Leading Disillusioned Learners

Cathie Leimbach • April 3, 2023

Let’s further explore Blanchard’s Situational Leadership II™ model. This article discusses the most effective leadership practices for Disillusioned Leaners, employees who are in the second quadrant of developing competence and commitment for a new job or task. At this point in their learning process, individuals can perform the basics of the task but are disappointed they haven’t mastered it.  They’ve been receiving praise for what they are doing well. But they are also getting corrective feedback daily.  They may wonder if they’re ever going to become competent.

Although improving, their skill level is still relatively low. They are achieving neither the quality nor quantity goals. Because of frequent corrective feedback, their commitment and confidence have fallen to a low level. Appropriate supervision in this quadrant includes daily positive and specific feedback along with patient coaching for continued skill development. 

As the leader continues to provide strong skill development support, they will be asking the employee to restate the expected results for this task and compare their results with expectations. They will praise successful performance and the progress the learner is making. A leader-coach asks the employee what they think is limiting their skill development and how they think the gap could be closed. The leader asks what help the staff person thinks they need and then provides the requested support. In the second quadrant, it is important for the leader to be actively engaged in the employee’s ongoing training, so their skills continue to improve, adding more value for the organization. When the supervisor praises good work, it encourages the employee to continue learning. And, when the leader listens and responds to the employee’s needs, the learner’s commitment is maintained. Leaders who fail to provide ongoing training and encouragement during this second stage of skill development are likely to have high staff turnover. Most people want to be successful at work, so if they don’t feel they are making adequate progress, they will move on to another opportunity. Let’s avoid ineffective leadership, the top cause of today’s resignations and quiet quitting. 

It is essential that leaders make it a priority to support employees for success by taking the time to develop their skills and commitment. This investment helps employees become high performers who feel valued, reducing turnover, improving morale, and strengthening the organization’s bottom line. 

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.