Improving Team Productivity by 50%

Cathie Leimbach • October 1, 2020

This is a subtitle for your new post

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 Empty Chair Is Trying to Tell You Something

By Cathie Leimbach • August 18, 2026
An empty workstation gets your attention. What caused it should keep your attention. When attendance becomes a problem, the first response is often to review the policy, document the absence, or find someone to cover the shift. Those things may be necessary. But they don't tell you why the problem is happening. A conversation might. Instead of starting with “Why do you keep calling off?” try “I've noticed you've missed several days recently. What’s going on?” Then listen. You may hear about something outside of work. But you may also discover frustration with a supervisor, conflict with a coworker, unclear expectations, scheduling difficulties, or an employee who no longer feels valued. Understanding the reason doesn't mean ignoring attendance expectations. It means you know what you're actually dealing with. Also, look for patterns. Is absenteeism higher on one shift? In one department? Under one supervisor? Did it increase after a schedule or leadership change? Those patterns may tell you where another conversation needs to happen. Most importantly, don't wait until attendance becomes a disciplinary issue to start talking. Check in with employees. Ask what's making their work harder. Ask what they need from their supervisor. And when someone raises a concern or makes a suggestion, be sure to tell them what action you are taking or why their idea won’t be implemented. The goal isn't to eliminate accountability. It's to address problems before accountability is the only conversation left. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on September 21. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic 

Is Absenteeism a Pain in Your Pocket?

By Cathie Leimbach • August 10, 2026
Absenteeism is expensive. Every unexpected absence costs more than a day's wages. Someone else may need to work overtime. Priorities get reshuffled, service slows, projects fall behind, and customers notice. Before long, absenteeism starts taking money right out of your pocket. That's why many organizations turn to attendance policies, incentives, disciplinary action, or tighter oversight. But what if those approaches are addressing the symptom rather than what's really going on? Most people don't wake up one morning and suddenly decide they don't care about their work. Disengagement usually happens gradually. People stop sharing ideas. They stop feeling heard. They begin doing only what's required. Eventually, some stop showing up. By the time absenteeism is brought to your attention, the real issue may have been growing for weeks—or even months. If absenteeism has become a recurring challenge, don't just ask, "How do we reduce call-offs?" Instead, ask "What happened before people stopped wanting to show up?" That question may lead you somewhere an attendance report never will—and may ultimately save far more than overtime costs. Attendance problems. Accountability. Difficult conversations. Team conflict. Every leader faces workplace people challenges, and few have been taught exactly what to do when they arise.  Talking through your challenges with others can be helpful. Ask questions of your network. Get some ideas online. Sometimes another perspective is exactly what you need to see the situation differently. You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on August 17. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees as you explore practical ways to handle the situations you're facing. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic