SILENCE IS A SIGNAL

You’ve got the systems in place: Weekly Team Meetings, 1-on-1s, clearly defined roles, feedback loops. But some people still stay silent, which comes at a cost.

In Part 1 of Succeed or Escalate, we talked about what great cultures do when something’s not working. People either fix it or escalate it. No bystanders. No waiting for someone else to act. That standard still holds. But in Part 2, we’re digging deeper into what happens when the systems are solid but your people still don’t speak up.

This isn’t about more meetings or another tool. It’s about what your culture demands and what it allows.

When silence becomes the norm, it sends a message that issues aren’t worth raising, ownership doesn’t matter, and it’s safer to stay quiet than to speak up.

Read more in Succeed or Escalate, Part 2: Creating Cultures Where Everyone Acts.

This is about recognizing that drift and stepping in as leaders to build a culture where everyone speaks up, takes action, and owns their part in the work.

Because silence isn’t just a missed opportunity. It’s a signal that your culture is slipping. And if you don’t address it, disengagement spreads.

PERSPECTIVES

“Nothing is someone else's problem.”
— Sheryl Sandberg, Former COO of Facebook

MARK MY WORDS

I’ve seen what happens when team members stay silent. People start stepping over problems, assuming someone else will handle them. That’s how cultural drift begins — not with one big decision but the moment someone looks the other way.

As the founder, your job isn’t just to define the vision. It’s to show what it looks like in action.

If you want a culture where people take ownership, you have to make it clear: In this company, no one stays on the sidelines. We fix what we can, and we escalate what we can’t.

That mindset is what keeps great companies on course.

TUNE IN

Consistency vs. Intensity: Building a Culture That Lasts
Too much hustle breaks teams, and too much structure slows them down. In this episode, I discuss how founders can use systems to apply intensity without burning people out.

You’ll learn:

• Why intense effort without structure leads to burnout
• How consistency fuels sustainable high performance
• What the “Extra Mile” really looks like when done right
 

[Watch Now]

ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD

In case you missed it, here’s more from Founder’s Framework:

Great Founders Design for Change, Not Equilibrium

It’s tempting to treat stability as the goal. But lasting equilibrium doesn’t exist — and chasing it invites complacency. This article unpacks why enduring companies are built by founders who design for change, not comfort.

[Read Now]

Because the 1973 hit “Takin’ Care of Business” celebrates everyday ownership—the exact mindset needed to replace silence with action and keep culture from drifting. It hits the right note this week.