Want a 350% ROI?

Cathie Leimbach • November 11, 2020

I’ve got the investment for you! And, it’s not too good to be true. It really does yield a 350% ROI! And, it’s legal!


This investment is training!! On average, one dollar invested in training increases the bottom line by $4.53, yielding a 353% return.


What is the catch? To yield a strong return the training has to be relevant to your organization’s needs. It must meet 3 criteria:

  •  result in trainees learning new knowledge and developing new skills,
  •  have job impact, be relevant and be used at work after training,
  • improve the organization’s bottom line.


What is limiting your bottom line? Which of your current challenges would be reduced if your employees interacted, behaved, or worked differently? Training could be the solution. 


Many of the 385,000 open job positions in manufacturing are paying new hires $40,000 per year. These positions remain unfilled because job seekers lack skills in manufacturing fundamentals or robotics. Vocational schools and community colleges offer such training but enrolment is low.


Many small businesses are always short-handed. Their staff are getting burned out. Managers are reluctant to hire job applicants who are weak in workplace fundamentals. Personal Leadership Effectiveness™ training is available to help individuals become more reliable, positive, and productive so they add value at work.


Most people are doing the best job they can with their current knowledge and skills, but due to their lack of know-how they may be achieving less than half of their potential. Their supervisors are too busy with other responsibilities to coach them. The HR department is prioritizing administration above training. The company could increase its bottom line by $3,500 for every $1,000 invested in relevant training.


90% of managers lack effective leadership skills. Most staff who leave a company do so to escape one of these bad managers. Effective management training leads to enhanced employee engagement and can increase the organization’s bottom line by 50% or more. The Conversational Management™ program can generate such an impact. 


Would you like to improve your company’s bottom line by meeting the needs of more customers and helping all employees add value? Then, first, it’s time to identify the gaps in staff knowledge, skills, and behaviors. And, second, invest in training that will produce win/win results for staff members and the organization.



Contact Cathie Leimbach to discuss needs assessment strategies and effective ways to enhance leadership, team player, and soft skills competence within your organization so employees are equipped to achieve profit and impact goals.


"Produce More" Isn't a Goal

By Cathie Leimbach • November 10, 2026
For the tenth day in a row, production missed its target. Barry, the production manager, was frustrated and worried. Customer orders were piling up, inventory was running low, and he had no idea how to get things back on track. Even the VP of Manufacturing and HR had no helpful answers. Meanwhile, Joe, one of the line supervisors, couldn't understand why Barry was so upset. He'd heard through the grapevine that sales were down. So why was producing less such a big deal? Barry was baffled. He'd told his supervisors to increase production. Why weren't they pushing their teams harder? He pulled up the AI summary from Monday's "What's Up This Week" meeting. There it was. He'd asked the supervisors to produce more than last week because a large customer order had to ship the following Monday. But had he made his expectations clear? Barry thought he'd given a goal. Joe thought he'd heard a suggestion. Neither knew they weren't on the same page. Sound familiar? When expectations are fuzzy, even good employees miss the mark. The result: frustrated managers, confused employees, missed targets, and disappointed customers. LEADERSHIP TIPS: THREE STEPS TO STRONGER PERFORMANCE 1. Make expectations crystal clear. Explain what needs to be done, by when, and why it matters. Instead of saying "produce more," Barry could have said, "We need 200 additional widgets by Friday to fill a 500-widget customer order that ships Monday." Then he could have asked each supervisor what their line could realistically produce and what support they needed. A two-way conversation builds clarity and commitment. 2. Monitor progress daily. Don't wait until Friday to discover the team is behind. Review production results with supervisors every day. Compare actual output with the weekly goal, and recognize progress along the way. Ask, "Are we on track? What might keep us from reaching our target?" 3. Take corrective action before shortfalls grow. When production falls behind, don't just demand better results. Start a conversation. Ask, "What's getting in the way? How can we catch up? What help do you need from me?" Then work out a plan together, agree on who's doing what, and follow up to make sure it happens. Strong performance doesn't come from pushing people harder. It comes from clear expectations, regular monitoring, and shared accountability. When leaders explain what matters, listen to their people, and help remove roadblocks, employees are better equipped and more motivated to deliver. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ Say what matters. Ask what's in the way. Agree on next steps. Missed targets, fuzzy expectations, or a talk you keep postponing? Bring it to the Workplace Conversations Clinic on November 16. We'll discuss how to have that conversation with kindness and clarity. Register Here

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