The Hero Team: What Happens When You Tackle the Tough Stuff

One of the first hard truths I learned as a new manager? Your team is watching.

Not just how you celebrate wins or assign work—but how you handle the things no one else wants to deal with.

The Challenge No One Wanted to Face

I stepped into leadership from a peer mentor role, eager but untested. I was promoted in part because I had a knack for coaching others. But with the new role came a problem no one had touched: a well-liked, diverse, but underperforming employee I had once mentored.

He wasn’t keeping up. He’d been trained, supported, and buffered by prior managers. Everyone knew it. And now it was my responsibility.

My HR manager handed me an article about how avoiding performance issues erodes leadership credibility. The message was clear: this wasn’t just about one employee—it was about whether I was ready to lead.

The Real Achilles’ Heel

At first, I thought this employee was my Achilles’ heel.

But the real weakness? Avoidance.

I wasn’t being tested on how long I could delay a decision—I was being tested on whether I would make one. So I did. Fairly, transparently, and with structured support. But when it became clear that things wouldn’t improve, I made the hard call.

Then Came the Hero Team

What happened next was unexpected.

The moment I showed I was willing to lead—really lead—the informal leaders around me stepped up. Morale lifted. Performance surged. We started attracting stronger talent to the team. Even underperformers began quietly moving on. The culture had changed. We had become what I now call the “Hero Team.”

It wasn’t about punishment. It was about alignment. The team saw that standards mattered—and they responded.

Leadership Isn’t About Comfort

If you’re a new manager facing a similar challenge, here’s what I’d offer:

• Play the long game. Short-term discomfort is the price of long-term credibility.

• Lead with integrity. Your team will trust you when you face what others avoid.

• Use empathy. These are real people. Treat them with fairness and clarity.

In the end, the toughest decision of my early leadership journey was the one that built the strongest foundation.

These aren’t AI ramblings — promise. Learn more about Hancock Consulting