Selfishness, not Kindness

"Many leaders who struggle with [holding those they lead accountable] (again, I’m one of them) will try to convince themselves that their reluctance [to confront behavioural problems] is a product of their kindness; they just don’t want to make their employees feel bad. But an honest reassessment of their motivation will allow them to admit that they are the ones who don’t want to feel bad and that failing to hold someone accountable is ultimately an act of selfishness. After all, there is nothing noble about withholding information that can help an employee improve. Eventually that employee’s lack of improvement is going to come back to haunt him in a performance review or when he is let go. And I’m pretty sure there is nothing kind about firing someone who has not been confronted about his performance."

 The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business by Patrick M. Lencioni