Before you reach for a response, make sure you know which problem you actually have.

People are not broken. Processes are broken. Thinking is broken. Systems are broken. But behavior — yes. Behavior can be broken, and it has to be named for what it is.

In my experience, cast members who aren't performing fall into one of two distinct categories. Each requires a completely different response. Applying the same approach to both is a waste of everyone's time.

The first is the person who cares but can't execute. They're invested in the work. They want to do it right. The Guest matters to them. But they're drowning — because nobody built a real foundation under them. The expectations weren't clear. The systems weren't solid. The coaching wasn't there. Their commitment is real. Their capability hasn't been developed. What looks like poor performance is a system that failed them before they had a chance to succeed. This person doesn't need a lecture on caring more. They need competence built under them.

The second is the person who can execute and doesn't care. They know the steps. They can run the shift. They show up, perform the function, and feel nothing about the outcome. Technically present, emotionally absent. The behavior is broken — not the person — but the behavior is what your Guests feel, and it can't stay. This person doesn't need more training. They need a reason to show up. If you can't give them one, you need to have a very different kind of conversation.

Look at the person you're struggling with right now. Are they trying and failing because nobody built a proper system around them? Or are they capable and checked out? The answer tells you where to go next.