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.   

Three Small Shifts That Change Everything

By Cathie Leimbach • March 24, 2026
You don’t need to make big changes in your leadership practices to get better results. Often, it’s small shifts in everyday leadership conversations that quietly change how work gets done. Here are three that work: 1. Make priorities clear Start meetings by stating current priorities. That creates focus right away and helps conversations stay on topic. 2. Ask instead of solve Instead of answering an employee’s questions, ask, “What are your suggestions?” Such questions encourage employee thinking and stronger follow-through. 3. Hold short monthly one-on-one check-ins Meeting with each employee one-on-one allows the regular review of goals, progress, and obstacles. These short conversations surface issues early and keep everyone aligned. These small habits keep teams steady and focused. Your challenge this month: Pick one shift and try it. Notice what changes in clarity, buy-in, or accountability. Sometimes the difference between teams that struggle and teams that move smoothly comes down to a few simple leadership conversations happening consistently. 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation on March 30th at 3:00 PM to see how small shifts in everyday leadership conversations can quickly improve clarity, ownership, and results.

From Performance Problems to Possibilities

By Cathie Leimbach • March 17, 2026
Most leaders can list what’s wrong fast: missed deadlines, uneven effort, or teams that seem capable of more. The bigger shift happens when leaders stop asking, “What’s broken?” and start asking, “What’s possible if we lead differently?” Limits like time, budget, and pressure are common. The resulting overwhelm is reduced when leaders get clear about what really matters. Strong leaders respond to these limits by focusing on priorities, simplifying decisions, and actively guiding their teams. Often, the shift begins with better leadership conversations. The right conversations clarify expectations, surface issues early, and help people take ownership before small problems grow into bigger ones. When leaders create space for clear, honest dialogue, teams stop guessing and start moving forward. Performance improves when leaders: Get clear instead of assuming Address issues early through direct conversations Set priorities people can follow Notice and praise progress, don’t comment only on mistakes These small, steady choices create momentum. We often hear questions like: “How do we stop reacting?” “What if our team is capable but inconsistent?” “How do we improve without burning people out?” Those questions point to opportunities for growth. Don’t think of them as failure. 👉 Where might your team be guessing instead of knowing? Identify one gap—and use your next conversation to close it.