If No One’s Challenging You, You Have a Problem

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Why your team has stopped asking why

You walk the team through a reasonable plan. And when you finish there are a no significant questions. No real pushback. Mostly nods.

If this was you, you may have walked out feeling good. “We have a good plan. We’re aligned. We’re moving.”

You’re not aligned. They’re being careful. And that’s costing you more than you know

There’s a new kind of silence in the room right now.

People are worried about their jobs. The economy is uncertain, layoffs are in the news, “AI is coming for our jobs.” The unspoken calculus on a lot of teams has shifted. Questioning a decision used to feel like contributing, like trying to make it better. Right now, for a lot of people, it feels like a risk.

So they go quiet. They execute. They keep their heads down and wait to see how things shake out.

What looks like alignment is actually self-protection — and you can’t afford to mistake one for the other.

Silence isn’t consensus. It’s a symptom.

When people are genuinely aligned, they still push back. They question to try to make it better.

When they’re disengaged or afraid, the questions stop. If you’re not paying enough attention, this could look like trust. It’s not the same thing.

What to do about it:

Be real about what’s happening. If people are anxious, pretending they’re not doesn’t help. Acknowledging it — “I know there’s a lot of uncertainty out there right now” — gives people permission to relax slightly and re-engage.

Ask one-on-one. “Do you feel like your input actually changes anything?” “Are you concerned about what I’ll think of you if you push back?” are questions people won’t answer honestly in a group. Ask them privately. Then be quiet.

Let pushback land. The next time someone challenges a decision, resist defending it immediately. Say “that’s worth thinking about” — and mean it. People who are scared are watching closely to see what happens when someone speaks up.

Make it visible when input changes something. “Based on what a few of you flagged, we’re adjusting the approach.” That sentence rebuilds trust faster than almost anything else — especially right now.

The cost of silence will catch up with the team — in poor decisions nobody flagged, in resignations that felt sudden but weren’t, in execution that’s technically fine and quietly mediocre.

The good news: it’s recoverable. But only if you notice it first — and create enough safety that people believe speaking up is worth it again.

Have you successfully turned a silent team around? I’d love to hear about it.

Naming the Fear

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Four Tips for Having the Conversations Everyone Else Is Avoiding

Here’s what no one wants to say out loud right now: people are scared.

They’re worried about layoffs, about funding drying up, about whether the work they’re doing even makes sense in this environment. And the longer we avoid those conversations, the more fear festers.

The good news? You can break the ice and talk about it.  These conversations don’t have to be perfect—they just have to be real.

Don’t Let Silence Create Its Own Story

When leaders say nothing, people make up their own narratives—and they’re rarely hopeful ones. Opening the door for honest dialogue shows your team that fear doesn’t have to be hidden. It can be heard and held.

Use a Grounding Framework

Try this:

  • Acknowledge the context (“There’s a lot of uncertainty right now, and I know many of us are feeling it.”)
  • Share what you know and what you don’t know (including what’s still unknown).
  • Invite questions and concerns without needing to solve them all on the spot. When they can’t be solved right now, ensure people that you are looking for answers. If you know a decision is well off in the future, reassure them when you know more, you’ll communicate what you can immediately.
  • Keep the door open (“Let’s keep this conversation going—we’ll learn our way through this together.”) Note the word ‘learning’.  It reframes the experience.  You aren’t ‘struggling’ or ‘grappling’, you’re on a journey that increases your capacity and certainty going forward.

Listen Without Fixing

Sometimes the most powerful move is simply to listen.  As a leader, that can be very difficult.  You’re wired to fix and act. In this situation, you don’t have to promise outcomes. You just have to stay present. When people feel seen and heard, their anxiety often softens—even if nothing external changes.

Use Fear as a Gateway to Focus

Fear can be reframed. Fear makes things seem bigger and more overwhelming. Once fear is acknowledged, it can help sharpen priorities, clarify values, and re-align effort. Ask: “Given everything, what feels most important right now? What can we control?” Then make an action plan to impact what can be controlled.

