Is the ROI of Remote and Hybrid Work Options Worth the Effort?

Cathie Leimbach • January 30, 2024

Studies show that many hybrid and remote workers are more engaged with their work and are happier with their life than when they worked at company facilities. Yet, the need to support hybrid and remote workers with intentional strategies for communication, collaboration, and relationship building and the challenges in setting effective policies around work location are contributing to increased stress at work.


52% of employees report experiencing ‘a lot of stress at work yesterday’. Since this leads to poor wellbeing, productivity, and longevity, it is important that we address significant workplace stressors. However, work location is not the most critical stressor.  

Let’s remember that one of the common reasons for employees quitting or choosing to work remotely is to get away from a bad boss. Gallup’s research indicates that ‘how employees are managed has about four times as much influence on employee engagement and wellbeing as their work location’.   


Today, there is a downward trend in employees’ sense of connection with their organization’s mission and purpose. When employees don’t have faith in their leaders, they lose faith in the organization’s potential to offer them a future. Only 23% of U.S. employees strongly agree that they trust the leadership in their workplace. Yet, when leaders communicate clearly, lead and support change, and inspire confidence in the future, 95% of employees report fully trusting their leaders.

It is pretty clear that gaining employees’ trust by leading effectively is a much bigger concern than work location! Yet, few organizations invest in training people leaders in effective people management practices. Why are many sweeping this elephant under the carpet? 

·       Perhaps the hard task of changing one’s leadership approach is too daunting.

·       Maybe the challenge of measuring the benefits of investing in soft skill training doesn’t meet their return-on-investment criteria.

·       It could be that they don’t know what practices are effective, so they don’t know where to start with training.


Although it isn’t well known yet, there is very good news in the leadership development arena. There is a solution to these dilemmas! The developers of a program called Conversational Management digested a lot of credible research on management practices. They studied the intersection of these research findings and developed a very impactful, interactive training program which guides leaders in becoming effective people managers. At least one company has documented a 20-fold return on its training investment.

And they offer an easy try-before-you-buy opportunity! To learn more, participate in the first module of Conversational Management by registering for the next Zoom Test Drive. I look forward to seeing you there!

4 Leadership Behaviors That Drive Trust, Performance, and Accountability

By Cathie Leimbach • March 31, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because leadership opportunities show up in daily conversations —and those moments are easy to miss. The difference between average and high-performing teams often comes down to four leadership behaviors: 1. Build Trust Through Everyday Conversations Trust is built in small moments. Listen to concerns Ask thoughtful questions Follow through Address issues quickly and respectfully 🤝 Trust grows through consistent, everyday conversations. 2. Reinforce What Good Looks Like People repeat what gets recognized. Be specific: “I appreciated how you handled that client issue quickly—that made a difference.” 🔒 Clarity + recognition = stronger performance. 3. Address Problems Early—Kindly and Clearly Avoiding issues creates bigger ones. Keep it simple: What was expected? What happened? What needs to change? 👥 Clear, timely conversations reduce drama and improve results. 4. Support People So They Can Succeed Your role is to help your team succeed. Clarify priorities Remove obstacles Provide resources Coach progress 🔍 When people have clarity and support, performance follows. The Real Lever: Conversations None of this requires new systems. It happens in everyday interactions— 1:1s, quick check-ins, and follow-ups. Better conversations → better results. Quick Reflection Which one would make the biggest difference for you right now? Build trust Reinforce performance Address problems early Support success 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation – Inspiring Employee Performance on Monday, April 6, at 3:00 pm ET. Not a webinar. A working session with other leaders looking at what’s actually happening on their teams—and how small shifts in daily conversations change performance fast. If you're curious what even a 10% shift in consistency could look like for your team… this is a good place to start.

Three Small Shifts That Change Everything

By Cathie Leimbach • March 24, 2026
You don’t need to make big changes in your leadership practices to get better results. Often, it’s small shifts in everyday leadership conversations that quietly change how work gets done. Here are three that work:  1. Make priorities clear Start meetings by stating current priorities. That creates focus right away and helps conversations stay on topic. 2. Ask instead of solve Instead of answering an employee’s questions, ask, “What are your suggestions?” Such questions encourage employee thinking and stronger follow-through. 3. Hold short monthly one-on-one check-ins Meeting with each employee one-on-one allows the regular review of goals, progress, and obstacles. These short conversations surface issues early and keep everyone aligned. These small habits keep teams steady and focused. Your challenge this month: Pick one shift and try it. Notice what changes in clarity, buy-in, or accountability. Sometimes the difference between teams that struggle and teams that move smoothly comes down to a few simple leadership conversations happening consistently. 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation on March 30th at 3:00 PM to see how small shifts in everyday leadership conversations can quickly improve clarity, ownership, and results.