High standards and genuine care aren't in tension. Care first, demand second.
People sometimes ask what I mean by that phrase.
It's my attempt to describe something I've observed in every high-performing team I've been part of. The leaders who get the best out of people aren't the ones who lower the bar to make everyone comfortable. And they're not the ones who drive performance through fear or pressure.
They're the ones who hold high standards and treat people with genuine care. Those two things aren't in tension.
When people know you're invested in them — when they trust your intent — they will meet a higher bar than you might expect. When they don't trust your intent, no amount of demand produces lasting results.
I learned this in the North Sea, in West Africa, in the classroom and on the farm. It's always the same. Care first. Demand second. In that order.
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