Bottom Line:

When you make space for hard conversations, you create a culture where people feel safer, stronger, and more connected. And that’s what builds real resilience—not just strategy decks and cost-cutting plans.

What Good Leaders Do When They’re Worried Too.

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Even when they don’t have all the answers.

Let’s be honest—leaders are feeling it, too. The weight of budget pressures. The ambiguity of shifting markets. The quiet wondering: Will this affect my team? My job? And yet, amid all this, employees are looking to leadership for confidence and direction.

This is the moment where the leadership gap either narrows—or widens.

Here are four tips for leading when everything is not alright.

 

Steady Doesn’t Mean Stoic. You don’t have to pretend nothing’s wrong. In fact, that kind of false optimism only creates distrust. Your team wants to see a real person leading them—not a cardboard cutout of “executive confidence.” When someone is feeling uncertain, they often look to see how those around them are showing up. You can’t always provide certainty in a difficult environment, but how you are responding will help quiet some of the concern. For example, a colleague of mine is facing a pending announcement of layoffs at her company.  She’s a seasoned career professional and has been here before. She has as much uncertainty as the rest of her team; however she is showing up for them by sharing her experiences with a previous lay off, what she’s learned about navigating internal resources, and being curious about what her team is feeling and thinking.

Name What’s True (and What’s Not). People fill silence with worst-case scenarios. Don’t let fear metastasize in the absence of communication. Tell your team what you do know, what you don’t know, and what you’re watching. Earlier in my career, I heard a great saying “Like milk, change has an expiration date.”  What’s true today may not be tomorrow. Transparency breeds trust.

Invest in Mid-Level Leaders. Your middle managers are often closest to the emotional pulse of the organization. This is when they need the tools and support to lead through ambiguity. Train them to hold space for uncertainty while keeping teams focused and aligned.

Align on Purpose. When strategy is in flux, purpose becomes your anchor. Reconnect your people to why their work matters—not just to the business, but to your customers and communities. In times of fear, meaning is one of the most powerful antidotes.

Bottom Line:

You don’t have to have all the answers. But you still have to lead. And that’s what people will remember when the crisis passes.

Our Breakthrough Leadership program helps mid-level leaders lead in uncertainty.  Click here to learn more. 

The Unspoken Rules of Communication: What Your Team Isn’t Telling You

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If you think your employees always tell you the truth, you’re incredibly lucky.

Every leader likes to believe they have an “open-door policy,” but let’s be honest—most employees don’t buy it. Too many have had the experience (often with previous bosses) that speaking too freely gets them labeled as difficult, uncooperative, or worse. So instead of telling you what’s wrong, they tell you some variation what they think you want to hear. Meanwhile, real problems fester, and by the time they surface, they’ve turned into full-blown crises.

The Hidden Truth: The Fear of Speaking Up is Costing You

Your team isn’t lying to you—they’re just editing. And the more senior you are, the more filtered your information becomes. Employees at all levels often avoid sharing hard truths with their boss because they’ve seen what too often happens when others do: nothing, or something bad.

The Fix: Make Honesty the Default (Not the Exception)

If you want the truth, you have to earn it. That means:

  • Asking sharper questions

    Replace “Is everything okay?” with “What’s one thing slowing you down that no one’s talking about?” The first few times you may be greeted with silence or be told ‘everything’s fine.’  Keep asking. Someone will finally take the chance and tell you their one thing.

  • Proving you can handle bad news

    Employees won’t be honest if they see leaders shoot the messenger. I was leading a team at a financial institution that was redesigning our performance management process based on employee engagement survey results.  We were a cross-level, cross-functional team. The CEO was our sponsor. During a check-in, a team member who worked in a branch, told the CEO a hard truth. We were a little stunned. The CEO was grateful. So grateful that he invited this person to have lunch with him once a month to share her perspectives.

  • Making feedback safer.

