Weber Business Services LLC

Be Open to Difficult Team Harmony

Gina Hott — Tue, 19 May 2026 14:01:44 +0000

Sting once shared that when he first became interested in music as a boy, an older classmate handed him a Thelonious Monk album and told him to listen to it that night-knowing he probably wouldn’t like it. Then he was told to listen again the next night, and the night after that. “By the third or fourth listen,” the classmate explained, “you’ll start hearing things you’ve never heard before.”

Thelonious Monk’s improvisational jazz style wasn’t immediately easy to appreciate. But with repeated listening came deeper understanding, nuance, and insight. That insight taught Sting to, “…be open to difficult harmony.”

…with repeated listening came deeper understanding, nuance, and insight.

The discipline to be open to difficult harmony, feedback, and perspectives is exactly what sets the effective leaders I work with apart from those who are less effective. Why? Often, the people leaders most need to hear are the very ones they’re inclined to tune out. Their personalities don’t mesh. Their communication styles are diametrically opposed, or there’s just something about the other person that bugs them. Let’s be honest, it’s easier and more comfortable to tune out the whiny team members. It’s easier to tune out the persistently negative manager, and it’s much easier to tune out the advisor who points out where you need to grow next. It’s easier to tune out what we don’t want to hear because then we don’t have to change how we think or act. And that allows us to stay exactly the same…and not grow.

It’s easier to tune out what we don’t want to hear because then we don’t have to change how we think or act. And that allows us to stay exactly the same…and not grow.

In order to grow we need to learn new things. That’s why I am intentionally describing the skill of being open to “difficult team harmony” as a discipline, because that’s what it is. It’s not a skill many leaders just have. Rather, it’s a skill that is intentionally practiced and developed, through disciplined focus and repetition. It’s hard. It’s painful and it’s not enjoyable.

…being open to “difficult team harmony” …is a skill that is intentionally practiced and developed, through disciplined focus and repetition. It’s hard. It’s painful and it’s not enjoyable.

I have yet to hear a client say, “I can’t wait for my next meeting with Tasha so I can struggle through her weird logic to potentially find a nugget of information that will help us.” Very few people enjoy conflict and interacting with challenging people. However, those leaders that do understand the power of working through “difficult harmony” understand that the disparate perspectives, areas of expertise, and experiences of those we surround ourselves with, often hold the missing pieces needed to make better, more informed decisions. The desire to learn and grow outweigh the fear of a bit of discomfort. The power of new insights outweigh the discomfort of initially not understanding or appreciating what we hadn’t known before.

What could happen if you were open to difficult team harmony? How would your team be different if everyone listened harder with the intent of learning and growing?

Copyright MMXXVI – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890 Liz Weber is an advisor to boards of directors, business owners, and C-Suite leaders. She’s a leadership, strategic and succession planning consultant, keynote speaker, and author. Learn more on LinkedIn.

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Show You Believe in Your Project Team

Gina Hott — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:14:13 +0000

The life of a CEO is a never-ending series of decisions that either drive business initiatives forward or move them in a direction you don’t want. What you say and do and how you say and do it drives results. So what are you supposed to do when you’ve got a project – that can not fail – looming and your team isn’t excited about it?

As a CEO, what you say and do and how you say and do it drives results.

Sure, you can tell your team to get on-board, but how likely is that to lead to a successful project plan, kick-off, implementation, etc.,? Your team can go through the motions and still not care about the project. They won’t think about deeper, tangent issues. They won’t work to develop collaborative relationships with colleagues so hidden interdependencies are uncovered. They’ll get and give only the information needed and move on. They won’t be able to think critically, creatively, and with care – because they won’t really care themselves. Simply telling them to get on board or holding a ‘fun’ kick-off event isn’t going to change anything. In fact if you do either of those, you’re going to further irritate and frustrate your team. Your team doesn’t want or need to be bullied and they certainly don’t want a pep rally. What they need is to know YOU believe in them and the project’s success.

