Listening to Your Team Members

Cathie Leimbach • March 1, 2022

Listening is a skill that adds great value to every aspect of our lives. Yet, few workplace leaders leverage the power of listening. Why should we make it a priority to be attentive and active or reflective listeners?



The most important factor in employees enjoying their job, and therefore, not becoming part of the Great Resignation, is feeling valued and respected by their supervisors and their peers at work. If one of your 2022 goals is to have good employee retention and morale, then listening effectively is critical.


People feel valued when they feel others care about them. When we ask questions about what is going well with their work this week, what we could do to help them succeed, and how they think they could do an even better job, we are curious about their current job satisfaction and offering to support them further. When we ask questions about their weekend or their family, they believe that we think of them as people with an interesting life outside of work. Human beings are emotional beings. We are wired to seek positive relationships with others in all areas of our life. And, since we spend more of our awake hours at work than anywhere else, quality workplace relationships are important for our mental, emotional, and physical health. Asking questions, listening to the answers, and reflecting what we heard, help our team members have an enjoyable and productive workplace experience.


Another aspect of listening to our team members is being accessible and attentive when they come to us with questions or suggestions. When employees tell you that the equipment they use all day long is not working properly, stop what you are doing and listen to them. Ask how the problem is impacting their work.  Ask what they think the problem might be and what help they need to get it resolved. If it is simply time to replace the five-year-old laptop, ensure the new computer gets ordered.


When they figure out a quicker way to get a job done, ask how well the end result meets the company standards. If it meets the standards, doesn’t use more resources, and doesn’t negatively impact colleagues or production schedules, encourage them to implement their innovations.  Engaged and empowered employees frequently find ways to enhance workplace culture and profit. Encourage this by listening.


Collaboration is valuable in workplace satisfaction and productivity. When leaders ask questions an listen to others’ suggestions to truly learn more about their employees as people and their strengths and needs in the workplace, they will bring out the best in people and enhance the organization’s bottom line.   

Culture Is Built in Conversations

By Cathie Leimbach • June 2, 2026
Most leaders want stronger culture. Less silo thinking. Better accountability. More ownership. Healthier teamwork. Higher engagement. But culture rarely changes because of posters, slogans, or mission statements. It changes through thousands of conversations leaders have every week. That’s one reason Jim Brown’s book, The Imperfect CEO , stands out. Rather than focusing on leadership image, the book centers on the real work of building trust-centered organizations. Shari Seckler, CEO of PenFinancial Credit Union, wrote:  “This book shows why collaboration and culture aren't soft – they're the backbone of lasting success.” Marc Jeffreys, President of Revision University, described it this way: “Jim Brown’s framework helps leaders foster environments where trust grows, purpose strengthens, and teams move forward together.” In our Conversational Management work, we consistently see that culture is shaped by how leaders handle everyday moments: difficult feedback missed expectations recognition conflict coaching conversations accountability discussions collaborative decision-making Employees usually decide whether they trust leadership based on these interactions far more than company messaging. That’s why books like The Imperfect CEO matter. They remind leaders that organizational health is not built through perfection. It is built through clarity, humility, consistency, and meaningful conversations repeated over time. If you lead people, this book deserves your attention. Order your copy today.

The Futility of Leadership Perfection

By Cathie Leimbach • May 26, 2026
Many leaders quietly carry the pressure that they are supposed to have every answer. Be decisive. Stay strong. Never show uncertainty. Keep pushing forward no matter what. The problem is that approach often creates distance inside organizations instead of trust. In The Imperfect CEO , which was released on May 19, Jim Brown challenges the idea that leadership effectiveness comes from appearing flawless. Instead, he makes the case that healthy organizations are built by leaders willing to lead with clarity, humility, accountability, and honesty. Larry Siff, CEO of Neptune Advisors and C-Level Community, shared this perspective: “In The Imperfect CEO , Jim Brown doesn’t shy away from the messy reality of being a real person in charge, yet he shows how that honesty becomes a source of organizational health.” Edna Lopez, former Senior Executive at Gateway and Amway, wrote: “In every organization I've led, one truth has been constant: culture determines whether strategy ever sees daylight. The Imperfect CEO gets to the heart of that reality.” That connection between leadership and culture is exactly why the ideas in this book matter. In Conversational Management, we often see organizations struggle , not because leaders lack intelligence or effort, but because communication patterns quietly create confusion, defensiveness, disengagement, or fear. The healthiest organizations usually are not led by leaders who are aiming for perfection. They are led by leaders who know perfection is elusive. They acknowledge their limitations and the benefits of team collaboration. They humbly create honest conversations, clear expectations, accountability, and trust — even when it feels uncomfortable.  The wait is over for a down-to-earth book that dares to reveal common leadership imperfections and provides support for enhancing leadership impact! The Imperfect CEO is now available!