Your Business Is Struggling—How to Fix It and Bring Your Team Back

I know what you’re thinking:
“They’re just tired.”
“It’s been a rough quarter.”
“They just need a long weekend.”

Wrong.

What you’re calling burnout? It’s not burnout. It’s surrender. And it didn’t happen overnight.

It started when one person stopped speaking up.
Then another skipped a meeting.
Then the energy dipped—and nobody said why.

But the culture shifted. Quietly. Subtly. And you missed it.

Because toxic culture doesn’t come crashing in—it seeps through the cracks.

It looks like:

• Polite nods and fake alignment
• “Yes” faces masking resentment
• People staying silent—not because they agree—but because they gave up

And by the time someone finally says it out loud? You’ve already lost your top performers.

Let me say this clearly: Silence is not peace. It’s disengagement.

You think your team’s fine because they’re not complaining?
They’re not complaining because they’ve mentally checked out. They’re waiting for you to wake up and do something about it.

Here’s the hard truth no one wants to admit:
If you let low standards slide, you’re killing your culture. You’re allowing mediocrity to thrive, and that’s how you lose your top talent.

One unchecked bad attitude.
One leader who refuses to deal with the hard stuff.
One teammate who drains energy day after day.

Everyone notices. No one speaks up. And slowly, your culture rots from within.

Leadership isn’t about being liked.
It’s about being respected. It’s about holding the line—even when it’s uncomfortable.

According to Gallup, 67% of employees are disengaged at work, and out of that, 13% are actively disengaged.
Active disengagement is the worst of the worst. These employees aren’t just checked out—they’re actively sabotaging your team, spreading negativity, and creating roadblocks for everyone else. That’s the real threat to your culture.

Think about that—more than half of your team could be disengaged, and a significant portion of them could be actively undermining your business. That’s the reality. You think this is just a passing moment? Think again. Leadership isn’t about waiting for the “right moment” to act. It’s about creating that moment with conviction. Leadership is about the hard decisions, the uncomfortable conversations, and the grit to do what others won’t.

I’m reminded of a quote from the legendary John Maxwell:
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”

That’s what leadership looks like—leading through action, not just words. You show up when no one else does.

So, what’s it going to be?

You’re either lifting your team up or you’re dragging them down. You can’t be both. There’s no middle ground here.

Start asking the tough questions:

• Why does this meeting feel off?
• Who’s stopped contributing?
• Where are we tolerating mediocrity instead of leading with strength?

And when you find the answer, do something about it. You can’t wait.

Culture doesn’t collapse in a single moment. It unravels when you avoid the hard stuff. It rots when you allow weakness and complacency to take root.

If this sounds like something you’re dealing with—good. You’re still in the fight. But if you keep making excuses? You’re next.

DM me “Fix Culture” if you’re tired of managing the symptoms and ready to lead from the front, addressing the root cause of the problem. We’ve got work to do.

TonyGareri.com
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