Setting and Enforcing Standards for Leadership

Culture doesn’t come from posters or mission statements—it comes from what leaders enforce every single day.

In this episode, I break down why “you don’t get what you preach, you get what you tolerate,” how little slips poison culture, and what real enforcement looks like with standards big and small.

Learn when to step in, when to overlook, and how to set fairness that actually sticks.

What you will learn:

• Why tolerances silently reset your culture

• The difference between fairness and sameness

• Real-world brand examples proving the power of small standards

• When to overlook a one-off slip vs. enforce immediately

• How to address “silent underminers” and missed deadlines with respect

• A simple 3-step framework to reset standards without drama

• Why silence equals approval and delay equals permission

Timestamps: 00:00 – Hook: you don’t get what you preach, you get what you tolerate 04:20 – Culture is built by what you enforce, not what you write 08:50 – Little tolerances compound into resentment and mediocrity 13:10 – Fairness vs sameness: one bar of standards, different inputs (DISC) 17:20 – Small standards, big impact: Chick-fil-A, Ritz-Carlton, Disney, UPS, Apple 21:40 – Broken Windows Theory: why neglect spreads into decline 26:00 – CarMax name badge story and visible consistency 30:20 – When to overlook a one-off vs. when to enforce immediately 34:10 – Addressing silent underminers and missed deadlines respectfully 38:20 – Jefferson Fisher’s 3-step framework and final reminders 40:00 – Close, action steps, and free resources

Links:

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