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How to Stop Avoiding Difficult Conversations: 6 Signs It's You

September 2, 2026 · 17 min

Show notes

When you have an underperformer on your team, but you haven’t given them specific performance feedback, you're reinforcing their underperformance. 


They may think that no news is good news, and they don’t need to do anything different.


This is Day 2 of a 7-part series, recut from a live workshop I ran called Stop Rescuing Your Underperformers. I’m looking at one leadership blind spot each day.


There's a person on your team who isn't delivering, and the premise I’m exploring this week is that they're more likely to be a symptom of the problem, rather than the root cause of it.


Underperformers are made. They’re made by the things their leaders do, but can’t see the impact of.


Yesterday was about accountability. Today is the one that stops you fixing accountability: can you handle conflict, or is this your blind spot?


This one’s tricky, because it hides behind noble virtues. You tell yourself you're being kind. But in reality, you're not being kind; it’s more likely that you're protecting yourself from the discomfort of a difficult conversation.


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GET YOUR SCORE ON ALL SEVEN LEADERSHIP BLINDSPOTS, HERE:


https://score.leadershipbeyondthetheory.com/workshop


————————


The 7 Leadership Blind Spots, one a day:


1. Drive Accountability. Do people deliver for you, or do they make excuses? (Ep.418)


2. Handle Conflict. Can you have the tough conversations that weak leaders avoid? (Ep.419)


Tomorrow, blind spot three, and it's my own. Working at the right level.


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Leadership Beyond the Theory link:


https://www.leadershipbeyondthetheory.com/


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You can connect with me at:


Website: https://www.yourceomentor.com


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourceomentor


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourceomentor


Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-moore-075b001/


Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@YourCEOMentor



You're still doing the work your team should own. And you can't see a way to stop.


Leadership Beyond the Theory is 9 weeks of practical reps that get you out of the weeds and hand delivery back to your team.


Taught by Martin Moore, who ran a multi-billion dollar company before he taught any of this. 3,000+ leaders. 99% would recommend. 100% money back guarantee.


Lean more: https://join.leadershipbeyondthetheory.com/

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