Episode 37: The Problem with Recognizing Everyone Equally

Episode 10 in the series, The Founder’s Blind Spot

Praising everyone equally sounds positive—but it erodes trust and damages culture.

In Episode 36, we explored how avoidance creates silence—leaders don’t address what needs to be said, and their best people stop speaking up.

This episode takes it deeper. Because sometimes avoidance doesn’t sound like silence at all. It sounds like applause. It sounds like thanking everyone for their effort when the truth is obvious: some gave everything, some coasted, and a few carried the weight for everyone else. When leaders avoid naming that reality, accountability slips, trust erodes, and culture drifts toward mediocrity.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why praising everyone equally undermines your credibility
• How generic recognition leaves your best people feeling invisible
• Why avoiding the truth about effort creates cultural debt that compounds
• What founders and leaders must do to balance recognition with accountability

• When was the last time you praised your team without naming the difference in effort?
• Who deserves to hear directly that their contribution stood out?
• Who needs a private conversation so the standard is clear moving forward?

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