    Create spaces where people can share insights without fear of retribution. These can be formal or informal.  Share stories of people who shared insights, what the benefit was, and the actions taken. Those stories demonstrate that feedback is expected and welcome. I once worked for a large consulting firm that did the exact opposite. In an office-wide meeting, a consultant asked if we would have the opportunity to provide feedback into Partners’ and Managers’ performance reviews.  The answer was an unequivocal ‘no’. That story spread across the office like wildfire. It reinforced what we already implicitly knew – feedback was not welcome and it was not okay to question anything that a Partner or Manager did. This led to everything from bad habits to unethical behavior defining the culture.

When leaders make honesty a habit—not just a slogan—they stop being the last to know and start making better, faster decisions.

You’re Overlooking the Most Important Leadership Skill of 2025

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Hint: It’s Not Strategy, Vision, or Execution

If you had to bet on the most valuable leadership skill in 2025, what would you choose? Strategic thinking? Data-driven decision-making? Change management? All solid bets—but you’d still be missing the one skill that’s about to define leadership success more than any other: the ability to have tough, trust-building conversations.

Provocative Point: AI is replacing routine decision-making, and strategy is becoming more automated. But the human ability to connect, challenge, and align people toward a vision? That’s irreplaceable. Yet, most leaders still struggle to communicate clearly, deliver feedback effectively, and have the tough conversations that create real alignment.

Solution: Make 2025 the year your leaders become exceptional communicators. Train them not just in the mechanics of giving feedback, but in how to build trust, listen deeply, and communicate in a way that strengthens relationships while driving results. The organizations that prioritize this skill will develop leaders who don’t just execute well—they inspire teams to follow them into any challenge.

Build a Higher-Performing Senior Leadership Team

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Because Connection Fuels Growth and Drives Results

For CEOs, a high-performance leadership team isn’t just about competencies; it’s about building connection, driving executive performance, and fostering team growth. The senior leadership team sets the culture, the pace, and the strategy for the organization, so it’s critical that they function as a cohesive, aligned unit. Here’s how CEOs can shape a leadership team that performs at its best, fosters growth, and is deeply connected to each other and the organization.

  1. Define Roles That Align with Strategic Goals and Team Growth

    High-performance leadership teams are composed of individuals who not only understand their own roles but also how those roles connect to the organization’s larger strategy and to each other. A CEO must design roles that drive strategy forward while also allowing each leader to build upon their strengths and contribute uniquely to the team’s overall mission. This role clarity paves the way for both individual and team growth.

    • CEO Takeaway: Define each leader’s role in relation to the company’s long-term goals, but also focus on how each role can support and challenge peers on the team. This fosters an environment where growth is collective, and every leader feels valued for their contribution to both strategy and culture.

  1. Build a Culture of Connection and Accountability

    Connection and accountability go hand in hand for senior leadership teams. Leaders who feel connected to each other are more likely to hold themselves and one another accountable to high standards. CEOs can encourage this by prioritizing both formal and informal opportunities for connection—creating a culture where accountability isn’t just about hitting metrics but also about delivering on commitments to each other and to the organization.

    • CEO Takeaway: Facilitate regular executive team check-ins that go beyond business updates to discuss shared goals, challenges, and successes. Consider off-site retreats or virtual “connection” sessions that build rapport. Connection fuels a culture of accountability where every leader is dedicated to the team’s performance as much as their own.

  1. Emphasize Transparent Communication and Executive Performance Feedback

    Transparent communication isn’t just a leadership skill; it’s a pathway to better executive performance. When leaders communicate openly about both wins and challenges, it creates an environment where feedback is constructive, continuous, and centered on growth. CEOs should model transparency by sharing their own challenges and performance goals, encouraging the same openness among their team.

    • CEO Takeaway: Establish a feedback loop within the executive team where performance is regularly discussed and celebrated, and areas for improvement are addressed directly. Encourage leaders to seek feedback from each other and to view these conversations as essential for both personal and team growth.

The Bottom Line: Creating a high-performance senior leadership team requires intentional design. By clarifying roles, fostering connection and accountability, and promoting transparent communication, CEOs can build a team that is not only aligned in strategy but deeply committed to one another’s success and growth. This team dynamic doesn’t just improve performance; it creates a leadership culture that radiates throughout the organization.

