Who's Responsible for Employee Success?
Cathie Leimbach • July 15, 2020
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When I facilitate client meetings, every person in the room shares their perspective on the matter at hand and contributes ideas of how to move forward. Managers are often shocked at the positive energy and quality of input from their staff. Why are so many leaders, managers, and supervisors unaware of their staff’s potential and their value to the organization?
One reason is that few managers ask questions. There is a tendency for supervisors to give their staff day-by-day, or even hour-by-hour, specific instructions on what to do next, or they leave their staff alone to figure everything out by themselves. Few managers invest a lot of time using an intermediate approach. Daily or weekly two-way conversations between staff members and supervisors are relatively uncommon. Without such discussions, supervisors are unaware of their staff’s strengths and interests so can’t leverage their potential.
And, when staff don’t interact with others at work, they don’t feel valued. Their enthusiasm and productivity drop. Then, managers get frustrated with employee apathy and mediocre productivity.
Leaders push staff to work harder. Staff complain that managers aren't helpful or expectations aren't clear. Decades of Gallup research has revealed that the staff's assessment of the problem is pretty accurate. 70% of the factors that contribute to disappointing morale, engagement, productivity, and profit are the responsibility of managers.
So, what is the root cause of mediocre organizational outcomes? IT’S THE MANAGER!
Effective managers have servant hearts. They develop the skills needed to help their staff be the best they can be. They manage by asking questions that inspire great conversations and by becoming competent in the fifteen core skills of effective management. Unfortunately, this description of an effective manager does not describe the majority of managers.
What will you do this week to move beyond average? What is your next step to becoming a manager who leads with excellence and develops a healthy, high performance workplace team?
Herminia Ibarra’s research offers compelling insight into why leadership development should be viewed as a strategic priority. Her work shows that helping leaders grow isn’t just beneficial for individuals—it significantly improves how organizations operate and perform. Ibarra explores how leadership identity evolves over time. When managers step back from daily tasks and begin thinking and acting more strategically, it creates ripple effects across the organization. Teams become more engaged, decision-making improves, and execution becomes more effective. These shifts enhance productivity, innovation, and retention—key drivers of long-term success. Her research also highlights the value of building strong leadership pipelines. Companies that invest in leaders who are adaptable, self-aware, and skilled at big-picture thinking tend to be more agile and resilient. These organizations are better equipped to respond to change and seize new opportunities. By reframing leadership development as a strategic investment rather than a soft skill, Ibarra shows how it creates measurable improvements in performance across the organization. Growth in leadership capacity leads to smarter decisions, healthier cultures, and stronger overall results. 👉 For a deeper dive into the data, click here to view Insights from Herminia Ibarra’s Research on Leadership Development and its Measurable Impact.
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