Leading Self-Reliant Achievers

Cathie Leimbach • April 18, 2023

Let’s further explore Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership II™ model. This article discusses the most effective leadership practices for empowering Self-Reliant Achievers, employees who are in the fourth quadrant of developing competence and commitment for a new job or task. At this point employees are highly competent and highly committed to their new responsibilities.

Learners in the fourth quadrant have the skills to do their regular work well, the knowledge and confidence to overcome most variances and obstacles, and the commitment to doing quality work that serves the organization’s mission. Now, the leader’s main role is to delegate work, provide task-related support when the employee has a need, and maintain a supportive, appreciative relationship with the employee. Since these individuals have many employment options, when these individuals feel undervalued, it won’t take them long to find another job.  

Here are some of the ways highly effective leaders can support self-reliant achievers and avoid the negative impacts of high turnover.

  • Clearly communicate your expectations and goals for the project and give the self-reliant achiever the autonomy to make decisions and execute tasks in their own way.
  • Assign tasks that align with the self-reliant achiever's strengths and interests and provide resources or support when needed.
  • Set up regular check-ins to track progress and provide feedback but avoid micromanaging or hovering over their work.
  • Encourage the self-reliant achiever to take ownership of the project and feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
  • Recognize and reward their achievements and contributions, whether that be through praise, public recognition, or other incentives.

Although Self-Reliant Achievers can generally accomplish their work without their leader’s help, it is important that supervisors don’t abandon these valuable employees. They still need enough leadership support to know they are valued by the organization.

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.