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.  

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

The Deadline Only You Knew About

By Cathie Leimbach • October 20, 2026
"When you get a chance." Kelly meant Wednesday. Alex heard next week. The report needed fixing. Alex had said he'd take care of it. So, when she opened the file before Thursday's meeting, she expected to see the changes. They weren't there. "I thought you meant next week," Alex said. "And I wasn't sure which sections you wanted changed." Kelly was frustrated. This wasn't the first time something had slipped. But as she replayed their conversation, she remembered what she'd actually said: "Can you tidy this up when you get a chance?" She had a deadline in mind. She knew exactly what needed changing. She hadn't told Alex either one. The Symptom Missed deadlines. Quiet resentment. The thought, "This isn't the first time." It's hard to hold someone accountable for an expectation that was never stated. Too often, when a leader’s expectation isn’t met, they think, "my team members just don't follow through" or "I shouldn't have to chase people." Yet, the problem is often that the leader didn’t communicate clearly. Requests like "Keep me updated," "Make this a priority", and "Be more proactive" may feel clear in your mind when you say it. But others may leave the conversation with a very different picture in their mind. Then, leaders are frustrated when the result doesn't match their intention. The Tip Healthy accountability starts with a shared understanding of what needs to happen. It continues when you follow up on what was agreed to. Before you finish your next conversation about a task, make sure you've settled four things: What needs doing What the desired result includes Who will do it When it is to be done by After you have clearly stated your expectations, ask the other person to state the specifics of the assignment. Give them an opportunity to raise questions or discuss competing demands. Kelly could have said: "Alex, please update the sales figures and add a short summary of what's changed since last month. I need it by Wednesday, October 28, at 3:00 pm so I can review it before Thursday's meeting. To be sure I explained the task well enough, please state what I asked you to do.” “What challenges might get in the way?" Then agree on what happens if a problem comes up: "If that timing looks too tight, let me know by Tuesday so we can work out the next step." Now there's a commitment you can both refer to. If Wednesday comes and the report isn't ready, Kelly can address it directly: "We agreed it would be ready by 3:00 today, and I haven't received it. What happened?" Clarity won't prevent every missed deadline. But it increases the chances that everyone is on the same page – and that your expectations will be met. When leaders make expectations clear and are open to employee questions and concerns, accountability becomes part of how the team works. Quality results become the norm. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ Do you wonder how to make your expectations clearer or how to avoid frustration when holding others accountable? Join Us on November 16  Join our Workplace Conversations Clinic on November 16 to practice setting clear expectations and following up when things slip. You could also have a chance to practice difficult conversations within your team. Reserve your place → HERE