Are You the Bottleneck? Jason Osborn on Leader’s Role in Team Performance

In a recent LinkedIn post, Jason Osborn urges business leaders to conduct an honest self-assessment of their own performance before scrutinizing their teams. Osborn contends that the perceived underperformance of a team often stems directly from the leadership’s own demonstrated behaviors and standards, rather than a lack of effort or capability within the team itself.

Osborn highlights a common disconnect where leaders set expectations for their teams that they themselves fail to meet. He points out several examples of this hypocrisy:

“They want punctuality but show up late to their own meetings. They want ownership but micromanage every decision. They want honest communication but shut down anyone who challenges them. They want initiative but punish people when it doesn’t go perfectly.”

According to Osborn, the team’s actual performance aligns with the standard the leader is actively demonstrating, not the aspirational standard the leader believes they are setting. This gap, he argues, is frequently overlooked because it is psychologically easier to diagnose issues within the team than to confront one’s own shortcomings as a leader.

The Leader’s True Impact on Team Standards

Osborn emphasizes that a team’s potential is capped by the leadership it experiences daily. He argues that teams do not rise to the level of the leader they are told they have, but rather to the level of the leader they actually interact with.

Demonstrating Leadership Through Action

The leadership standard, as described by Osborn, is built on consistent, observable actions. He outlines the characteristics of a leader who genuinely elevates their team:

“The one who shows up in the hard moments. The one who handles bad news well. The one who gives credit, holds standards, and does what they said they would. The one who is still learning, still growing, still asking whether they’re good enough for the people they lead.”

In Osborn’s view, it is this type of leader – one who embodies accountability, integrity, and continuous self-improvement – who inspires a team to reach its highest potential. He posits that the team eventually mirrors the qualities of such a leader.

Shifting the Focus from Team to Self

Before initiating new performance reviews, restructuring, or strategic initiatives aimed at boosting output, Osborn advises leaders to ask a critical question: “Am I the leader this team needs to perform at the level I’m expecting?” He asserts that if the answer is no, the necessary work begins with the leader, not the team.

“Because if the answer is no, that’s where the work starts. Not with them. With you.”

Osborn concludes by encouraging leaders to prioritize their own development, suggesting that genuine leadership improvement is the most effective strategy for unlocking team performance. This introspective approach, he believes, is fundamental to fostering a high-performing environment.