The Importance of Transparency in Leadership Communication

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Because Secrets Create Silos, and Silos Kill Trust

In the age of information overload, being a secretive leader isn’t just outdated—it’s dangerous. People can smell a lack of transparency from a mile away, and nothing kills trust faster. If you want your leaders to be truly effective, transparency isn’t optional; it’s fundamental. Gone are the days when leaders could get away with cryptic decisions and behind-the-scenes power moves. Now, transparency is the cornerstone of trust, engagement, and high performance. Here are three guidelines to better transparency:

Transparency Builds Trust (And Trust Builds Everything Else)

Here’s the thing: employees don’t follow leaders they don’t trust.They may comply and conform but they do not engage and give their best effort.  And trust doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it’s built through consistent, transparent communication. Whether it’s sharing tough decisions, explaining the “why” behind strategy shifts, or openly discussing challenges, leaders need to be clear and direct. The more transparent leaders are, the more people will trust their decisions, even when they’re tough ones.

Common Non-Transparent Approach: Leaders avoid discussing upcoming changes in staffing until the last minute.

Transparent Version: Leaders openly share that staffing adjustments are being considered early on, even if the specifics aren’t yet decided, explaining the business needs driving the discussions.

Common Non-Transparent Approach: Leaders only communicate results after the fact, without any prior insight into key decisions.

Transparent Version: Leaders communicate about the decision-making process while it’s happening, seeking input from their teams and giving updates as decisions evolve.

No, You Don’t Have to Share Everything

But let’s be real: transparency doesn’t mean you have to turn every meeting into a tell-all. It’s about sharing the right information at the right time. Focus on being clear about decision-making processes, goals, and expectations.  How was the decision made?  Who was involved?  What are we achieving by making this decision?  How does it meet a need?  Why now? If your team understands the rationale behind what’s happening, they’re more likely to support it—even if they don’t agree with every detail.

Common Non-Transparent Approach: Leaders withhold financial performance details from their teams until quarterly results are released, leaving them in the dark about how they’re doing.

Transparent Version: Leaders share monthly performance updates, even if the numbers aren’t perfect, explaining how the team’s efforts are impacting results and what adjustments are being made.

Common Non-Transparent Approach: Leaders delegate tasks without explaining the purpose or reasoning behind them, leaving employees feeling like they’re working in the dark.

Transparent Version: Leaders take time to explain the “why” behind each task or project, helping employees understand how their work ties into broader goals and why it matters.

Transparency is a Two-Way Street

Transparency also means being open to feedback. Leaders need to know what is working and not. Feedback helps them improve their own and their group’s performance. Encourage your leaders to create a culture where employees feel comfortable raising concerns and asking questions. The more open the lines of communication, the better your organization will be at navigating change and staying aligned. Opening the door to feedback often starts with being vulnerable and sharing that something has not gone well. A client of mine recently had to make some difficult decisions for the organization. They seemed to come out of left field and transparency was difficult.  Employee engagement plummeted after this event.  At a company-wide meeting a couple months later, the CEO was very transparent about the impact of the event on employee engagement and asked for feedback on how to help move the organization forward. Afterwards, the feedback started and he listened, beginning the process of improving engagement.

Common Non-Transparent Approach: Leaders shut down feedback by responding defensively or dismissively when employees raise concerns.

Transparent Version: Leaders actively encourage feedback, even if it’s critical, and take the time to listen carefully before responding with thoughtful action or further clarification.

Common Non-Transparent Approach: Leaders hide behind email or formal memos, avoiding direct communication with teams, especially during difficult times.

Transparent Version: Leaders prioritize face-to-face (or virtual face-to-face) communication, especially during challenging situations, offering clarity and being available for open discussion.

Transparency isn’t about oversharing—it’s about building trust by sharing the right information at the right time and being open to dialogue. Leaders who communicate transparently create stronger teams, higher engagement, and more trust throughout the organization. And in today’s world, that’s not just an option—it’s essential.

