I was back in London recently for an industry event, sat in a private room at a London restaurant with a group of owners and founders - the kind who’ve built things from the ground up. Low lighting, decent wine, and a table full of leaders debating an all too familiar issue: What is wrong with young people? Why is it so hard to find young talent that actually want to "work for it"?

The conversation, over steak and sides, split the room. Some shrugged, resigned. Others vented with weary frustration. “You can’t instill hunger in someone who doesn’t have it"  "I was working 70 hours a week when I was a lad" “They don’t want it like we did.”  Then came the sharper counterpunches:

"Who’s the fool for allowing that? "

"You get what you tolerate!"

"The culture must be one where it’s simply not cool to be sh*t."

There it was - the real issue. If standards have slipped, it’s because we’ve let them.

If teams feel lackluster, it’s because mediocrity has been given room to breathe. Most leaders don’t lower the bar intentionally - they just avoid the discomfort of enforcing it. The cost? Long-term decline in standards disguised as short-term harmony.

Culture isn’t what you preach, it’s what you permit. People don’t magically raise their game. They rise to meet expectations - or sink to the level you tolerate. Create a culture where coasting is acceptable, and you’ll get coasters. Let that slide, and you’re part of the problem.

The best leaders at that table weren’t complaining. They’d already drawn the line. They’d built environments where high standards weren’t aspirational - they were the minimum. As a result, they weren’t struggling with disengaged teams or unambitious hires.

So here’s the real question: Are you setting the bar high enough? Is it uncomfortable to underperform in your company? Or are you letting things slide because it’s easier?

If you’re frustrated, if you’re sick of excuses, if you know things should be better - stop tolerating what isn’t good enough. Draw the line. Raise the bar. Watch the right people rise with you - and the wrong ones clear the path.