What Are Your Employees Thinking?

Cathie Leimbach • June 21, 2022

How many times have you said, “I wish I knew what they were thinking”? Despite having the ability to make this wish come true, most of us continue to ‘wish’ instead of taking action. A simple question such as “How did you decide to do the job that way?”, would tell us what they were thinking.  

Sometimes, our frustrated ‘what was he thinking’ is the result of an employee making mistakes. At other times, we are commenting on the unique and effective approach they took. When we respond to either situation with an interest in truly understanding what influenced their actions, we build rapport with our employees and help them feel they and their ideas matter to us. We also learn what they were thinking.

When talking with an employee who has made a mistake we might ask:

  1. “What result are you wanting to get?”
  2. “How well does this result match up with what you wanted?” 
  3. “What happened that you didn’t get the result you wanted?”  “What steps did you take when doing the job?”
  4. “What can you do differently next time?” (If they don’t know how to correct the mistake, provide additional training or tools to equip them to be successful.)


When talking with someone who achieved good results in a unique way, we might ask:

  1. I noticed that you did that task differently than how you were trained, but you got the results we wanted. “Why did you do it that way?”
  2. “What are the benefits of your approach?”
  3. “What are the possible pitfalls of your approach?”

Thank them for thinking of different approaches. Verbally clarify whether they may continue doing the task their way or, if due to factors such as unacceptable risks or legal compliance, they have to follow the standard procedure.  


Both of these approaches satisfy your wish to know what your employees are thinking. In one situation you are asking the employee to evaluate their own work and to be conscious of the steps they are taking to achieve results. You are also encouraging them to problem solve. In the other, you are rewarding initiative and encouraging creative thinking while also ensuring compliance with necessary parameters. In both, you are guiding employees to achieve quality results and respecting them as valuable human beings.

The next time you are wishing you knew what an employee is thinking, make your wish come true. Ask an open-ended question, listen carefully to the answer, use follow-up questions to clarify their response, and clearly state appropriate actions going forward.  

4 Leadership Behaviors That Drive Trust, Performance, and Accountability

By Cathie Leimbach • March 31, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because leadership opportunities show up in daily conversations —and those moments are easy to miss. The difference between average and high-performing teams often comes down to four leadership behaviors: 1. Build Trust Through Everyday Conversations Trust is built in small moments. Listen to concerns Ask thoughtful questions Follow through Address issues quickly and respectfully 🤝 Trust grows through consistent, everyday conversations. 2. Reinforce What Good Looks Like People repeat what gets recognized. Be specific: “I appreciated how you handled that client issue quickly—that made a difference.” 🔒 Clarity + recognition = stronger performance. 3. Address Problems Early—Kindly and Clearly Avoiding issues creates bigger ones. Keep it simple: What was expected? What happened? What needs to change? 👥 Clear, timely conversations reduce drama and improve results. 4. Support People So They Can Succeed Your role is to help your team succeed. Clarify priorities Remove obstacles Provide resources Coach progress 🔍 When people have clarity and support, performance follows. The Real Lever: Conversations None of this requires new systems. It happens in everyday interactions— 1:1s, quick check-ins, and follow-ups. Better conversations → better results. Quick Reflection Which one would make the biggest difference for you right now? Build trust Reinforce performance Address problems early Support success 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation – Inspiring Employee Performance on Monday, April 6, at 3:00 pm ET. Not a webinar. A working session with other leaders looking at what’s actually happening on their teams—and how small shifts in daily conversations change performance fast. If you're curious what even a 10% shift in consistency could look like for your team… this is a good place to start.

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.