How Will You Deal with Bad Apples?

Every team has a few—those “bad apples” who just aren’t on board with the pay-for-performance culture. These are the folks who can drag down the whole group, souring the environment and stalling progress. The question you have to ask yourself is this: How are you going to handle them?

The first thing to understand is that these bad apples have an outsized impact on your team. In a pay-for-performance culture, most people rise to the challenge—they’re motivated, they see the opportunity, and they want to win. But if there’s someone who isn’t buying in, who’s not interested in putting in the effort, or who’s actively resisting the culture shift, it affects everyone. It’s not just about one person’s poor performance; it’s about the ripple effect that spreads through the team.

The reality is that, when you let a bad apple stick around, it sends a message to the rest of your crew that maybe this performance stuff isn’t as serious as you said it was. And that can start to undermine everything you’re trying to build.

Understand That Not Everyone Will Make the Cut

Look, the truth is not everyone is going to fit into a pay-for-performance culture. Some folks just aren’t cut out for it, and that’s okay. But you have to be ready for that reality. The first step is recognizing that you might have to make some tough decisions about who stays and who goes.

When you shift to a pay-for-performance model, you’re shining a light on who’s really contributing and who’s just along for the ride. And that light can be pretty harsh. It’s going to show you who’s a top performer, who’s willing to grow and improve, and who’s holding the team back.

Start with Coaching and Training

Before you reach for the pruning shears, start with coaching and training. Sometimes, all a bad apple needs is a little guidance to turn things around. Sit down with them, review the data, and make it clear where they’re falling short. Explain how the pay-for-performance model works and why it’s beneficial for them and the team. Offer support, training, and mentorship to help them adapt.

Sometimes, that’s all it takes. People want to do well—they just need the right tools and guidance. But you’ve got to be willing to invest that time and effort to help them get there.

The Role of Your Top Performers

Here’s where your top performers come in. Pair up your bad apples with the best folks on your team. Let them see what excellence looks like, and give them a chance to learn from the people who are making it happen every day. It’s not just about skills; it’s about mindset. When they see how top performers approach their work, they start to understand what’s possible.

This also sets a clear example of what you value as a leader. You’re saying, “This is what good looks like. This is how we win.” And sometimes, that’s all it takes to turn a bad apple into a team player.

Be Ready to Make Tough Decisions

But let’s be real—there are times when a bad apple just isn’t going to change. They’re stuck in their ways, resistant to feedback, and, frankly, they’re dragging everyone else down. That’s when you have to make a tough decision.

You’ve got to be willing to cut out the rot before it spreads. If someone is consistently negative, disruptive, or simply not performing up to the standards you’ve set, they’re a liability. And the longer you let them stay, the more damage they do to your team, your culture, and your bottom line.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your team is to let that person go. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. And let me tell you, your team will be better off for it. They’ll see that you’re serious about performance, about winning, and about building a culture where everyone is committed to doing their best.

The Cost of Keeping Bad Apples

Here’s something to think about: Your team will be faster, more efficient, and more successful with nine committed people than with ten where one of them is dragging everyone else down. Bad apples don’t just hold themselves back—they hold back everyone around them. And in a pay-for-performance model, that’s unacceptable.

Your top performers, the ones who are all-in, don’t want to be held back by someone who isn’t pulling their weight. They want to succeed, to win, to earn, and they’ll be the first ones to tell you when there’s a problem. Listen to them. They’re the heartbeat of your organization, and they’ll help you identify who’s not cutting it.

Fostering a Culture of Ownership

In a pay-for-performance culture, accountability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation of success. When you get rid of the bad apples, you make room for a culture where everyone takes ownership of their work, their targets, and their success. People start to feel a sense of pride, knowing that their efforts are recognized and rewarded.

Encourage open feedback among your team members. When someone isn’t performing, let them hear it from their peers. Nothing creates accountability like knowing that your colleagues are counting on you to do your job well. When a team cares about their collective success, they’ll be more motivated to lift each other up—and to call out the bad apples when they see them.

Use Data to Drive Decisions

One of the biggest benefits of a pay-for-performance model is that it gives you the data to back up your decisions. You don’t have to rely on gut feelings or hearsay—you have the numbers to show who’s contributing and who’s not. When a bad apple is consistently underperforming, you’ve got the evidence to address the issue head-on.

And when you address it, be transparent about why. Show your team that you’re making decisions based on performance, data, and results. That transparency builds trust and reinforces the idea that this isn’t about favoritism or personal feelings—it’s about building a winning team.

Don’t Let Bad Apples Spoil the Bunch

Dealing with bad apples isn’t fun, but it’s a necessary part of building a high-performance culture. You’ve got to be willing to coach them, to train them, and to give them every opportunity to succeed. But if they’re not willing to change, you’ve got to be ready to make the tough call and remove them from the team. Because at the end of the day, your team’s success depends on having people who are all-in, committed, and ready to win.

Don’t let a bad apple spoil what you’re building. Make the tough calls, set the standards, and create a culture where every single person is driving toward the same goal. That’s how you build a team that not only performs but thrives.