What your team really needs is to know YOU believe in them and the project’s success.

Showing your commitment to the project is more than you saying, “We can’t fail.” Ensuring everything you say and do in relation to the project – from the initial planning to completion – conveys your commitment to it and your team’s success. Demonstrating your believe requires you to:

Be there for them. Show up unexpectedly. Check in. Stay late when they do.
Stay committed. Set and maintain the focus and priorities when curve balls appear.
Listen to them for what is said and not said. Where are they struggling and why?
Provide the needed resources or help find realistic work arounds.
Believe and regularly say things such as:
- I know we can do this.
- What do you need from me or anyone else to move this forward?
- Where and how are we making this more difficult than it needs to be?
- Who else needs to be included or switched out at this point and why?
- What roadblocks are you facing that you need me or the executive team to clear for you?

I trust you.

If you’ve got a can not fail project facing your team, what are you doing to show them, you won’t fail them?

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Take ‘3 Before Me’ to Work

Gina Hott — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:53 +0000

In a recent coaching conversation, a senior leader and I were outlining a framework for her to use with her managers to help them clarify and answer more of their own questions before coming to her for guidance. She suddenly laughed and said, “This reminds me of what my third grade teacher taught us: ‘3 Before Me’! She was right.

‘3 Before Me’ is a classroom management and teaching strategy designed to develop critical thinking, task ownership, independence, and collaboration with students. In practice, it’s intended to cause a student to take three steps before asking a teacher for help: 1) Think of the instructions given or of a similar situation to find guidance there. If they’re still stuck, then 2) Look at the instructions or resource materials or how others have handled similar situations in the past for guidance. If that doesn’t help, 3) ask a colleague or peer for their insights. If after completing these three steps, the student is still stuck, then ask the teacher for guidance.

‘3 Before Me’ enhances productivity for the teacher – as they’re not bombarded with questions – and it develops useful life skills for the students.

This 3-step process enhances productivity for the teacher – as they’re not bombarded with questions – and it develops useful life skills for the students. It’s not intended to isolate the teacher. It’s intended to reduce the students’ dependency on the teacher (or other people in authority) for providing answers and to develop their own critical thinking and problem solving skills, and as a result, their confidence.

It’s intended to … develop their own critical thinking and problem solving skills, and as a result, their confidence.

If we take ‘3 Before Me’ to the workworld, the idea is no different than what I’ve been encouraging leaders to do for years to stop the revolving door of team members coming to them for answers.

Here’s what ‘3 Before Me’ can look like at work:

Introduce It – Let your team know you’re going to implement ‘3 Before Me’, why, and when (e.g., Starting immediately, I’d like us all to follow a ‘3 Before Me’ framework. This will help you develop your critical thinking and problem solving skills, leverage the SMEs on the team, increase your independence and confidence, and minimize disruptions in my day for things you can handle given your positions.)
Explain It – Explain your three steps. Here’s a sample:
Before you come to me with a question…
- Think – What specifically are you expected to do, deliver, or resolve? What is the problem or what is the desired deliverable? What proof do you have that this is the real problem or real deliverable being requested?
- Look – What resource documentation could provide guidance on how to do this? (e.g. Laws, policies, procedures, checklists, After Action Reviews/AARs, meeting minutes, etc.)
- Ask – Who else might have insight or be a Subject Matter Expert/SME and can help? Ask a colleague or support staff first, if appropriate. Then work up through your chain of command. If your question requires higher levels of leadership involvement, by working up through your chain of command and not taking leaps, everyone will be in-the-loop and the action can (theoretically) get addressed sooner rather than later. This also helps educate every level of leader up the chain on this type of challenge.
Clarify It – Tell them how you plan to hold yourself and them accountable to it. For example, if this goes live immediately, and a team member comes to you tomorrow morning with a question, you simply ask: “What three have you done before me?” If they’ve not completed the three, off they go to do more independent digging. If they have and they’re still stuck, help them.
Do It – Be consistent and pay attention to how you and your team adopt this. It’s not as easy as it sounds. If you’ve unintentionally trained your team to bring their problems to you, this transition to greater independence and critical thinking won’t come easy for them or you. You need to catch yourself first and not immediately answer questions that are within their position’s realm of responsibility to handle. Remember, sometimes the best thing you can do for them is to NOT give them the answer, but to instead help them find it themselves.

