Do You Provide the Tools Your Employees Need to be Rockstars?

Cathie Leimbach • November 18, 2020

As a leader, you want employees to be productive at work. You want efficient production and quality results. And, chances are, your employees want the same thing.

To be rockstars, each employee has to be provided the tools they need to be incredibly productive, and less frustrated. Sometimes, the simplest thing can make a huge difference. 

When looking at what isn’t working, think about this. There are rarely bad people. There are often, okay, almost all of the time, bad processes. Your team members’ daily output may be limited by realities such as these.

·        The summer intern was responsible for a weekly accuracy cross-check of a 200-page warehouse inventory that was printed on unlined paper. But there weren’t any rulers available to help him focus on one line at a time. It was a month before a new ruler was purchased for him.

·        The admin assistant was frequently asked to format training and promotional documents attractively. The only software available to her was a free online word processor. 

·        Staff who worked remotely for months during the pandemic were instructed to join the weekly team ZOOM meeting from their work computers. But only a couple of them had webcams. They quickly felt isolated. Their energy and productivity dwindled.

Highly effective managers ensure their team members have the materials and equipment necessary to achieve production goals.

It is actually a simple fix. Just ask if they have the supplies and equipment they need. Make sure that your staff members are comfortable letting you or IT know when ink cartridges need to be ordered or their computer is blue screening? Quickly respond to their needs so that they are empowered to be as productive and engaged as possible rather than learning to make do as long as possible despite increased frustration and decreased productivity.

Want simple tools to ask those questions and more? Get in touch with me for a free assessment of what your employees are really thinking. 

Why Engagement Isn’t About Perks

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.

How Could You Create a 5-10% Productivity Shift? 

By Cathie Leimbach • February 3, 2026
When it comes to improvement at work, the focus is often on big changes. But frequently, it’s small shifts that quietly create big results. Productivity rarely improves without strong leadership practices. So, what if better leadership increased productivity by just 5-10%? That could mean: Less rework Faster decisions More follow-through Less firefighting More output — without more people That’s not wishful thinking. When leadership improves, absenteeism and turnover drop. Work flows more smoothly. Results, and the bottom line, improve.  When leaders get clearer, communicate better, and follow through more consistently, friction fades. People know what matters. Decisions move faster. Energy shifts from fixing problems to getting real work done. Organizations that invest in leadership development often see: Higher output Lower turnover Better use of talent Stronger momentum The real shift happens when leaders stop asking, “ Should we invest in leadership ?” and start asking, “ What is it costing us not to ?” 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation to see what a 10–15% shift could mean for your organization.