10/02/2026
The Battle of the Bulge
There is a current business phenomenon that pushes foundational problems into the center of the business. I like to call this The Battle of the Bulge.
This battle is chiefly about management practices. Since COVID, leaders have been less comfortable setting clear expectations and following through on those expectations. This phenomenon has been coined The Accountability crisis
There are a few reasons for this, but suffice it to say that emotional appeal has come to outweigh structural integrity in management. To say it another way: emotional approval or disapproval/nagging are being used to manage employee behavior instead of actual accountability systems.
Simple issues that should be dealt with at the foundational level are being pushed into the middle of the business and creating bottleneck that's difficult to see and define, but is felt and experienced. This phenomenon creates stress at every level of the business.
The concept also applies to peer accountability
The first step to addressing this problem is observation. Where is the accountability crisis present in your business? What stresses have you observed at the management level that seem circular and unsolvable? What repetitive problems are you seeing with different team members?
Once you've identified the sources of The Bulge, you can begin to build tools to smooth it out.
If you feel like you're expending a lot of emotional energy on management - this is your permission to stop. Instead, implement clear expectations and follow through on them.
Start with clear expectations for every team member, and a clear accountability structure for not meeting expectations. While you're at it, build out a incentive structure for when a team member exceeds expectations.
You can also take this concept home this weekend -- stop using emotional manipulation on your spouse, kids, family, and loved ones. Try direct, clear communication instead.
Here's to Your Weekend!
Best Regards,
Brooke Birkey, Law Firm Trainer
Level Up Law Firm Business Coaching
Inside Out Revenue Solutions for Your Business
