How to Lead in your New Normal

Cathie Leimbach • July 19, 2021

Covid-19 created unprecedented disruption in every area of life. Businesses had to scramble to enable their employees to work remotely. Your employees were suddenly juggling work and family responsibilities while working from the kitchen table. 

 

Navigating the chaos and uncertainty created opportunities to become more effective leaders.  Managing remote workers required new skills in communication. Supporting employees during this challenging time required empathy. The way work is viewed fundamentally changed. As we emerge from our homes and go back to our offices, employees are requesting to work remotely at least part of the time. Many employers are now planning to have a hybrid model, including remote work options.

 

We aren't magically returning to "the way it was." The new normal looks a lot different.  Your employees are your most important asset. Keeping them motivated, engaged, and productive requires specific leadership skills.

 

Listen. Each of your employees will have their unique reaction to emerging from their homes and returning to work. Use open-ended questions to understand how they are feeling and reacting to the "new normal."

 

Watch for behavioral changes. Many of your employees are dealing with internal stress. Covid-19 was a traumatic event for everyone. Some people will be more deeply impacted than others. If your employee is chronically late, missing deadlines, short-tempered, or impatient, it could be a sign that they are having difficulties with the transition. Follow up on your observations, explain how it impacts the team, and help them make better choices.

 

Go back to your why. Every company exists for reasons beyond profit.  Ensuring that your employees understand what your company stands for and why their role is essential will help with engagement and performance.

 

Keep communication flowing. Ironically, communication in many organizations improved because the teams were working remotely. They learned how to communicate consistently and effectively, experiencing a positive outcome from the disruption. Continue to build good communication into your team's culture and provide staff development opportunities to enhance the skill sets.

 

Build on opportunities.  During the pandemic, certain workplace behaviors arose. Compromise, efficiency, creativity, and compassion became more prevalent among teams. There was a solidarity that came from meeting a shared crisis. These behaviors don't need to go away. They elevate your workplace culture and your company's bottom line. A successful return to work plan needs to include ways to support and integrate these behaviors in the culture going forward.

 

The "new normal" is different than normal before the pandemic. Organizations had to learn how to react quickly to changing circumstances. Teams had to learn to work together in new ways. Managers were required to figure out how to lead differently. Out of the chaos and disruption came opportunities to strengthen culture, develop skills, and build trust that the work would get done, even if people worked remotely. Continuing to build on those learnings will help to keep your employees engaged and productive. And, your organization will be better prepared to act nimbly when facing any business challenge.

The Power of Strategic Choice: Making Room for What Matters

By Cathie Leimbach • November 10, 2025
In most organizations, the instinct is to add —more goals, more projects, more meetings. But as Juliet Funt, founder of the Juliet Funt Group, teaches in her Strategic Choice process, real leadership strength lies in deciding what to stop doing . Strategic Choice is the intentional narrowing of priorities—cutting away the clutter so teams can focus on what truly drives results. It’s a disciplined act of letting go: saying no to good ideas so there’s room for the great ones. Funt’s approach challenges leaders to pause, think, and create the mental and operational space their people need to perform at their best. By removing unnecessary tasks and misplaced effort, leaders make room for precision, innovation, and real thinking time. This isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing what matters most. When businesses adopt this mindset, they replace overwhelm with clarity and regain control of their time, energy, and outcomes. For small to mid-sized companies, embracing Strategic Choice can transform busyness into focus—and that focus is where sustainable growth begins. Want a quick visual overview? View Strategic Choice: Making Room for What Matters to see how this process helps leaders focus on what truly drives results.

Unlock Your Team's Potential: Fix Dysfunction, Boost the Bottom Line!

By Cathie Leimbach • November 4, 2025
Hey team leaders! Ever wonder why some companies soar while others stumble? Patrick Lencioni's bestseller, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team , nails it: workplace dysfunctions such as no trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoiding accountability, and ignoring results lead to mediocre performance at best. But here's the good news—smart leadership development changes the game! Start with building trust . Train leaders to open up and be vulnerable. Teams bond, ideas flow, and costly mistakes drop. Next, embrace healthy conflict . Teach team leaders to make it safe for team members to share the pros and cons of current or new ways of doing things. This helps everyone understand different perspectives. Then, drive commitment . Leaders who clarify goals, ask everyone to share their level of buy-in, and address their concerns get everyone bought in. People focus on high value work and get more done. . Hold folks accountable through coaching. Leaders learn to give kind, direct feedback by praising good work and calmly providing more training as needed. Turnover plummets and the quality and quantity of work improves. Finally, focus on results . Be clear on expectations. Keep score by monitoring progress weekly or daily. Acknowledge team wins when the goals are met. Winning sports teams pay attention to these Five Behaviors of a Team. How would a World Series winner have been determined this week without trust among the players and coaches, openness to tough coaching, the whole team working together, players focusing on their specific positions, and getting players around the bases to get the top score? Every workplace can benefit from these team behaviors as well. Lencioni's research proves it: Companies who prepare their leaders to overcome these 5 common workplace dysfunctions, improve the culture and see huge financial gains. Invest in your leaders today. Your bottom line will thank you! Click here to learn more about the painful cost of team dysfunction.