When Your Team Falls Short: A Leader's Diagnostic Guide
Building on insights from Alex Hermozi
Last week, I came across an email from Alex Hermozi that stopped me in my tracks. He outlined five reasons why someone doesn't do their job, and it immediately clicked with something I've been teaching leaders for years: before you can solve a problem, you have to diagnose it correctly.
Here's the thing most leaders get wrong. When someone on their team drops the ball, the natural response is frustration, maybe even a difficult conversation that goes nowhere. But what if there's a better way? What if you could turn these moments into problem-solving opportunities instead of blame sessions?
Alex's framework gives us the diagnostic tools. But as leaders using the LDC Blueprint, we need to take it one step further and ask ourselves: "Is this primarily a Lead, Develop, or Care issue?"
The Five Reasons (Through an LDC Lens)
1. They don't know WHAT you want - This is a Lead issue When communication breaks down, it's usually because we assumed our expectations were clear when they weren't. The solution isn't just writing things down (though Alex is right about that). It's taking ownership of our role as leaders to provide crystal-clear direction.
2. They don't know HOW to do it - This is a Develop issue
This one hits close to home because it reveals a gap in our development responsibility. We asked someone to do something without ensuring they had the capacity to do it well. The fix isn't just training - it's building systems to identify and address skill gaps before they become performance problems.
3. They don't know WHEN you want it - This is a Lead issue Every task needs a deadline, but every deadline needs context. Why does this timing matter? What happens if we miss it? This is about leading with clarity, not just barking orders.
4. They don't WANT to do it - This could be Lead or Care Here's where it gets interesting. Sometimes motivation is about incentives and consequences (Lead). But sometimes it's about understanding what's going on in their world that's affecting their engagement (Care). The diagnostic question helps you figure out which approach to take.
5. Something's blocking them - This is often a Care issue When obstacles get in people's way, removing those barriers is fundamentally about caring for your people. It's watching over their ability to succeed and responding when something threatens it.
The Real Leadership Move
Alex's approach of stating facts and problem-solving together is brilliant: "Hey, I wanted this done by this time and it wasn't. There are five reasons that's possible. I just want to figure out which one it is so we can make sure it doesn't happen again."
But here's what takes it to the next level: before you even have that conversation, ask yourself the LDC diagnostic question. Is this primarily a Lead, Develop, or Care issue?
Your answer will change how you approach the conversation and, more importantly, how you prevent similar issues in the future.
Making It Practical
Most leaders spend 75-80% of their time in Lead activities, 15-20% in Develop, and 5-10% in Care. But when performance issues arise, you might need to temporarily shift that balance.
If you're constantly dealing with reason #1 or #3 (what and when issues), you probably need to spend more time in Lead activities - creating systems for clearer communication and expectation-setting.
If reason #2 keeps coming up (how issues), you need to invest more time in Develop activities - not just fixing the immediate skill gap, but building capacity for the long term.
If reasons #4 and #5 are your frequent culprits (motivation and obstacles), you might need to increase your Care activities - understanding what's really going on with your people and removing the barriers that stand in their way.
The Bottom Line
The next time someone on your team doesn't deliver, don't just run through Alex's five questions (though you absolutely should). First, ask yourself: "Is this primarily a Lead, Develop, or Care issue?"
Your diagnosis will guide not just how you solve the immediate problem, but how you prevent it from happening again. And that's the difference between managing symptoms and actually leading people.
Because at the end of the day, great leaders don't just diagnose problems - they create environments where fewer problems happen in the first place.
Thanks to Alex Hermozi for the original framework that sparked this thinking. His insights on business scaling continue to challenge how we approach leadership challenges.