Most leaders believe they’re accountable for results. Michael Walsh disagrees. In this episode of Wealth On Main Street, business coach and author Michael Walsh explains a radical but practical truth:
You’re not accountable for the result.
You’re accountable for supporting the people who generate it.
That single mindset shift changes everything.
After more than 30 years of coaching businesses to $10M, $50M, and beyond, Michael has seen what works—and what quietly destroys companies from the inside out. And according to him, traditional management is one of the biggest culprits.
The Ceiling of Complexity: Why Growth Suddenly Feels Hard
Almost every business hits invisible ceilings.
$1M → $2M
$2M → $5M
$5M → $10M
$10M → $20M+
At each stage, leaders feel stuck. More people. More problems. More pressure. However, Michael explains that the issue isn’t intelligence or effort. It’s that people outgrow their structures.
What worked at $1M breaks at $5M. What worked at $5M collapses at $10M. So leaders do what they’ve always done: – They add rules. – They add controls. – They add reporting.
Unfortunately, that often makes things worse.
The Real Problem Leaders Can’t See
Michael shares a powerful insight:
If you can see a problem, you can solve it.
If you know a problem exists, you can find it.
But if you don’t see a problem exists at all, that’s where businesses stall.
That’s why Michael spent three years studying the “danger zones” of growth, especially during COVID, looking for the hidden patterns that trap leaders. What he discovered was clear: Most breakdowns are behavioural, not structural.
Behaviour Beats Structure (But There’s Structure to Behaviour)
Some companies succeed with a few systems. Others fail with endless systems. Why?
Because human behaviour drives outcomes. Michael explains that strong teams thrive when people:
Understand the customer
Protect profit
Work well together
Think independently
At the same time, weak behaviours can destroy even the most organized company. However, here’s the missing link most leaders overlook: There is structure to human behaviour.
Once leaders understand that structure, managing becomes far easier.
The 4 Human Drivers That Shape Every Workplace
According to Michael, every person operates from four core drivers:
1. Survival
People protect their economic security first.
When survival feels threatened, logic disappears.
2. Thrive
People want to grow, contribute, and create.
This shows up strongly in entrepreneurs and high performers.
3. Connection
We are safer and stronger together.
Trust accelerates learning and collaboration.
4. Adapt
Humans can adapt even when they dislike change.
COVID proved that faster than anything else.
When leaders understand which driver is activated, behaviour suddenly makes sense.
A Real-World Example: Why Praise Builds Better Teams
Michael shares a powerful story from a blue-collar installation company.
Instead of focusing on mistakes, senior team members were asked to:
Identify one or two things each day that their teammate did well
Share those observations weekly
At first, it felt awkward. Then something changed. The junior team members began asking questions. – Trust increased. – Learning accelerated.
What once took 3–4 years now took 18 months.
Soon, newer team members were leading crews of six. Productivity jumped by 50% with no overtime. And morale? Higher than ever.
Why Traditional Management Is Designed to Fail
Here’s the brutal truth Michael shares:
Most managers are promoted because they were great individual contributors.
But no one teaches them how to manage.
So they default to telling people what to do.
And when that happens:
Thinking shuts down
Growth slows
Leaders become bottlenecks
Michael explains the real job of a manager:
To provoke thinking, not provide answers. When leaders stop trying to solve everything, people grow. And when people grow, results follow.
Relationships Create Results (Not Control)
Michael highlights something most leaders resist:
You don’t control relationships.
You influence them.
When leaders stop controlling and start supporting:
Trust rises
Accountability improves
Creativity returns
As Michael puts it, when people feel safe and valued, they bring more to the table. And when everyone brings more? The leader’s job gets easier, not harder.
Scaling Without Losing Your Life
Michael wrote his book, Freedom by Design, to address a deeper problem.
Growth isn’t just about money. It’s about freedom.
He identifies three kinds:
Freedom in the business – doing work you enjoy
Freedom from the business – time away without stress
Freedom because of the business – impact, legacy, contribution
When behaviour and structure align, all three become possible.
Why This Conversation Matters
If you’re a business owner who:
Feels stuck at a revenue ceiling
Is tired of managing instead of leading
Wants growth without burnout
This episode will challenge how you think about leadership. Because, as Nelson Nash taught: Everything begins with how you think.
Listen to the Full Episode
Watch or listen to the whole conversation with Michael Walsh: SPOTIFY
Get Michael’s book, Freedom by Design, on Amazon or at your local bookstore – Click to Order
Want to Build a Business That Supports You?
If you want to scale without sacrificing your sanity, time, or family life, start by rethinking how money and leadership work together. Book a discovery call with our team:Click Here!
We’ll help you create liquidity, clarity, and control, so your business works for you, not the other way around.
