Improving Team Productivity by 50%

Cathie Leimbach • October 1, 2020

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A leadership coach friend of mine, recently helped a client increase his department's productivity by 50%. The process was simple.


The department supervisor needed an urgent solution. Since his two staff members had started working remotely, their productivity had slipped a lot. They weren't keeping up with client needs. Their output had to be turned around, and now!


My coaching friend advised the supervisor that employee productivity is based on skill, will, and capacity. If their skills and capacity support strong performance, the bottleneck is likely their will, their interest in doing the job.


When we enjoy our workplace tasks we are self-motivated to get them done and do them well. However, we have a limited amount of will power. We can only push ourselves for long to do work that doesn't inspire us, even if we have the skills and the capacity for excellence. We cannot simply suck it up and move forward.



The supervisor asked his staff to share which parts of the department's work they would they like to be doing. Both indicated a preference for many of the tasks the other was assigned. When the supervisor reassigned their responsibilities, productivity promptly increased by 50%.


A serious problem was solved by the supervisor having collaborative conversations with his staff. Poor productivity wasn't a training problem nor a wrong-hire problem. It was an emotional problem. Once the employees were responsible for tasks they liked doing, their productivity skyrocketed.


The clients are now being served well and the company's bottom line has improved.


The supervisor had caused the bottleneck by not knowing what made his employees tick. What is frustrating you at work? How might a collaborative conversation with your downline or your upline be a valuable tool towards enhancing your workplace satisfaction and productivity?


The Workplace Has Changed. Has Your Leadership?

By Cathie Leimbach • July 21, 2026
There was a time when many employees expected to spend most of their careers with one organization. Job security, pensions, and long-term loyalty often kept people in the same company for decades. Today's workforce thinks differently. Millennials and Gen Z expect to build careers—not necessarily with one employer. If they don't see opportunities to learn, grow, contribute, and advance, they'll find them somewhere else. Research consistently shows that younger employees are looking for more than a paycheck. They want managers they trust, meaningful work, opportunities to develop, flexibility when possible, and a workplace where they feel respected, supported, and heard. Gallup reports that 87% of Millennials say professional development is important to their job satisfaction. Combined with growing expectations for work-life balance and a positive workplace culture, it's no surprise that organizations relying primarily on compensation to retain employees continue to struggle with turnover. The encouraging news is that leaders influence most of what keeps people engaged.  Managers who hold meaningful conversations, clarify expectations, recognize contributions, coach for growth, and genuinely care about their employees create workplaces where people want to stay. They build trust, strengthen engagement, and help employees grow, succeed, and see a future with the organization. Today's retention isn't driven by job security or loyalty alone. It's driven by a workplace experience where employees are growing, supported by leaders they trust, and confident their contributions matter. Download our Retention Conversation Guide to discover practical ways to strengthen trust, engagement, and retention—one leadership conversation at a time. Conversation is where leadership happens.

Feedback Isn't a Download. It's a Dialogue.

By Cathie Leimbach • July 14, 2026
Most leaders know they should give feedback. Yet many avoid it. Not because they don't care, but because they worry they'll discourage someone, create conflict, or say the wrong thing. Unfortunately, when feedback is delayed, vague, or avoided, employees don't feel supported—they feel uncertain. Research highlighted in a recent McKinsey Quarterly article found that employees who receive regular, specific feedback are significantly more engaged than those who don't. The problem isn't that employees dislike feedback. They dislike feedback that feels judgmental, unclear, or disconnected from their growth. The strongest leaders understand something important: Feedback isn't a download. It's a dialogue. When leaders approach feedback as an employee development conversation rather than a list of mistakes, people become more open to hearing hard truths and more motivated to improve. Effective feedback communicates two powerful messages at the same time: I respect you. I believe you can grow. That combination changes everything. The best leaders don't simply evaluate past performance; they help employees see future potential. Rather than focusing only on what went wrong, they provide feedforward —guidance on what someone can do to become even more successful. High-performing organizations understand a simple truth: Improvement requires input. The question for leaders isn't whether to give feedback. It's whether our feedback leaves people feeling smaller—or stronger. Feedback doesn't change people. Better conversations do. Download our one-page guide: 5 Practices That Turn Feedback Into Growth Learn five practical ways to make every feedback conversation more productive, more encouraging, and more likely to inspire lasting growth. Conversation is where leadership happens