Managing at Work is Like Teaching School

Cathie Leimbach • April 25, 2023

In a busy workplace, managers can be tempted to treat every employee the same despite the diversity of experiences, strengths, and preferences among human beings. The reasons might be not wanting to show favoritism, not making it a priority to get to know each person as an individual, or simply believing that the best management style is the best in all situations.

Let’s think back to our childhood experiences at school. Did everyone in our second-grade class read at the same level? Did all our high school classmates love English literature or struggle with geometry as much as we did?  Was it only the kids who didn’t do their homework or study for the test who got Bs, Cs, or Ds? When we got C on the first science test, what helped us get an A on our first quarter report card?

Sometimes, reading the textbook, completing assignments, and studying for tests made the difference. Other times, putting in the extra effort only raised our grade from a C- to a C. How discouraging! Often,  it was the teacher who made the difference. At the University of Guelph, the outstanding reputation of one first year chemistry professor led to his classroom always being full.  Rather than attending a different professor’s chemistry class as their official schedule directed, many students crowded around the open classroom door to hear the preferred professor explain chemistry in a way that made sense to teenagers. The Oberlin High School teacher who was recently awarded National Teacher of the Year captured the hearts of his students by talking one-on-one with those who seemed troubled, attending athletes’ games, and being available for extra help. His interest in the students’ success helped these young people with school and with life. Many flourished due to his emotional, academic, and life-relevant support.

Many students succeed because teachers took notice, offered time, and taught lessons in different ways to serve varied needs and learning styles. The most appreciated managers at work exhibit similar attitudes and behaviors. They invest in the success of their employees. They explain and re-explain. They train and retrain. They praise progress and achievement. They listen to employees’ workplace or life pains. They set expectations and patiently support individuals along the road to fulfilling expectations.  And sometimes, they point individuals towards a path that better suits them.

Effective leaders at home, at school, or at work recognize that people are unique individuals. They pay attention to human differences and modify their leadership strategy to appropriately guide each-and-every valuable human being to success. 

How skilled are you in meeting your team members where they are and supporting them along their success journey? What steps could you take to enhance your leadership practices? Conversational Management may be a right fit for you. Check it out by contacting me at cathie@agonleadership.com.

Be Kind to Your Team AND Hold Them Accountable

By Cathie Leimbach • November 3, 2026
Tammy was furious. For the third day in a row, the hydraulic hose assembly line was falling behind. How could they keep customers happy when production was this slow? The target was 50 hoses per hour, with at least 98% meeting quality standards. Yet, after two hours, Tom's team had produced only 65 hoses, and six had failed inspection. Tammy marched over to Tom, the line supervisor. “This is unacceptable! You know our targets. Get your people moving!” She stormed off, frustrated and worried about falling further behind. Tom felt embarrassed and discouraged. He told his team to work faster. An hour later, production was still behind, and more hoses had failed inspection. Leadership Tip – Correct Kindly, Solve Problems Together Corrective action doesn't need to be harsh. A calm, respectful conversation can improve both performance and trust. Clarify the gap. Remind the employee of the agreed expectation and describe what you've observed. “Tom, our target is 50 hoses per hour, with 98% meeting standards. Your team produced 65 in two hours, and six failed inspection.” Explore causes and solutions together. Ask, “What's getting in the way?” Listen carefully. Perhaps a crimping machine needs adjustment or a new employee needs coaching. Ask, “What could we do differently? How can I help?” Agree on next steps. Ask Tom to summarize what he'll do. State what you'll do to support him. Agree on when you'll review progress. Bottom Line Kindness doesn't mean lowering expectations. It means helping people meet them. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ Be kind. Be clear. Hold people accountable. Have a conversation you’ve been putting off because you don’t want to sound harsh—or let the issue slide? Bring it to the Workplace Conversations Clinic on November 16 to discuss addressing the problem with kindness, setting clear expectations, and agreeing on next steps. Reserve your spot for the November 16 Workplace Conversations Clinic → HERE

Everyone Noticed. No One Said Anything.

By Cathie Leimbach • October 27, 2026
“The same production line’s data is late again,” someone said. “Are we just supposed to keep begging for it?” Maya looked up. Two employees had stopped their own work to help track down the data missing from the weekly report to headquarters. She knew there had been delays. She hadn’t paid attention to how often or what happened when the data came in late. Each Friday, John sent the report out, and Maya moved on. Her team hadn’t moved on. They were tired of disrupting their own work to address the same problem week after week. The Symptom Late work. Repeated mistakes. People asking why they should bother when others don’t do their part. When there is a pattern of leaders letting missed deadlines slide, employees notice. Silence can leave people thinking that missed commitments are acceptable, even when that isn’t what the leader intends. Monitoring performance gives leaders a clearer picture of what is happening—and something specific to discuss with those involved. The Tip Here are three steps to noticing problems and sharing your performance concerns. Track the data. Look at information tied to the work, such as deadlines and errors. Maya could track how often data for the weekly reports arrived late. Walk around. Spend time where the work happens. Notice what people are doing and how one person’s work affects another’s. Maya saw two employees put their work aside to finish someone else’s task. Share what you find. Bring the facts and your observations to the attention of the person involved. Maya could say: “Your weekly production data was submitted late three of the last four weeks. Today, I saw Lee and Sam stop their work to get the raw data and do the analysis.” That makes it clear to the employee that submitting data late is not acceptable. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ Is there a pattern at your workplace that you’ve noticed but haven’t addressed? Join our Workplace Conversations Clinic on November 16 to discuss addressing performance concerns. Bring a situation you’ve been letting slide. Reserve your place HERE