You Hired Someone to Do the Work. Now the Work Has Changed. And They're Not Coming With You.

 

This is the gap most leaders don't want to name: the role evolved, but the person didn't.

You've communicated the shift. Set new expectations. Explained why the team needs direction-setters, not just content producers. They heard you. They're just choosing not to adapt.

Here's what's really happening

They think they were hired to sit quietly and produce. And maybe they were. But that's not the job anymore.

The problem isn't that they misunderstood. It's that they're actively resisting.

They're holding onto work they should delegate. Slowing things down. Making the new model fail so they can prove the old one was better.

And you're stuck managing around it—reassigning work, over-explaining, wondering if you're being clear enough.

You are. They just don't want to change.

So what do you do?

Stop trying to convince them. Start documenting what's not happening.

Name it directly: "The role now requires X. You're still doing Y. That's a gap we need to close."

Give them a clear timeline to demonstrate the shift. Not to punish them—to create accountability for both of you.

Some will step up. Some won't. But you can't keep leading a team where people opt out of the direction and expect you to work around it.

The hard truth

Sometimes, good people are in the wrong role. And waiting for them to realize it just makes the whole team slower.

---

If this resonated, let's talk. jessestaffordcoaching.com.