Why Your Company's Success Depends on This One Thing (Hint: It's Not What You Think)

Cathie Leimbach • August 19, 2025

What separates thriving companies from struggling ones? 🤔


Professor Lynda Gratton from London Business School spent decades studying this exact question. Her findings will change how you think about leadership.


Here's what she discovered:



Organizations that invest in developing collaborative leaders consistently outperform their competitors. Not by a little—by a lot.


Through her groundbreaking study of 21 global companies and 200+ executives, Gratton identified the three game-changing elements:

✅ Cooperative culture -  Moving from "me vs. you" to "we together"

✅ Rich networks -  Breaking down silos so ideas flow freely
✅ Shared purpose -  Giving work meaning beyond the paycheck


The results speak for themselves:  → Better innovation → Higher employee engagement
→ Stronger financial performance


Companies that train managers to be collaborative leaders (not just bosses) create environments where teams actually want to work together.


My takeaway?

Leadership development isn't a "nice to have"—it's your competitive advantage.


When leaders learn to cooperate and inspire others, entire organizations transform.


What's your experience with collaborative leadership? Have you seen this play out in your organization?

 

Want to dive deeper?

View Three Pillars of Success which breaks down how to produce measurable results in innovation, efficiency, and engagement.

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By Cathie Leimbach • February 17, 2026
Most CEOs focus on strategy, systems, and talent. But the biggest driver of performance is already in place: managers. Manager behavior influences about 70% of team engagement and results. What happens in everyday conversations matters more than perks, pay, or policies. Managers either multiply energy or drain it. Clear, supportive managers raise performance. Avoiding, inconsistent managers quietly lower it. The good news? Small habits make a big difference: Clarifying expectations Giving timely feedback Addressing issues early Reinforcing priorities These moments add up. Instead of telling managers to “motivate people,” try asking: Where might expectations be unclear? Where is inconsistency allowed? What conversation is being avoided? When managers improve just a little, results improve a lot. 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation to explore how everyday manager habits quietly shape engagement and results.

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By Cathie Leimbach • February 10, 2026
When engagement drops, many organizations reach for perks—rewards, programs, or incentives. These can create a short lift, but they rarely solve the real issue. Engagement starts with expectations. Most people want to do good work. What gets in the way isn’t motivation—it’s uncertainty. When priorities shift, roles feel unclear, or success means different things to different leaders, people disengage quietly. Leaders often don’t realize they’re contributing to this. Vague direction, inconsistent follow-through, or assuming “they already know” leaves teams guessing. Over time, guessing turns into frustration—and frustration turns into disengagement. Strong engagement cultures focus on leadership basics: Clear priorities Shared definitions of success Aligned expectations Consistent reinforcement When expectations are clear, people move with confidence. They take ownership, collaborate better, and stay engaged because they know where they’re headed. Perks can support engagement—but only after clarity is in place. 👉 Read our full article on Why Engagement Starts With Expectations to turn clarity into a real advantage.