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.   

Are you Supporting Your Employees to Overcome Hurdles?

By Cathie Leimbach • September 8, 2026
For weeks, Mary had been frustrated with frequently occurring delays in shipping. During her one-on-one with her supervisor, she finally told him what was going on. He listened, asked questions, and said he would look into it. She left the meeting feeling encouraged. Maybe this situation would finally get resolved. A week later, her supervisor started their one-on-one by asking “So, what do you want to talk about today?” He didn’t mention what he had learned about the problem in shipping. “Of course not!,” she thought. “Nothing is going to change.” So, she sadly replied, “Nothing really. Everything’s fine.” Sometimes employees stop talking because experience has taught them that speaking up doesn’t make any difference. One-on-ones are an opportunity to change that. Give the employee a voice in what gets discussed. Help them address bottlenecks. Follow-up on your to dos from the conversation. It can be as simple as: “Last week we talked about the shipping problem. I checked into it, and here’s what I found out. A possible solution would be this .... How do think that might work? ... What other ideas do you have?” The message is clear: I heard you. I remembered. What you have to say matters. And when employees believe their concerns and ideas matter, they’re more likely to keep speaking up. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ What Workplace Conversation Are You Struggling With? Maybe an employee has stopped talking. Maybe you’re dealing with accountability, conflict, attendance, performance—or simply a conversation you’re not quite sure how to approach. Bring it to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on September 21. Join Cathie Leimbach and other leaders to talk through real workplace people challenges, hear different perspectives, and get ideas for moving forward. Register Here 

Build Thinkers, Not Followers

By Cathie Leimbach • September 2, 2026
Many leaders don't set out to become the answer to every question. It happens gradually. Someone asks their leader how to do it because it's faster than figuring it out. Another employee waits because they don't want to make the wrong decision. Before long, you're answering questions your team should be able to answer on their own. The good news is that you don't have to be the answer to every question. You can build a team that thinks, solves problems, and takes ownership without you giving up appropriate control. Here are a few places to start: Ask Before You Answer When someone brings you a problem, don't start by giving them the solution. Instead, ask:  What do you think? What options have you considered? What would you do if I wasn't here? People grow when they think through problems—not when someone else thinks for them. Let Small Decisions Stay Small. Not every decision needs your approval. Look for low-risk opportunities where employees or supervisors can tell the employee to make the call themselves. Confidence grows with experience. Praise Initiative, Even When It's Imperfect. If people believe they'll be criticized every time they make a decision, they'll stop making them. When someone takes ownership, recognize their initiative. Coaching them to make a better decision is easier in the long run than making every decision yourself. Notice the Questions That Keep Coming Back. If you're answering the same questions week after week, don't just answer them faster. Ask why they're still being asked. The issue may not be your people. It may be an unclear expectation, an inconsistent process, lack of training, or a conversation that never happened. Helping people think for themselves doesn't happen in one meeting. It happens through dozens of everyday collaborative conversations that gradually build confidence, judgment, and ownership. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ You don't have to figure it all out alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic September 21. Join Cathie Leimbach and other leaders for a practical conversation about the people challenges you're facing—and leave with fresh perspectives you can put to work. Register HERE