth. It affects colleagues who carry extra weight when others don’t do their part. Business is a team sport, and weak links drag everyone down.
Just as in sports, high performers in business are developed, not just discovered. Teams don’t cut a struggling player after one bad game. They watch film, they train harder, they get personalized coaching. Similarly, in business, employees who are underperforming deserve a fair chance to improve. They need clear expectations, constructive feedback, and the resources to succeed. Leadership means investing in people, not discarding them at the first sign of struggle.
But accountability can’t stop at empathy. If a coach has done everything possible to help a player improve but sees no results, they must make a change for the good of the team. The same is true for business leaders. Keeping an underperforming employee indefinitely out of loyalty or avoidance doesn’t just hurt productivity — it sends a message that performance doesn’t matter. That’s a morale killer for the team and a missed opportunity for customers who deserve better. Leaders owe it to their organizations to take action when growth efforts fall flat.
This isn’t about being ruthless; it’s about being responsible. Replacing someone isn’t always a sign of failure — it can be a catalyst for growth. Sometimes people are in the wrong role, the wrong company, or even the wrong industry. Helping them exit with dignity can be a gift, not a punishment. It’s a matter of aligning talent with opportunity, and when done with clarity and compassion, it’s better for everyone involved.
Of course, not all relationships are performance-based. Marriage, parenting, and friendship are sacred spaces where unconditional commitment should win out over performance metrics. If a child is struggling in school, you don’t “replace” them with a better student. If a spouse hits a rough patch, you walk with them through it — not out the door. Marriage is meant to be for richer or poorer — in sickness and in health. In these relationships, perseverance isn’t optional — it’s the point.
But business is not a family, and sports are not a friendship. Professional environments are built on shared goals and performance expectations. When those aren’t met over time, leaders have a duty to act — not just for the sake of efficiency, but for the people who are doing their jobs well and the customers who rely on them.
The best leaders in both sports and business understand this balance. They know when to nurture talent and when to let it go. They value the person, but they also protect the mission. And they do it all while maintaining the integrity of the team or organization they serve.
At the end of the day, it’s not personal — it’s performance. That’s the price of playing the game, whether it’s on the field or in the boardroom. And the teams that thrive are the ones that never stop striving — for excellence, for growth, and for the courage to make hard calls when it counts.
Paul Butler is a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia (newleaftd.com). For questions or comments, email Butler at [email protected].
