A players hire A players, but B players hire C players. The moment we lower our standards or expectations for the people around us, decline begins to spread and can become difficult to reverse. As a leader, you set the tone through your own actions and by what you allow. When you overlook poor performance, missed deadlines, disrespect, or behavior that conflicts with your core values, you signal that those things are acceptable. Your culture will be tested when someone falls below the standard, so decide now how you will respond when it happens.