Wonky Potatoes and the Labels That Kill Your Team
Wonky Potatoes and the Labels That Kill Your Team
I went shopping today for the family shop, and I needed potatoes.
Standing in the vegetable aisle, I noticed something I hadn't paid much attention to before: bags labelled "wonky potatoes."
The supermarket I go to sells wonky veg—the stuff that doesn't meet the "right specification" to be classed as what they call Class One vegetables. Slightly odd shapes, a bit quirky looking, not quite perfect enough to sit with the regular produce.
I was intrigued. What makes a potato wonky? And more importantly, what's actually different about a wonky potato compared to any other potato I'd ever bought?
So I bought them. Partly because I was curious, partly because they were cheaper, but mostly because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
Inside, It Was All Potato
When I got home and started preparing Sunday lunch, I opened the bag.
And inside? Just potatoes.
They didn't look particularly wonky at all. They looked... potato-ish. Roundish, brownish, exactly what you'd expect a potato to look like.
Some were a bit knobbly. Some had slightly odd shapes. But nothing that would stop them from being perfectly good potatoes.
Then I cut them open.
And inside? Still just a potato.
They may have been labelled "wonky" on the outside. They may have been sold with the implication that they're not quite like the rest—a bit different, a bit quirky, not quite up to standard.
But once you got past the label, they were exactly the same as every other potato.
I made roast potatoes out of them. And they didn't taste any different from any other potatoes I'd used for roast potatoes in the past.
Same crispy edges. Same fluffy insides. Same result.
The only difference was the label.
We Do This to Our Teams
And then it hit me.
We do this in our jobs. We do this in our work. We do this in our personal lives.
And most importantly—worst of all—we do this to ourselves.
We put labels on things.
As managers, we think it's helpful. It tidies things up. It makes us have less to think about because we've got these neat little categories.
When it comes to our teams, we put people into boxes:
Really capable, okay, or not so capable
Outgoing and strong, or quiet and weak
High potential, or "probably as far as they'll go"
Some of those labels might help. Most of them don't.
In my coaching, I'm always very aware when people use labels. They'll tell me they're clumsy, they're lazy, they can't do something. Or they'll tell me they're a high achiever, they struggle to achieve, they find it difficult, they find it easy.
I've heard every label you can imagine.
And my first question is always the same: Do you find that label useful?
Most people look at me and say, "What do you mean?"
So I ask: Does it empower you? Does it give you strength, motivation, direction?
Or does it do the complete opposite?
Does it cause you to take your foot off the gas because now you've been given this label and you don't have to push quite so hard?
Because now you've been told you're only average, or not quite performing as well as others, or you'll never get promoted, or this is as far as you're going to get.
Is there a feeling that you've lost your enthusiasm? Your motivation? Your direction?
And here's the thing: if your line manager has put that label on you, they've just created themselves a vacancy.
Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not next week.
But slowly and surely, they've made themselves a vacancy.
And while they wait for that vacancy to arrive, they've got a demotivated person on their team.
Just because the manager wanted to put a label on them.
Just like the supermarket wanted to label the potatoes.
Why Managers Label People (And Don't Even Realise It)
As managers, labelling is easily done. It's convenient.
And we often do it without realising, because our own line managers will ask us: "Who's next in progression? Who do you think will be our next managers, our next leaders, our next directors of the future?"
And at that early stage, they put a label on you.
And somehow or other, that label sticks.
You may not have put it on yourself. Or you may be shouting and screaming that that's your label—"I'm deserving of the promotion, I worked hard, I went to university, I got qualified, so therefore I should progress."
And your confidence and your bullishness will probably see you through. Or maybe it's the fact that you know people, or your family knows people, and you can progress that way.
Or maybe you feel like nobody knows you. You find it difficult to speak up, difficult to be heard by your line manager, by your team. You feel like you've just been left to fend for yourself.
15 Direct Reports and a Label Called "Manager"
This week I was reading some Reddit comments from different managers about their experiences.
And I read one about a manager who'd been promoted. The company was streamlining, and they now had 15 direct reports.
Fifteen.
How are you meant to manage 15 people without putting them into categories?
My good people, my bad people, my ordinary people.
How are you meant to give feedback and reviews to 15 people?
Someone had commented that if you just did basic maths and spent a little time with each of those 15 each week, it would take two working days.
Two working days out of the five in this newly promoted manager's week.
And they'd feel that because they now had the label of "being in charge," they'd probably do a bit of it at home. Maybe in the evenings, maybe at the weekend, to try and keep up.
Because they didn't want the label of the manager who hadn't succeeded. The manager who wasn't quite the right appointment.
Because companies nowadays say: "We need to streamline, we need to be more efficient, we need to save money, we need to cut back."
But sometimes I wonder—how far can you cut back?
If you don't have the people to serve the customers, you're going to lose sales.
If you've got your people working so hard they're exhausted, and you still want them to represent your business, what do you think is going to happen?
This manager with 15 people to manage was asking for help.
But they were looking on Reddit for help. Not from their line manager.
And I wonder why.
