Most teams don't struggle at the beginning of a project. And they don't struggle at the end. They struggle in the middle.
If you've led a team for any length of time, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The kickoff feels strong. People are excited, ideas are flowing, and everyone seems aligned. But a few weeks later, momentum slows. The updates get thinner. Things stall. You start wondering what went wrong.
Here's the truth: nothing went wrong. You just hit the point where different styles collide.
Every team has people who love starting things and people who love finishing them. The problem shows up when leaders expect everyone to love both. That's where the energy drops, clarity fades, and follow-through gets messy.
THE BIG INSIGHT
People are wired for different phases of work. Teams move faster when leaders match the work to the person.
Some People Love Starting Things
Some people thrive in the early phase of a project. They bring ideas, energy, and forward movement. They aren't intimidated by ambiguity. In fact, they like it. They move quickly, make decisions with limited information, and help the team get rolling.
These people are essential during the kickoff. They bring energy where there would otherwise be none. But they aren't always the ones who want to carry the work across the finish line. Their strength is momentum, not maintenance.
Others Are Built for Finishing
Then you have the finishers. They're thoughtful, steady, and detail-focused. They do their best work once the path is clear and the expectations are stable. They don't always jump in on day one, but once they're engaged, they're dependable.
Finishers shine in the final phase of a project. They clean up loose ends, tighten the details, and make sure the commitment becomes a result. But they aren't built to generate the initial spark. They need clarity before they move, not chaos.
Why the Middle Is the Hardest Part
The middle of a project exposes the gap between these two styles. Starters begin losing interest. Finishers aren't ready to take over because things are still shifting. No one is at their best in the messy middle.
Leaders misinterpret this as lack of motivation or focus. It's not. It's a wiring mismatch.
When you expect a starter to keep sustaining energy they don't have, frustration builds. When you expect a finisher to jump into a project that's still changing every day, overwhelm sets in. The middle isn't a motivation problem. It's an assignment problem.
How Leaders Use Strength Instead of Fighting It
The goal isn’t to force people to be something they’re not. It’s to build a workflow where each person plays to their strengths.
Here’s how:
Let starters kick things off and shape the initial direction.
Give them the room to brainstorm, identify opportunities, and get the team moving.
Bring finishers in once the direction is set.
When the project stabilizes, they’ll take ownership naturally. That’s where they thrive.
Assign roles based on phase, not fairness.
Just because someone starts doesn’t mean they should finish. And just because someone finishes doesn’t mean they needed to be in the early brainstorm.
Use the middle as a handoff point, not a struggle point.
When both sides know when they’re expected to lead, the work flows smoothly.
When teams use their natural wiring instead of fighting it, projects become easier, faster, and far less stressful.
QUESTIONS
Q: What if I only have a team of finishers?
Break the early work into clearer steps. Finishers can start things, but they need more clarity upfront than starters do.
Q: What if my team has too many starters and not enough finishers?
Add structure. Starters thrive in ideas, but they need clear checkpoints to finish well. Pair them with someone steady.
People are built differently. Some bring the spark. Others bring the completion.
This week, look at a project that's stalling in the middle. Ask yourself: "Am I asking the right person to own this phase?" Then reassign based on energy, not titles. When you match the work to the wiring, everything moves faster.
Chad Todd
chadtodd.com
P.S. If you want help applying this inside your team, that’s the work I do with leaders. Reply and I’ll share details.
