Bennett: Why Shops Struggle to Build Great Teams

Every leader knows the frustration. The teammate with so much talent yet average to poor production is their norm. They possess the skill, know the processes, and have the experience, yet somehow, they consistently produce lackluster results. They show no initiative, take no ownership, and are content with “good enough.” Then you have another team member, perhaps less experienced or skilled, but they’re asking the right questions, staying late, driven, hungry to learn, and steadily improving. 

You start asking yourself: “What’s the real difference here?” 

Most leaders look at competency. This is a person's skill, knowledge, and experience. It’s what they can DO. It’s tangible, trackable, and a comfortable measure of what we believe should lead to success and results. In so many cases, though, competency doesn’t align with the results we see. Clearly, there is a missing piece. An intangible that separates the driven from those that are not, the productive from those that “just get by”. So, what’s this missing piece? It’s called capacity. And it’s probably the most overlooked and most important part of understanding and assessing employee potential. 

The Two-Lane Road of Potential: Competency vs. Capacity 

If you’re only measuring skill and experience, you’re only seeing half the road. 

Let’s define it clearly: 

Competency = Current Ability. It's what they know, what they’ve done, and what they can repeat with confidence. They have: 

•     Certifications 
•     Technical knowledge 
•     Production history 
•     Career Experience 

Capacity = Growth, Drive, and Will. It’s what they’re willing to take on, how much they want it, and how they respond to challenge. They show: 

•     Desire to improve 
•     Willingness to stretch 
•     Ownership of mistakes and results 
•     Hunger to do more, be more, and contribute to the team beyond just the basics 

Most shop owners evaluate through competency, and that’s why so many shop leaders end up frustrated with high-competency team members who plateau and underperform, while high-capacity players rocket past them. 

Very few truly understand capacity and acknowledge its impact on current success and future potential. 

To make this simple, here’s how to think about your team: 

This matrix should be your evaluation blueprint. Use it to evaluate for hiring, promotions, training budgets, and coaching efforts. Most importantly, use it to stop wasting energy on people who habitually underperform and don’t want to grow. 

Capacity: The Limiting Factor Nobody Talks About 

Here’s the hard truth: While you can grow someone's competency, you cannot train someone past their capacity ceiling. 

•     You can send them for training. 
•     You can pair them with a mentor. 
•     You can walk them through every SOP. 
•     You can dangle bonuses, title changes, and incentives. 

However, if they don’t want it, it won’t move the needle. Period. 

Conversely, someone with high capacity will take basic instruction, run with it, and come back with more than you expected. They’re built for momentum. 

Can You Grow Capacity? 

Short Answer: Sometimes. But only if they want it. Capacity is internally driven; it’s about will, not skill. That means you can’t give someone drive… but you can create conditions that reveal it (or the lack of it). 

When It’s Worth the Effort 

You might consider investing in a low-capacity team member if: 

1.     They’re early in their career or new to your shop. Sometimes what looks like low capacity is actually just disengagement from poor leadership, unclear expectations, or a previous toxic culture. 
2.     There’s a visible personal stressor or transition. Life outside the shop may be throttling their mental bandwidth. That doesn’t excuse underperformance, but it might be temporary if approached with care. 
3.     They respond to a real conversation with openness. If they show even a flicker of curiosity, willingness, or vulnerability when you talk to them, there may be a pilot light you can relight. 

How to Try (Without Getting Sucked In)

Here’s how to create a short, structured chance for change without falling into Einstein’s “Insanity” trap (Einstein’s definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result): 

1. Have the “let’s get real” talk. Be personal, direct, and curious, rather than accusatory. Say: “I feel like you have the skills to do more than you’re currently showing. But I’m not seeing the drive. That’s okay, but I need to understand: Do you want to grow here, or are you content where you are?” 

This sets the stage for truth. You’re not shaming, you’re calling it out with clarity. 

2. Connect to something they care about: 

Ask- 

•     “What would make this job more energizing for you?” 
•     “Where do you want to be in 2 years, and how can we help get you there?” 
•     “What motivates you when you’re at your best?” 

You're fishing for intrinsic motivators. If they don’t have any? Well, there’s your answer. 

3. Set a 30-60-90-day challenge window: 

Give them a stretch goal with crystal-clear expectations: 

•     “I’m asking you to step into this challenge over the next 30 days.” 
•     “Here’s what success looks like. Here’s what we’ll track. Here’s the support you’ll get.” 

Then say: 

“We’re going to review this together in 30 days. If we don’t see meaningful change, we’ll need to have a different conversation about your role here.” 

You’re not threatening. You’re creating a performance contract with dignity. 

4. Don’t Coach More Than They Work: 

This is the killer rule: Never put in more effort coaching someone than they’re putting into changing. If you find yourself constantly reminding, re-explaining, or rationalizing, it’s over. You’re now just enabling. You're trying to transplant a will that doesn’t exist. 

5. Exit with Clarity if Needed: 

After the 90-day window (or sooner, if obvious), reflect: 

•     Are they showing behavioral change, not just verbal agreement? 
•     Are they owning outcomes or making excuses? 
•     Are they adding to the shop’s energy or draining it? 

If it’s not working, part ways professionally. Don’t carry someone who doesn’t want to carry their weight. 

Don’t fall into the trap. Here’s the cycle many shop owners get stuck in: 

•     Recognize poor effort. 
•     Coach with optimism. 
•     See tiny improvement. 
•     Get hopeful…wait…regress. 
•     Restart…again…and again… 

It’s exhausting. That’s Groundhog Day leadership, where hope replaces standards. 

You can absolutely test for growth potential in a low-capacity team member, but do it on a tight timeline, with defined expectations, and with zero tolerance for repeat excuses. 

And if they’re not up for it? That’s not failure. That’s clarity. 

Your Action Plan: Lead for Competency and Capacity 

1.     Map your current team. Be brutally honest. Who has both? Who’s stuck? Who’s ready? 
2.     Invest where it counts. Your development dollars and coaching time go to the high-capacity crew. 
3.     Rethink your hiring screen. Look for hunger, not just history. Ask about ownership, growth, and curiosity. 
4.     Set time-boxed stretch goals. Give lower-capacity folks a 60-day window to show change. If nothing shifts, shift your focus. 
5.     Let go sooner. If someone lacks both, you're not helping them or the team by keeping them around. 

The Bottom Line 

Every person in your shop has a ceiling. For some, it's skills based. For others, it’s willpower, motivation, or discipline. Your job as a leader isn’t to wish people into greatness. It’s to recognize who they really are and invest accordingly, or not. 

Competency keeps the shop running today. Capacity builds the shop of tomorrow.

Start leading with both in mind. 

Want to implement this mindset in your business? Let's talk about how to train it, coach it, and embed it into your culture. Contact Mike Bennett at [email protected]