Giving Constructive Feedback to Leaders

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How to Shape the Leaders Who Shape Your Organization

Giving feedback to leaders is different from giving feedback to employees. Leaders come with a track record of success, authority, and influence and have likely given plenty of feedback themselves. But receiving it? That can be more difficult. Leaders often feel their success ensures their impact, thinking, and self-awareness are well-developed. However, no leader is perfect. Providing feedback requires balancing their reputation, past successes, and sense of control with what they need to hear. If you’re serious about navigating change and building a thriving organization, even top leaders need feedback to keep growing.

The challenge is that giving feedback to leaders isn’t just about correcting behavior or boosting performance; it’s about steering strategic thinking, fostering leadership growth, and fine-tuning their approach to managing others. Here’s how to make it happen effectively:

Focus on Impact, Not Just Performance

Leaders aren’t just executing tasks—they’re driving strategy, setting the tone, and influencing teams. So, when giving feedback to a leader, the conversation needs to center around their broader impact on the organization. It’s not about nitpicking small errors; it’s about helping them understand the ripple effects of their leadership style on the broader organization’s performance and future.

Example: Instead of saying, “Your team missed the deadline,” you could say, “From where I sit, the way you set priorities last quarter impacted the team’s ability to meet deadlines. It seems that goals and strategy weren’t as aligned as they could be. Let’s explore how we can align your strategic focus with operational goals to avoid this in the future. What’s your take on the situation.?”

Frame it as a Partnership in Growth

Leaders are accustomed to being problem solvers, not problem receivers. So, frame your feedback as a collaborative effort to help them grow, rather than a top-down directive. When you position the conversation as mutual exploration of how to improve, it lowers defenses and sets the stage for real growth.

Example: “I’ve noticed cross-functional communication has been challenging for your team.  Let’s work together to identify how you can improve communication channels and support your team in navigating these barriers. What do you think may be contributing to this situation?”

Challenge Strategic Thinking, Not Just Behavior

When giving feedback to leaders, it’s essential to elevate the conversation beyond daily operations. Leaders influence the long-term direction of the company, and your feedback should push them to think more strategically, whether that’s about how they make decisions, allocate resources, or drive change.

Example: Instead of focusing solely on how a leader managed a specific project, you might say, “I see a pattern where you and the team are reacting to issues instead of anticipating them. For example, … How can we shift your team’s focus to be more proactive in identifying potential challenges?

Acknowledge Achievements, But Don’t Sugarcoat Reality

Leaders are often high performers, which can make delivering tough feedback feel uncomfortable. And, in my experience their perceptions suffer from a bit of a halo effect – the individual’s high performance is seen to bleeds over into other areas. However, high performer are not high performers in everything they do. You’re not doing anyone any favors by sugarcoating. Start by recognizing their successes, but be direct and honest about areas where they need to grow—because, frankly, they know when you’re holding back.

Example: “You’ve done an excellent job rallying the team around key initiatives. I’m going to push you to do even better. I’ve noticed you are making some decisions too quickly without getting sufficient input from your stakeholders. That gets in the way of you being even more successful.  Let’s work on finding a balance between quick decision-making and gathering broader input.”

Encourage Leadership Development and Self-Reflection

Great leaders are lifelong learners, but they don’t always have someone pushing them to keep developing. Your role isn’t just to point out what’s wrong—it’s to help them continue their leadership journey by encouraging self-reflection and providing opportunities for growth.

Example: “You’ve accomplished a lot this year and I want to set you up for success next year. I’d like to challenge you to consider how you can strengthen your team’s leadership pipeline so that so much doesn’t fall on you. How can you mentor your direct reports to ensure that they’re developing into future leaders, too?”

Done right, feedback becomes less about correction and more about collaboration—making you, and them, stronger leaders in the process. After all, shaping great leaders is how you shape a great organization.

5 Leadership Conversations That Drive Organizational Growth

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If We’re Not Talking About These, What Are We Even Doing?

We all know that leadership isn’t about showing up, issuing a few directives, and hoping for the best. Real leadership? It’s a conversation—one that never ends, especially if you’re serious about growth. But not just any chat will do. We’re talking about powerful, sometimes uncomfortable conversations that push your team and your organization forward. Are you ready for them?

