Why Do Team Members Stay?
A new study of 3,000 U.S. and Canadian workers shows that traditional employee‑engagement metrics no longer predict who will stay. More than 40% of respondents expect to leave within a year, despite reporting high satisfaction. The research identifies the quality of the direct manager‑team member relationship as the primary driver of retention, outweighing growth opportunities, work‑life balance, and even compensation. Organizations that continue to rely solely on engagement scores risk missing the most actionable lever for keeping talent.
The Leadership Perception Gap
The blog highlights a persistent leadership perception gap, where leaders assess themselves based on intentions and goals while teams judge them on observable actions. Research shows leaders routinely overestimate their communication clarity, approachability, and delegation, leading to misaligned expectations. This...
Lead Better - Do You Ask and Answer Your Own Questions?
In this episode of Lead Better, Scott Baker and co‑host Mikey explore the rhetorical device hypophora—asking a question and then immediately answering it—and contrast it with rhetorical questions and the colloquial “boomer‑asking.” They discuss how hypophora can sharpen persuasion, frame...
Lead Better - Why Do Leaders Tolerate Poor Performers?
In this episode of Lead Better, hosts Scott Baker and Sierra Holland explore why leaders often tolerate poor performers, highlighting the psychological and relational barriers that prevent tough feedback conversations. They discuss the "relationship bank" metaphor, showing how leaders operate...
Lead Better - Revisiting the Johari Window
In this episode of Lead Better, hosts Scott Baker and Mikey explore the concept of blind spots in leadership through the lens of the Johari Window, a four‑quadrant model that maps what is known and unknown to oneself and others....
The Downside of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is widely praised for boosting leadership adaptability, strategy, and effectiveness, yet the blog highlights several hidden drawbacks. Highly empathetic leaders may postpone firing poor performers, become overly dependent on consensus, and absorb team stress, leading to fatigue...
The Leader’s Antidote for Worry
Leaders face constant anxiety from rapid change, missed deadlines, and team conflict. Research shows that suppressing worry worsens it, while gratitude and reframing help but the most effective remedy is action. By identifying a specific, controllable step and executing it,...
Lead Better - The Leader’s Antidote for Worry
In this episode of Lead Better, hosts Scott Baker and Mikey explore how leaders can transform worry into productive action. They discuss the psychological distinction between threat monitoring and agency, illustrating the point with surfer Shane Dorian’s rapid return to...
Unconscious Competence or Why the Best Leaders and Performers Are Sometimes the Worst Teachers
Unconscious competence is the stage where expertise becomes automatic, letting top performers act without conscious thought. Repeated practice creates neural pathways that bypass explicit reasoning, turning complex judgments into instinctive responses. In leadership this shows as rapid pattern recognition and...
How Candor Keeps the Blue Angels Safe
The post details how the U.S. Navy Blue Angels use a "Calling a Safety" ritual after every flight to embed psychological safety. Pilots publicly admit mistakes, pledge to correct them, and express gratitude, turning silence into the risky behavior. This...
Lead Better - How Candor Keeps the Blue Angels Safe
In this episode of Lead Better, Scott Baker and Mikey discuss a field note titled “How Candor Keeps the Blue Angels Safe,” using the Navy’s elite flight team as a case study for psychological safety and candor in high‑stakes environments....
When Peers Strongly Disagree About a Decision
The post advises peers to surface genuine objections by asking, “Can’t you live with it?” before finalizing decisions that affect multiple teams. This simple question separates mere dislike from a deal‑breaker, allowing decision‑makers to gauge the true stakes for colleagues....
Lead Better - When Peers Strongly Disagree About a Decision
In this episode of Lead Better, Sierra Holland and Mikey dissect Field Note #794, which tackles the challenge of peers strongly disagreeing on a cross‑functional decision. They explore how shifting the conversation from "Do you agree?" to "Can you live...
The Case for Seeking Early Commitment
The article argues that securing early commitment to a strategic goal, rather than the detailed execution plan, drives stronger psychological ownership and keeps teams focused when obstacles arise. By aligning on the big picture first, leaders can prevent premature dismissal...
Leaders Who Ask for Your Opinion But Really Don’t Want It
The article exposes a common leadership flaw called “inquiry theatre,” where leaders solicit opinions while already decided on the outcome. This façade stems from overconfidence or a belief that consensus equals compromise, not from malicious intent. Over time, teams recognize...