360. You're Solving The Wrong Problem
Key Takeaways
- Leaders unconsciously create the dysfunctional environments they later complain about — you're not the frog, you're the chef.
- Every boundary you don't enforce becomes tomorrow's baseline; every accommodated dysfunction becomes next week's normal.
- The Pattern-Environment Loop™ explains how your behavioral patterns create an environment that then reinforces those same patterns.
- Most leaders try to fix the team (the frog) when the real problem is their own unchecked behavior (the heat).
- You won't notice this happening in real time — that's precisely what makes it dangerous.
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Actionable Insights
- Audit one recurring team dysfunction and ask: what behavior of yours created the conditions for this?
- Stop letting things slide "just this once" — each exception sets a new standard.
- When culture starts slipping, don't reach for more training or feedback before looking in the mirror first.
- Name your patterns. You can't change what you can't see.
- Before your next "small ask" outside normal hours, ask whether you're adding another degree to the water.
Leadership Challenge
- Identify one boundary you've consistently failed to enforce and decide — right now — what you'll do differently starting this week.
- The next time you're frustrated with your team's behavior, ask yourself: "What did I do, or not do, that made this the norm?"