Increasing Profits Requires Skilled Managers

Cathie Leimbach • August 21, 2023

Best way to strengthen your bottom line

Effective managers play a pivotal role in driving increased company profits. Their leadership and management skills directly impact the bottom line either negatively or positively. Millennials and Gen Z employees are not willing to tolerate the emotionally draining workplace conditions that older generations put up with. Also, recent research shows that managers themselves are less engaged than ever. Today, fewer managers are modeling positivity, commitment, and initiative. Many are not inspiring employee productivity. No wonder business owners and senior managers are concerned about declining profits. 


Effective managers are adept communicators, ensuring seamless information flow among individuals and between departments. This alignment helps employees feel respected and informed, increasing their commitment to doing their work well. Also, good communication reduces errors and delays, positively affecting workplace timelines and outcomes. How have your managers been trained in clear, inspiring two-way communication skills?


Also, effective managers nurture talent by offering guidance and growth opportunities. A skilled workforce is more productive and innovative, contributing to enhanced profitability. How often do your managers catch employees doing things right and praise them, kindly coach them to correct underperformance, and encourage them to participate in ongoing learning opportunities?


Prioritizing employee engagement is a hallmark of effective managers. A positive work environment boosts morale, reduces turnover, and increases loyalty. Engaged employees are more likely to invest discretionary effort, directly impacting customer satisfaction, and consequently, company profits. Only 33% of employees are actively engaged, yet, in a few organizations

engagement exceeds 90%? How does your company’s employee engagement rate compare?    


In summary, effective managers significantly contribute to increased company profits through quality communication, talent development, and employee engagement. Although the role of managers is to help employees be highly successful, many have not yet had the opportunity to develop the leadership skills that are essential for cultivating a thriving workplace and driving

financial growth. 


What are you going to do this week to strengthen your managers’ skills so they in turn can lead your workforce effectively, improving your organization’s financial position?


You may wish to learn more about Conversational Management training, or register one of your managers in a unique Lorain County Conversational Leadership workshop.

Same Conversation, Different Expectations: Why One-on-Ones Need a Clear Close

By Cathie Leimbach • September 29, 2026
Jason left his one-on-one feeling encouraged. His supervisor, Ellen, had listened as he described competing deadlines and his interest in becoming a team leader. They talked about the possibility of shifting some of his workload. Ellen also suggested that training might help him prepare for a leadership role. "Let's work on that," she said. Jason thought help was coming. Ellen thought Jason would bring her a plan. Two weeks later, the deadlines were closer. Nothing had been reassigned. Neither had looked into training. During their next one-on-one, Ellen asked how things were going. "I'm still waiting to hear which project you want me to focus on," Jason said. "I thought we agreed that you would work that out." "And the leadership training?" "Did you find a course?" Jason paused. "I thought you were going to recommend one." They had discussed the same topics. They had left with different expectations. Neither intended to let the other down. But they hadn't agreed on who would do what, or when. Turn a Good Conversation into Clear Next Steps Listening matters. So does what happens after you listen. Before you end your next one-on-one, take a few minutes to make sure you and your employee understand what comes next. Talk about priorities. If everything can't be done at once, agree on what comes first. Ask what might get in the way, and what support would help. Make room for professional growth, too. What does the employee want to learn? What responsibility would they like to prepare for? Identify a step you can each take to move that development forward. Then write down your agreements. Keep the notes simple: what needs to happen, who will do it, and by when. Include your own commitments. Putting It Into Practice Ellen and Jason tried again. "The client proposal comes first," Ellen said. "I'll talk with Marcus today about taking over the weekly report. By Friday, I'll let you know whether he can." "I'll find two leadership courses before our next meeting," Jason said. "Then we can talk about which one fits." Both Jason and Ellen knew what to do next. The following week, both reported their findings and they made decisions on how to move forward. Jason’s work became more aligned with Ellen’s departmental goals. Jason felt valued and appreciated. Their weekly one-to-ones became the backbone of their workplace success. Want to Make Your Workplace Conversations More Productive? Join us for the Workplace Conversations Clinic on October 19 . Bring a conversation you want to handle more effectively, and let's work on making the next steps clear. Register Here

Want High-Performing Employees? Make Expectations Clear During One-on-Ones

By Cathie Leimbach • September 29, 2026
Sally appreciated that her supervisor made time for weekly one-on-ones. It made her feel valued. But after 18 months with Emerald Corp, something was missing. She rarely received feedback. Her supervisor didn’t tell her what she was doing especially well—or where she needed to improve. And although the company had promised continuing education when she was hired, no development opportunities had materialized. Sally loved learning. Several next-level positions interested her, but she knew she needed additional knowledge and skills. Meanwhile, two college classmates working in other departments had already been promoted. She was a fast learner. She was getting bored. And she was beginning to wonder whether she had a future at Emerald. So Sally started applying elsewhere. During Monday’s one-on-one, she asked her supervisor whether he would serve as a reference. He was stunned. “You’re doing well,” he said. “There are lots of opportunities for you here.” Sally asked whether he would support her applying for an internal position. “Well, you’re doing fairly well,” he replied, “but there are several things you could be doing better. You’d also need more experience or training before you’d be ready for the next level.” Sally was confused. “What should I be doing better?” Her supervisor mentioned a few areas for improvement. “Why haven’t you told me this before?” Sally asked. “No news is good news,” he replied. “You’re certainly not at risk of losing your job.” “But you’re telling me I’m not ready for a promotion. How am I supposed to improve if I don’t know what you expect?” Her supervisor assumed Sally would figure it out over time. Sally had assumed she was already meeting expectations. Both assumptions were costly. Within days, Sally had two interviews with other companies. One-on-Ones Should Help Employees Succeed Employees shouldn’t have to guess what high performance looks like. One-on-ones are an opportunity to make expectations clear and help employees become more successful. Talk about what they are doing well. Be specific about where improvement is needed. Ask about their challenges, interests, and future goals. Then provide the coaching, training, and support that can help them succeed. Don’t wait until an employee asks for a reference to talk about their future. Ask before you assume. Conversation is where leadership happens™ Want to Make Your Workplace Conversations More Productive? Join us for the Workplace Conversations Clinic on October 19 . Bring a conversation you want to handle more effectively, and let's work on making the next steps clear. Register HERE