Create Clarity

Cathie Leimbach • April 8, 2020
five hands clasped in a circle

In Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Advantage , he outlines four disciplines of leading a healthy, successful organization or team. Team leaders who are intentional about leading in this disciplined manner will build teams who reach their goals and whose members experience job satisfaction.

Let’s look at the second discipline: Create Clarity.

Organizational and team leaders must be crystal clear about the group’s purpose, values, and workplace priorities. In Built to Last , Collins and Porras shared that when people grasp the purpose of the organization they are positioned to focus on the why of their work, and this leads to increased focus, commitment, and results.

If the leaders don’t agree on the purpose and priorities, how are the rest of the team members to be aligned? In The Four Disciplines of Execution by McChesney, Covey, and Huling, they share that when members of the senior management team are asked to list the organization’s top three priorities for the year it is fairly common for the lists to be completely different. If each manager is expressing different expectations to their downlines, it is little wonder that front-line employees are heading in different directions.

It takes time for the leadership team to Create Clarity , but without the leaders all being on the same page there are no common goals. And when team members aren’t heading in the same direction the organization’s efforts are disjointed, yielding mediocre results at best. Effective leaders do the difficult work of Creating Clarity to focus the organization and its resources, building a team that is positioned to achieve the organization’s goals.

#createclarity

#clarity

#teamwork

#healthyteams

#teambuilding

#patlencioni

#builttolast

#the4disciplinesofexecution

#theadvantage

What Problems Disappear When Leadership Gets Stronger?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 14, 2026
Most workplace issues don’t start big. They build slowly—through missed conversations, unclear expectations, and more people leave. That’s where disengagement shows up. And when it does, the cost is real: 78% higher absenteeism 51% higher turnover 63% more safety incidents These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And across the U.S., the bigger picture is hard to ignore— disengaged employees cost organizations nearly $2 trillion annually in lost productivity (Gallup). These aren’t just HR problems. They’re leadership problems. When people don’t feel connected, clear, or supported: They call off more More people quit Mistakes and risks increase The good news? These patterns are preventable. Strong leaders reduce these issues by: Addressing problems early Creating clarity instead of assumptions Having consistent, direct conversations Reinforcing expectations before things drift It’s not about doing more. It’s about leading differently—every day. A question to consider: Which of these challenges is quietly costing your organization the most right now? 👉 Join our upcoming Leadership Conversation on April 27th, 3:00 PM—this is not a webinar . This is a candid conversation with leaders comparing their employee engagement challenges and successes. Most organizations are tolerating more of this than they realize. The question is—are you?

What Changes When People Actually Feel Engaged?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 7, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because engagement feels hard to influence. But when people are engaged, the impact is hard to ignore: 18% higher sales 23% higher profitability 70% higher wellbeing These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And the stakes are bigger than most realize— disengaged employees cost U.S. organizations nearly $2 trillion in lost productivity each year (Gallup). This isn’t about perks or programs. It’s about how people are led every day. Engaged teams are clearer on expectations. They feel supported. They know their work matters. And most importantly—those conditions don’t happen by accident. They’re created in conversations: Clarifying priorities Reinforcing what good looks like Checking for understanding Following through consistently Small leadership habits drive big business outcomes. A question to consider: Where could stronger day-to-day leadership conversations improve results in your team? 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation: Inspiring High Performance — Monday, April 27 th at 3:00 PM ET (this is not a webinar) It’s a small-group discussion with other leaders looking at a simple question: What’s actually driving engagement—and what’s quietly holding it back?  If a shift in leadership could impact sales, profitability, and wellbeing… it’s worth exploring what that might look like in your world.