Conversation #1: “Here’s What’s Not Working—Let’s Fix It”
Too many leaders dance around the obvious issues. Growth doesn’t happen when everyone’s patting each other on the back. It happens when you call out what’s broken and actively work to fix it. Whether it’s processes, attitudes, or outdated systems, this conversation might sting a little, but trust us, it’s worth the pain.

Conversation #2: “What’s Our Next Big Move?”
Sitting still isn’t an option. Great leaders are always planning the next step—even if the last one hasn’t finished landing yet. Don’t be afraid to challenge your team with big, bold questions. “What’s next?” keeps everyone sharp and keeps your business ahead of the curve. Plus, it’s more exciting than “Let’s just stay the course,” right?

Conversation #3: “How Can I Help You Grow?”
Shocking news: leadership is about your team, not just you. If you’re not regularly asking how you can support your people in their personal and professional growth, you’re missing the mark. No one wants to feel stagnant, and when your team members grow, so does the organization. Simple math.

Conversation #4: “Let’s Talk About Failure”
Guess what? Everyone’s going to fail at some point. Pretending it won’t happen isn’t leadership—it’s delusion. Real leaders talk about failure before it happens, so when it does, it’s a learning moment, not a catastrophe. This conversation builds resilience, encourages risk-taking, and prevents your team from fearing every mistake.

Conversation #5: “Are We Still Aligned?”
Organizations are like marriages—they need constant check-ins. If your leadership team isn’t aligned on the vision, strategy, and values, you’re going to hit some serious turbulence. Make this conversation a regular part of your leadership cadence to ensure everyone’s on the same page, rowing in the same direction, and ready to adapt as needed.

 

Leadership is a dialogue, not a monologue. If you’re not having these conversations, it’s time to get talking. Your organization’s growth depends on it—and frankly, so does your own development as a leader.

 

Worried About Accountability During the “Great Resignation?”

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Record numbers of people are leaving their jobs and it’s putting a strain on businesses and their leaders. When you’re concerned about holding onto your best talent (who are usually the first to leave because they have the best options), it may seem like the wrong time to really hold people accountable. To be honest, we have become a little fearful. For many, the thinking is, “if I push my people too much right now, they’ll be even more likely to go.” Losing more good people is a legitimate concern. But here’s how accountability can actually work in your favor and increase your ability to retain and engage your best talent.

Three things you can do now to make accountability work:

  • Align performance with client needs.  It’s a lot easier to talk with someone about their performance if you explain how it matters to clients, including internal clients. “Lisa, let’s talk about ABC Pros. They’re one of our most important clients, so we need to bump up our performance for them. What do you think are the top three ways we can do that?” Add your views and expectations to the discussion. Making clients the focus of the conversation reduces the likelihood that they’ll take it personally. It’s not about what you want, it’s about what the client expects. The same is true about aligning expectations with business strategy. It reminds the individual how they make an important contribution. Connecting to their personal goals can make it even more powerful.
  • Map accountability to your team members’ professional development goals.  This is one of those areas where the art of conversation matters a great deal. Accountability can – and should – be framed up as an exercise in helping your employee meet both their business and development goals. “Mike, we talked last month about your interest in learning how to do more complex data analysis. Let’s look at what you’ve done on this project to see what you’re doing well, and where you can make adjustments that would aid in your development.” This can lead to a constructive discussion about the project goals and parameters you discussed with him earlier.
  • Make accountability a two-way street.  Good leaders know that trust and a sense of fairness are critical to developing a productive working relationship with others, regardless of their role. One of the most effective ways to do that is for you to be accountable to your team members as well. This could mean making time to meet with them on a regular basis, helping them overcome resource issues or other organizational barriers, or following up on your development commitments. When you’re trying to establish their accountability include what commitments you are making to support them. “Alisha, what can I do to make this easier for you to accomplish?” Or “What have I done that’s helped you on this project?  What’s not been helpful? What else can I do?”
All three of these elements of accountability were important before the great resignation. The stakes are higher now, so doing these things well will pay even greater dividends.