Performance Assumptions Are Quietly Killing Your Team
Most teams aren’t failing because they disagree on where they’re going.
I’ve worked with hundreds of executive and functional teams over the last 25+ years in motorsports and in the boardroom. And I can tell you that the majority of those teams were reasonably aligned on objectives (where are we going?), strategy (how do we get there?), and tactics (what needs to get done?).
But there’s a fourth layer that almost nobody talks about.
How we do the work together. And that’s exactly where performance assumptions live and where friction quietly destroys team momentum.
The Pit Wall Perspective
Think about a NASCAR pit crew jumping from the pit wall to refuel, adjust the car’s chassis, and change tires in under 10 seconds.
There are zero assumptions in that moment.
Not because they’re perfect. Rather, because they’ve invested deeply in three critical things before that green flag ever drops:
- A shared language – every word, every signal, every cue means the same thing to every person
- Agreed upon behaviors – there’s no debating who does what, when, and how
- Trust – built through thousands of reps, not good intentions
That sub-10-second stop isn’t magic. It’s the result of deliberate alignment around how the work gets done. And because of that investment, every crew member knows exactly where to be, what to do, and how to do it – without a word being spoken.
The Corporate Gap
The hard truth? Most corporate teams never get there.
Leaders invest in strategy decks, off-site planning sessions, KPI dashboards, etc.. All of it important.
But very few invest in the conversations that create alignment around behavior, language, and accountability at the team level.
So what happens?
Someone assumes a deadline means “on my desk by end of day.” Someone else thinks it means “by noon.” One leader communicates through bullet-point Slack messages. Another expects a full brief. One team member believes candid feedback in a group setting is healthy. Another finds it disrespectful.
Nobody’s wrong. But everybody’s frustrated. Perhaps you can relate!
That’s the performance assumption tax and your team is paying it every week (if not every day!).
ACTION STEP 1 – Individual Diagnostic
Start here: Think about the last time your team experienced unexpected friction, a missed handoff, or a breakdown in execution. Ask yourself honestly:
“Was that a strategy problem OR a ‘how we work together’ problem?”
If the answer is the latter, you likely have performance assumptions at play.
ACTION STEP 2 – Reality Check
On a scale of 1–10, how well does your team have documented and agreed-upon answers to these questions:
- How do we communicate expectations?
- How do we give and receive feedback?
- What does accountability look like here?
- How do we handle conflict or disagreement?
If you’re below an 8, you have alignment gaps that are costing you performance.
The Antidote to Performance Assumptions
This is exactly what my E.P.I.C. Performance Alignment System is built to solve.
The E.P.I.C. system (Excellence, Presence, Intentionality, Curiosity) takes executive and functional teams through a structured process to co-create your E.P.I.C. Charter. This is a living document of agreed-upon behaviors, shared language, and accountability anchors that removes the guesswork and replaces assumptions with alignment.
Think of it as the team’s version of the performance alignment playbook. Except it lives in your boardroom, your Zoom calls, and your Monday morning meetings.
When teams align at the how we work together level, everything above it – objectives, strategy, and tactics – executes faster, cleaner, and with far less friction.
If you or someone you know is experiencing performance assumptions, I’d love to connect and explore how my system could serve you!