CareerSteps Insights – August edition

This summer has been rich in conversations about influence, resilience, and the subtle ways leaders set the tone for their teams. From workshops in Greece to quiet moments by the sea, I have been helping high-performing professionals and teams sharpen how they connect, communicate, and create results.

Expert Advice

Influence is not the problem—intent is. When my goal is to push my agenda regardless of others, influence slips into manipulation. But when I seek shared success, influence becomes leadership. This was one of the biggest discussion points in my Malta workshop and it still sparks strong reactions.  [Read more → see July 1 post]

Persuading with facts, asserting with authority, bridging through empathy, inspiring with vision—most of us have a favorite. But in high-stakes situations, that comfort zone can trap us. My natural style is my strength, but mastery comes from using all four.  [Explore the styles → see July 15 or July 24 posts]

Client Success Story

This summer, I ran a Leading Others program in Greece where senior professionals stepped away from day-to-day pressures to focus on what it truly means to lead a team.

Here is what some participants told me afterwards:

• “I managed to better understand myself.”

• “It challenged my thinking and my leadership skills.”

• “A unique opportunity to grow personally and professionally.”

  
  

Moments like these are why I do what I do—helping leaders shift perspective so they can create more trust, ownership, and performance in their teams.

Practical Tips

Unproductive meetings are not inevitable—they are often just unframed. The PEPS model helps me align everyone in under a minute:

1. Purpose – Why are we meeting?

2. End Result – What will we leave with?

3. Principle – How will we work together today?

   
   

Whether it is a project kick-off, a strategic check-in, or a 1:1, framing with PEPS prevents misunderstandings, builds ownership, and gets results faster. [See the full PEPS guide → link to August 19 post]

In a recent LinkedIn poll (40 votes), 80% of leaders start with “How are you?”, 18% with “What’s on your mind?”, and only 3% with “What’s new?”—nobody jumps straight into tasks. Your opening line is more than a greeting; it sets the tone for either trust or transaction. [See the poll discussion → link to July 31 post]

Industry Insights

In my July 29 post I claimed “People First Is Not Idealism—it’s Strategy”

Recent research underscores that leadership focused on people isn't just nice to have—it’s essential for organizational health and performance:

• A McKinsey study found that organizations emphasizing people’s performance are 4.2 times more likely to outperform their peers. They experience on average 30% higher revenue growth and enjoy 5 percentage points lower attrition—proof that investing in people drives real results. [Read more]

• Psychological safety—the belief that team members can speak up, admit mistakes, or question the status quo without fear of punishment—has a powerful impact on productivity and innovation. It particularly benefits diverse groups, improving retention rates up to six times for LGBTQ+ employees and more than four times for women and BIPOC employees. [Read more]

• Additionally, a 2024 study in project-based organizations (PBOs) found that servant leadership fosters work engagement—mediated by employee resilience and organizational support—helping teams thrive even under pressure. [Read more]

  
  

Takeaway: The data is clear. Leaders who prioritize their people—through psychological safety, empathy, and servant leadership—aren’t just building trust. They’re creating the conditions for sustainable performance, innovation, and retention.

Personal Reflections

This summer, I split my time between mountain trails and beaches. Away from screens and deadlines, I could step back and ask myself:

• What impact do I want to have this fall?

• What energy do I want to bring to my clients and workshops?

  
  

These pauses are not a luxury—they are a leadership necessity. [See the view → link to July 9 or August 26 post]

Book & Resource Recommendations

If you’re serious about building truly cohesive, high-performing teams, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni is a foundational read. Here’s what makes it so impactful:

• Simple but profound framework – Lencioni presents five interlinked dysfunctions that commonly undermine teams:

  1. Absence of Trust – when team members can’t be vulnerable, collaboration breaks down.

  2. Fear of Conflict – without healthy debate, ideas aren’t stress-tested.

  3. Lack of Commitment – no shared clarity means low engagement.

  4. Avoidance of Accountability – without mutual ownership, standards slip.

  5. Inattention to Results – when teamwork isn’t focused on shared goals, outcomes suffer.

     
     

Lencioni weaves these concepts into a narrative about an executive team, making them relatable, memorable, and highly applicable. Each dysfunction comes with actionable strategies—such as low-stakes team building to build trust, establishing team charters to boost commitment, and peer-only progress reporting to reinforce accountability.

This book is a go-to resource for leaders at any level—especially those transitioning into managing people—because it illuminates the invisible dynamics that can derail a team and offers a clear roadmap to fix them.

Questions & Answers

Q: My team avoids disagreeing with me. Is that a sign of alignment?

A: Silence can be a red flag. It often means people do not feel safe speaking up—whether from fear of conflict, lack of trust, or a belief that it will not change anything. I have seen teams where everyone nods in meetings but then raises concerns privately or after decisions are made. That is not alignment; it is avoidance.

The fix starts with you. Model curiosity by inviting different viewpoints, thank people for raising concerns, and show how their input shapes decisions. When people see that disagreement is not punished—but valued—they start engaging openly.

[Read more → link to August 12 post]

Conclusion & Call to Action

September brings multiple opportunities to strengthen your leadership:

• online webinars Become a Corporate Athlete and the Power of Visibility

• onsite training:  Lead Without Authority – Training Series

  
  

And if your team is facing tension, friction, or simply a low atmosphere—call me. In just a few sessions, we can reset collaboration, rebuild trust, and get performance back on track. 📞 book a conversation