Uncovering Your Blind Spots

Cathie Leimbach • May 31, 2022

How satisfied are you with your life and your impact? What rating would you give yourself on a 10-point scale? If you aren't a 10 right now, how interested are you in growing - in closing or at least narrowing the gap?


For those who wish to close the gap, what are you doing about it? Is your self-discipline strong enough to move you forward toward being a 10 in life and workplace satisfaction? Do you have the willpower to hold yourself accountable to taking the daily steps needed for continual growth? If not, don't be disappointed in yourself.  We all have a limited amount of willpower each day.  An accountability partner or coach can support us to greater heights than we can achieve independently.  What is your willingness to be coached to more fully achieve your potential?


Coach Micheal Burt, author of Everybody Needs a Coach in Life, suggests that to reach our potential in life and work we need to be high achievers in 4 areas: body, mind, heart, and spirit. In which of these areas have you not yet reached your potential? If you have hit a ceiling, yet haven’t reached your potential, it may be time to invest in a coach.  If you wish you could be more, but think you might have reached your potential, a coach can often help you identify your blind spots and unleash opportunities you have never considered.


Let's take a look at realities and thoughts in each of the 4 areas which could be limiting your impact.  Which apply to you?


Body – I’m not happy with my appearance, my strength and energy, or my health.

Mind – I need to expand my knowledge base to get to the next level in life or work.

Heart – I am no longer passionate. I am lukewarm or passive about important relationships in my life and/or about my work.

Spirit – I am just going though the motions of life without any real connection to God or to purpose.


Close your eyes for a moment and dream about the life you would like. What state of body, mind, heart, and spirit would you like to experience every day? Do you have the internal fortitude to close the gap between your current reality and your potential? Be honest with yourself.


You could close the gap a little on your own and live an okay life. Or, you could work with a coach to narrow the gap so you can uncover your blind spots, use more of your potential, and experience a higher level of impact and satisfaction. Which is it going to be? 

Are you Supporting Your Employees to Overcome Hurdles?

By Cathie Leimbach • September 8, 2026
For weeks, Mary had been frustrated with frequently occurring delays in shipping. During her one-on-one with her supervisor, she finally told him what was going on. He listened, asked questions, and said he would look into it. She left the meeting feeling encouraged. Maybe this situation would finally get resolved. A week later, her supervisor started their one-on-one by asking “So, what do you want to talk about today?” He didn’t mention what he had learned about the problem in shipping. “Of course not!,” she thought. “Nothing is going to change.” So, she sadly replied, “Nothing really. Everything’s fine.” Sometimes employees stop talking because experience has taught them that speaking up doesn’t make any difference. One-on-ones are an opportunity to change that. Give the employee a voice in what gets discussed. Help them address bottlenecks. Follow-up on your to dos from the conversation. It can be as simple as: “Last week we talked about the shipping problem. I checked into it, and here’s what I found out. A possible solution would be this .... How do think that might work? ... What other ideas do you have?” The message is clear: I heard you. I remembered. What you have to say matters. And when employees believe their concerns and ideas matter, they’re more likely to keep speaking up. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ What Workplace Conversation Are You Struggling With? Maybe an employee has stopped talking. Maybe you’re dealing with accountability, conflict, attendance, performance—or simply a conversation you’re not quite sure how to approach. Bring it to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on September 21. Join Cathie Leimbach and other leaders to talk through real workplace people challenges, hear different perspectives, and get ideas for moving forward. Register Here 

Build Thinkers, Not Followers

By Cathie Leimbach • September 2, 2026
Many leaders don't set out to become the answer to every question. It happens gradually. Someone asks their leader how to do it because it's faster than figuring it out. Another employee waits because they don't want to make the wrong decision. Before long, you're answering questions your team should be able to answer on their own. The good news is that you don't have to be the answer to every question. You can build a team that thinks, solves problems, and takes ownership without you giving up appropriate control. Here are a few places to start: Ask Before You Answer When someone brings you a problem, don't start by giving them the solution. Instead, ask:  What do you think? What options have you considered? What would you do if I wasn't here? People grow when they think through problems—not when someone else thinks for them. Let Small Decisions Stay Small. Not every decision needs your approval. Look for low-risk opportunities where employees or supervisors can tell the employee to make the call themselves. Confidence grows with experience. Praise Initiative, Even When It's Imperfect. If people believe they'll be criticized every time they make a decision, they'll stop making them. When someone takes ownership, recognize their initiative. Coaching them to make a better decision is easier in the long run than making every decision yourself. Notice the Questions That Keep Coming Back. If you're answering the same questions week after week, don't just answer them faster. Ask why they're still being asked. The issue may not be your people. It may be an unclear expectation, an inconsistent process, lack of training, or a conversation that never happened. Helping people think for themselves doesn't happen in one meeting. It happens through dozens of everyday collaborative conversations that gradually build confidence, judgment, and ownership. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ You don't have to figure it all out alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic September 21. Join Cathie Leimbach and other leaders for a practical conversation about the people challenges you're facing—and leave with fresh perspectives you can put to work. Register HERE