Leading the Capable but Cautious Performer

Cathie Leimbach • April 11, 2023

Let’s further explore Blanchard’s Situational Leadership II™ model. This article discusses the most effective leadership practices for Capable but Cautious Performers, employees who are in the third quadrant of developing competence and commitment for a new job or task. At this point they are highly competent in doing the work, but since they have been getting so much corrective feedback they aren’t confident about their ability so their commitment to working independently is still low. 

Learners in the third quadrant have the skills to do the task to at least 80% of ideal performance. Ongoing experience will increase their speed and consistency as well as give them opportunities to learn the finer points of the work. Since their core skills for the task are high, they need just a little task direction. However, because their confidence has been shaken, their commitment is low. Now, the leader’s main role is to build their confidence so they will believe in themselves and be committed to doing the job. This requires a lot of specific praise and employee empowerment.

Effective third quadrant leaders check-in and observe their employees frequently and regularly. They are accessible to their employees almost daily so the Capable but Cautious Performers can get confirmation they are on the right track. These learners need assurance that they are finally ‘getting it right’ before they will be confident moving forward without their leader’s approval.

Throughout the first two stages of skill development, the leader has focused on showing and telling the employee what is expected of them and how to do the job well. The employee is now in the habit of relying on their leader’s expertise and input. Now that the leader is satisfied they have the core skills required for doing the job well, the leader must prove they believe in the learner’s ability to do the task independently. This requires the leader to stop providing task direction.

In the third quadrant, the leader’s role is to help the learner develop the skills and confidence to make day-to-day decisions themselves. When the learner comes with a question, the leader responds with a question such as, “What do you think might work?”, or “What approach do you think might be best?” Help the learner think through their suggestion by asking a few follow-up questions. 

  • “What will be the likely outcome of that approach?”  
  • “What problems could result?” 
  • “How could you overcome that problem?”
  • “What is the outcome you are working towards today?” 
  • “How well will this approach serve the required outcome?”  

By being able to answer these questions, the learner realizes they really do know a lot about this task now. Their confidence and commitment increase. 

If the employee’s suggestion won’t achieve a reasonable result, and they haven’t been able to come up with an alternative in response to your questions, it is important for the leader to give them further direction. Provide information they are missing or retrain them in their weak area.

And, now comes the tough part for most leaders who are task experts! If the original suggestion will achieve the results you are expecting, or if in response to your open-ended questions they have adjusted their approach so they now have a suitable plan, send them off to implement their plan! Ask them to let you know how it goes. DO NOT fall into the ‘and if you just add this tweak you will get even better results’ trap!!  It is tempting for task experts, which the leaders likely are, to think that since the employee has mastered the basics it is time to introduce them to the finer points. Yet, this is a classic wrong tactic for a Capable but Cautious Performer. If they are truly in the third quadrant of developing their capacity for this task, they are capable of meeting basic expectations. Their next development step is not to become a stronger performer who relies on your availability every day. Their task skills are strong enough that you would like to be relieved of your task training role to focus on other things.

So, DO NOT continue giving them task direction, proving to them that they still don’t know enough to get the job done correctly  without your daily input. Instead, indicate that you think their plan could meet current expectations. Build their confidence that their ideas are enough! Support their thinking which shows them they can be trusted. This is what increases their commitment to doing the task independently, so they don’t need as much of your time.

It is essential that leaders of Capable but Cautious Performers focus on developing the employee’s confidence and commitment by asking questions to help them suggest their next steps, evaluate the impact of their ideas, propose ways to close the gaps, and empower them to implement their ideas.  Only give them directions on how to do the task if your guiding questions don’t spur a suitable response from them. Effective supervisors of Capable but Cautious Performers provide a little task direction and lots of relationship and trust support!

If Nothing Changes, What Will This Cost?

By Cathie Leimbach • January 20, 2026
When things feel “manageable,” leaders often continue with status quo. People are busy. Work gets done. But small issues quietly add up. Rework becomes normal. Deadlines stretch. Decisions take longer. None of it feels like a crisis, but together it eats away at time, energy, and profit. Inconsistent leadership makes it worse. When expectations change from day to day or from one manager to another, people stop giving their best. Some coast. Some get frustrated. Some start looking elsewhere. Turnover rises, along with hiring and training costs. The warning signs are usually right in front of us: Work keeps getting redone. Managers avoid tough conversations around poor performance. Good people are doing less than they could. Progress feels slower than it should. The real question isn’t, “Can we live with this?” It’s, “What is this costing us if nothing changes?” 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation to explore how today’s patterns may be impacting your results — and what small shifts could make a big difference.

When Leadership Feels “Fine”… But Results Tell a Different Story

By Cathie Leimbach • January 13, 2026
Many leaders feel things are mostly on track. Goals are set. Meetings happen. People stay busy. On the surface, it all looks fine . But underneath, small cracks often tell a different story. You may notice work getting redone, decisions slowing down, or people quietly avoiding ownership. These aren’t just workflow problems. They’re leadership signals — and they’re easy to miss when everyone is moving fast. Leaders often believe they’ve been clear. They think people know what’s expected and who owns what. And they assume that if something was wrong, someone would speak up. But in real life, expectations get interpreted in different ways. Ownership can feel risky. And many people stay silent just to keep the peace. That gap between what leaders intend and what teams experience is where performance starts to slip. A few simple questions can help reveal what’s really going on: · Where is work quality lacking? · What decisions keep getting stuck? · Where do leaders step in instead of letting others own it? Start noticing those patterns. They point to exactly where stronger leadership can make the biggest difference. 👉 See what a 10–15% leadership shift could mean for your bottom line. View the Leadership ROI Chart .