Leaders, Your Communication Might Be Causing the Problem

Ever find yourself thinking, "Why does my team always do this? Or why don’t they just take more initiative?" 🧐

It’s easy to get stuck in that frustration. But what if—just for a moment—you flipped the script?

I worked with a leader recently who was feeling this exact way. She told me, "I’m so frustrated. My team won’t take initiative. They run everything by me. It’s like they want me to hold their hand." 😕

But when I talked to the employees? Their perspective was different. They said, "Sometimes we move forward and get approval, but other times we get in trouble for not checking first. We’re never quite sure where the boundaries are. So we hesitate. We wait for the leader to decide." 😞

That’s the thing about leadership. The dynamics we find frustrating are often shaped—at least in part—by our own communication, behaviors, and norms.

This isn’t about blame; it’s about awareness.

So the next time you catch yourself saying, "My team always… or I wish they would…"—pause.

And ask yourself:

• Is there anything in my communication or leadership that might be contributing to this?
• Have I made expectations clear and consistent?
• Do my actions align with what I say I want?

Leaders who make this kind of reflection a habit are the ones who build trust, inspire confidence, and create teams that can move forward—without hesitation. 💛

Watch the full video (above ⤴️) to see me talk more about this leadership challenge and discover practical steps to shift your communication and build a more empowered team.

Friends, if you’re ready to take a more intentional approach to your leadership, the Feedback Journal resource is a great place to start.

It walks you through key questions like:

✅ Did I clearly communicate my expectations?
✅ Did I create psychological safety for open dialogue?
✅ Was my feedback clear, specific, and actionable?

It’s a simple but powerful tool to help you assess how your communication impacts your team—and make adjustments that build clarity and trust.

Click here to download the Feedback Journal. 🤝

Hey, thanks for being here and for watching/reading. My goal is to consistently create content that's engaging, applicable, and inspires you to continue learning and growing as a leader. If you have ideas for future content or any questions at all, please shoot me an email at: [email protected].