Developing Team Members

Cathie Leimbach • July 5, 2022

An owner of an employee placement agency once told me that the most difficult businesses for him to work with were small family businesses with 1 or 2 employees.  Every day the owner/manager worked along side employees.  When one task was completed they told employees what to do next and how to do it.  The employees simply did as they were told week after week.


And then, when the owners' families went on vacation, employees were left alone to staff the ship without daily instructions.    Inevitably, when the owners came back to work they were disappointed with how many tasks weren't done in the preferred way and how many poor or mediocre decisions the employees had made.  The owners of these small businesses made all the big and small decisions every day they were at work, yet, in their absence, expected employees to make the same quality of decisions they would have made.


This absence of employee development is not limited to family operated businesses.  It is the way many supervisors in several departments of most companies lead - or fail to lead.  They tell new employees something about what is expected on the job.  Some leaders share a little while others provide a mentor for the first week, month, or quarter.  And then, once the employee 'should' be able to handle their work independently, they leave them alone to get their work done.  And when errors are discovered by the supervisor, the employee is again told what to do and left alone to implement improved practices.


However, employees don't become competent and confident from being told and then left alone.  It is much more effective when supervisors ask employees how they suggest today's tasks should be done.  Leaders help employees think when they let employees work independently and then check in every hour or two to answer questions or redirect and retrain.


How well do you support your employees to gradually learn to think on their own?  How often do you check in with new hires to be available to help them increase their work quality?  How could you enhance your employee leadership practices?   

Trust-Building Conversations

By Cathie Leimbach • June 30, 2026
Most workplace tension doesn't come from major conflicts. It comes from too few conversations. A disappointment that was never discussed. A broken agreement that was never repaired. Appreciation that was never expressed. Over time, these "withholds" create friction that slows collaboration, weakens trust, and makes even simple conversations feel difficult. The strongest teams don't avoid tension—they address it early. Research highlighted in a recent McKinsey article found that unresolved tensions can significantly reduce team effectiveness, while high-trust teams consistently outperform their peers. The difference isn't the absence of problems. It's the willingness to talk about them. One of the most practical leadership habits is creating regular opportunities for transparent interaction. That includes appreciation. [CL1] People should hear what they're doing well far more often than they hear about their shortfalls. Specific, genuine recognition builds trust over time. Those trust deposits matter because once positive relationships are built, difficult conversation are more likely to accept the message . When correction is needed, reinforce that you value the person, even though they aren’t perfect. The goal is growth, not judgment. But leaders should be careful not to make appreciation transactional. If positive feedback has been absent for months, suddenly offering praise immediately before a critique usually feels insincere. Trust is built through a steady pattern of recognition, encouragement, and honest conversation—not a last-minute compliment. Transparent leaders also address issues early. Small frustrations become large resentments when left unresolved. Teams that clear the air quickly spend less energy managing tension and more energy producing results. The result? Less friction. More trust. Stronger relationships. Better performance. Because healthy conversations don't just solve problems—they strengthen the team. Free Leader Guide: 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations The best leaders don't wait for tension to become conflict. They build trust before it's needed. Download our 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations guide to learn practical ways to strengthen relationships, reduce friction, and create a culture where honest conversations lead to better performance. Download the guide and start building trust one conversation at a time.

Speaking Up Is Not Defiance. It's Duty.

By Cathie Leimbach • June 23, 2026
Most leaders say they want employees to speak up. They want people who spot risks, question assumptions, and help the organization make better decisions. Yet many employees hesitate to do exactly that. Why? Because leaders often respond to speaking up as if the speaker is complaining, criticizing or resisting. When people fear being viewed as difficult, they stop sharing what they see. The organization loses valuable information, ideas, and perspectives. A recent McKinsey article found that teams with high psychological safety are two to three times more likely to generate breakthrough ideas. When people feel safe speaking up, better thinking follows. The best leaders understand a simple truth: Speaking up is not defiance. It's duty. When employees question assumptions, raise concerns, or offer a different perspective, they are helping the team avoid blind spots and make stronger decisions. That's why effective leaders don't merely tolerate speaking up—they invite it. They ask: What are we not seeing? What assumptions are we making? Who might see this differently? What information are we missing? Just as importantly, they respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness. They thank people for expressing their perspective. They explain how input influenced decisions. They make speaking up safe. Because organizations don't improve when everyone agrees. They improve when people feel responsible for helping the team see what others may have missed. In healthy organizations, speaking up isn't rebellion. It's responsibility. It's duty. Leadership Reflection Think about your last leadership team meeting. Did people simply agree? Or did someone help the team see something it otherwise would have missed? Download 5 Questions That Surface Better Thinking and make speaking up a productive part of how your team thinks, decides, and performs.