In This Week’s Issue:
Why treating everyone the same isn’t leadership
How fairness actually works inside a team
What leaders get wrong about “equal treatment”
How to adapt without lowering standards
Reader Q&A on motivation, communication, and accountability
Setting the Stage
Leaders often want to be fair. It’s a good instinct. But somewhere along the way, “fair” got confused with “treat everyone the exact same way.”
On the surface, sameness sounds noble. It feels safe and neutral. But sameness isn’t fairness. It’s lazy leadership in disguise.
People don’t think, work, communicate, or respond to pressure the same way. When leaders flatten those differences, performance drops. Sameness might feel comfortable, but it rarely gets results.
Fairness demands more from you (more awareness, more attention, and more intentionality).
THE BIG INSIGHT
Fair leadership doesn’t treat everyone the same. It gives each person what they need to perform.
What Sameness Looks Like (And Why It Fails)
Sameness is easy. You give everyone the same direction. You run every meeting the same way. You communicate in one style and hold people accountable the same way. You assume consistency equals fairness.
But sameness ignores how differently people operate.
The direct person needs clarity.
The steady person needs time.
The detail-focused person needs specifics.
The high-energy person needs momentum.
The relationship-driven person needs connection.
Treating them all the same doesn’t make them equal. It just makes some of them misunderstood.
When leaders default to sameness, here’s what actually happens:
Strong performers carry more than they should.
They adapt quickly, ask fewer questions, and fill the gaps when direction isn’t tailored. When support is identical, responsibility shifts toward the people who need the least not because they volunteered, but because they’re capable.
Everyone else feels like they’re behind.
Not because they lack talent, but because they’re not getting the type of support that helps them win. Without clarity, structure, or pacing that fits their style, they struggle unnecessarily and it gets mislabeled as “performance issues” instead of “leadership mismatch.”
Both sides get frustrated, and the culture absorbs the hit.
Overloaded high performers. Under supported mid-performers. A widening gap no one intended.
Sameness doesn’t create fairness. It creates imbalance.
What Fairness Actually Looks Like
Fairness means knowing your people well enough to lead them in a way that works for them — without lowering expectations.
Real fairness sounds like:
“Here’s the same standard. Here’s how I’ll help you meet it.”
That might look like:
Giving one person a clear process
Giving another more autonomy
Breaking work into steps for someone else
Letting another run with the big picture
Being direct with someone who needs clarity
Slowing down for someone who needs to think
This isn’t favoritism. It’s effectiveness. Leadership has never been one-size-fits-all.
How to Lead Fairly Without Playing Favorites
Know what drives each person.
Ask what helps them do their best work. Most leaders never ask.
Match your communication to their style.
Some need the headline. Some need the details. Some need the why. Some need the pace.
Adjust accountability based on what gets results.
You may check in more with one person and less with another — not out of favoritism, but because their work style requires it.
Be transparent about expectations.
Same target. Same standard. Tailored support.
This is what fairness looks like in practice.
QUESTIONS
Q: How do I lead fairly without being accused of favoritism?
Be open about expectations. When standards are clear and public, your support won’t look like favoritism. It will look like leadership. Favoritism is treating everyone the same while giving only one person what they need. Fair leadership treats everyone as unique and supports them accordingly.
Q: Shouldn’t people just adapt to my style?
To a point, yes. But you’re the leader. Flexibility starts with you. Do you want to win at work or be right at work? Those aren’t always the same.
Q: Won’t tailoring my approach take more time?
At first, yes. But it takes far less time than fixing confusion, rework, and frustration. Tailoring isn’t extra work. It’s how you prevent extra work.
Takeaway
Fairness isn’t sameness. It’s giving people what they need to perform at a high level while holding everyone to the same standard.
That’s not favoritism. That’s effective leadership.
~ Chad Todd
P.S.
If you want a simple way to understand what each person on your team needs and how to lead them without guessing Culture Wheel can help you see their natural working style and adjust your leadership with confidence.