Probably because they didn't want to look like they were struggling. They didn't want to look weak. They didn't want to look like they were just promoted and inexperienced.
But that's actually fine to admit. And they should have a line manager who's willing to hear that.
But are you that line manager? Are you the one who's making it safe for them to say "I'm struggling"?
Or is it more convenient to turn a blind eye, knowing they're struggling, because dealing with it would be uncomfortable?
As that manager, you should know. Surely you should know that 15 people is too hard without support and without training.
Three Restructures in Two Years
There was another one I read about—a person who, over the last two years, had just gone through their third restructure.
Three restructures in two years.
How are you meant to manage through that? How are you meant to be the manager who's focused and giving vision to your people?
"I am the manager in charge. I know where we're going. Now follow me."
Oh, we've changed our minds.
"I've got to tell you a different direction we're now going. But that's okay, still follow me."
And you can probably do it two or three times.
But I'm sure in the end, you start to get the label: "You're going around in circles. You don't quite know what you're doing. Your people don't trust you anymore."
And these are the labels that we don't want.
These are the ones that take away our enthusiasm. Our credibility. Our ability to lead.
Words Are Powerful. Labels Even More So.
So be careful.
Don't just look at that potato, call it wonky, and be dismissive.
Because it's fine for a potato to be in a bag with other wonky potatoes. It'll probably be okay. It'll still roast, still mash, still do its job.
But for your team? It could be demoralising.
And you could turn your best assets into the ones that take up all your time because they're demotivated.
Remember: words are powerful. And labels even more so.
Because people can't easily get rid of labels. Often, it's very hard.
What to Do Instead: Managing Without Labels
So what's the alternative?
If labelling is so convenient, so built into how we manage, how do we stop doing it?
Here's what I'd suggest:
1. Catch yourself doing it
The next time you're about to describe someone on your team—"She's not quite ready," "He's only average," "They'll never be leadership material"—stop.
Ask yourself: Is this label useful? Does it help them, or does it just make my life easier?
2. Separate behaviour from identity
Instead of "They're lazy," say "They missed the last three deadlines."
Instead of "They're not leadership material," say "They need to develop their decision-making skills."
One is a label. The other is actionable.
3. Give people a chance to surprise you
Those wonky potatoes were perfectly good once I actually used them. How many people on your team have you written off because of a label, without ever giving them the chance to prove otherwise?
4. Make it safe to struggle
That manager with 15 direct reports should have been able to say "I'm overwhelmed" without fear of being labelled as weak or incapable.
If your team can't tell you when they're struggling, you've already lost them.
Inside Every Wonky Potato Is Just... Potato
And inside every person you've labelled is someone who could be brilliant, if you'd just stop treating them like they're second-rate produce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do managers label their team members?
Managers label team members because it's convenient and seems to simplify decision-making. When you're managing multiple people—especially in today's environment, where you might have 15+ direct reports—creating categories feels like it helps you manage the workload. The problem is, these labels often stick and become self-fulfilling prophecies that demotivate your best people.
How do I know if I'm labelling my team?
Listen to how you describe your team members, both to yourself and to others. Do you use phrases like "She's not quite ready," "He's only average," or "They'll never be leadership material"? These are labels, not observations. Ask yourself: Is this label useful? Does it empower this person, or does it just make my life easier?
What's the difference between feedback and labelling?
Feedback is specific and actionable: "You missed the last three deadlines—let's talk about what's getting in your way." Labelling is vague and permanent: "You're unreliable." Feedback focuses on behaviour that can change. Labels focus on identity that feels fixed. One helps people improve. The other makes them give up.
How can I manage a large team without categorising people?
Start by questioning the system itself. If you genuinely have 15+ direct reports, that's a structural problem, not a personal failing. Advocate for support, training, and realistic workloads. In the meantime, focus on individual conversations rather than group categories. Even 10 minutes of genuine attention is worth more than being mentally filed under "average performer."
What should I do if my manager has labelled me?
First, decide if the label is useful to you. Does it empower you or hold you back? If it's holding you back, you have options: prove them wrong through your actions, have a direct conversation about their expectations, or start looking for a manager who sees your potential. Remember, if your manager has labelled you unfairly, they've created their own vacancy—you just get to decide when you fill it.
Ready to Lead Without Labels?
If you're tired of managing in a system that puts people in boxes—or if you've been put in a box yourself and want to break free—I've got something for you.
Join The Empowered Leader's Circle– it's free, and it's where frustrated managers learn to lead with clarity instead of categories. No corporate waffle. Just practical techniques from someone who's been exactly where you are.
Actually implement emotional intelligence, not just read about it—I'm launching something very soon.
EI-Unleashed in Action is a practical course that shows you exactly how to regulate yourself, read your team, and lead without burning out. No theory. No fluff. Just the techniques that work when you're managing 15 people, surviving your third restructure, or wondering why nobody told you management would be this hard.
It's launching in the next two weeks, and I'll be giving early access to community members first.
Stop labelling. Start leading.
Jon Manning
Former Retail Operations Manager | Author of Emotional Intelligence Unleashed (I made every mistake first)