‘3 Before Me’ works. Take it to work. Share it with your team, then give it a try. You and they just might become more focused, collaborative, and productive in the process.

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Let a Delegation Ladder Create Clarity and Accountability

Liz Weber — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:17:47 +0000

One of the many unintended consequences of the bustling past few years is the confusion of: Who is supposed to do various tasks, make decisions about those tasks, and who isn’t? When crises occur or things are just crazy busy, jumping in to help one another is of course expected and applauded. However, for many managers, jumping in to help out but then not jumping out when things ‘normalize’ has created confusion, frustration, and rifts between managers and staff.

For many managers, jumping in to help out but then not jumping out when things ‘normalize’ has created confusion, frustration, and rifts between managers and staff

This confusion in roles and responsibilities has become pervasive in recent years. It has created workplace cultures in which managers and team members are often doing work others are being paid to do – but aren’t. As a result, managers and their more productive team members are not doing the work they are supposed to be doing, or if they’re doing both, they’re burned out, resentful, and angry. It’s a vicious cycle of their own making, but it can be stopped.

As a result, managers and their more productive team members are not doing the work they are supposed to be doing, or if they’re doing both, they’re burned out, resentful, and angry. It’s a vicious cycle of their own making, but it can be stopped.

A tool I’ve been sharing with several clients this past year is my version of a delegation and decision ladder. Delegation and decision ladders have been around since the late 1960s. Depending upon the specific model, they can help analyze problems to enable better decision making or they can clarify how much direction and autonomy a team member can expect. To help my clients struggling with role confusion and a desire to hold themselves and others accountable to do the jobs they’re being paid to do, I’ve created my own ladder. It helps leaders and their teams gain role and decision clarity.

Delegation and decision ladders help help leaders and their teams gain role and decision clarity

As with most delegation or decision ladders, visualize a matrix. The far left column is entitled: Levels of Responsibility & Decision-Making Authority. In the columns to the right of this are columns – one for each type of position on your team with the first column being you, the manager. Focus on the position first, not the person fulfilling the position. The intent is to identify first, by position, what is expected of each position at each level of the ladder. After you’ve clarified each level by position, you can create a ladder for each position when there are multiple people holding the same position. This ladder helps you identify, first by position, then by person, who needs additional training, coaching, or other support to elevate their skills. So what is at each level of the column: Levels of Responsibility & Decision-Making Authority? Let’s start with the bottom row and work our way up. Each row, from the bottom up, provides guidance as to what each position is expected to do – independently and competently. In the definitions below, “YOU” refers to the position represented in each column, and “me” refers to that position’s supervisor or manager.

Left column; Bottom row – Basic: YOU handle it alone. No input or approval needed from others. These are foundational aspects of your job.
Left column; Second row from the bottom – Use Your Skills & Expertise: YOU handle it but keep me posted or make me aware so I’m not blindsided.
Left column; Third row up from the bottom – Stretch Your Knowledge: Bring to me or another to brainstorm a resolution but, because of your position, YOU still need to handle it.
Left column; Top row – Above YOUR Level of Authority: Delegate these items up to me/your manager or to X (another person or office) who has the proper authority.

Before you conduct this exercise, review the position description for every position you’re responsible for managing and developing. This will help you clarify your expectations for each position – not each person. Keep in mind, the position holders are already being paid to do the job. Your task here is to help clarify: Are they doing what they’re being paid to do? If not, what needs to be done to clean this? As you work your way across your matrix and review each of the positions, you will no doubt come across widely differing abilities among team members holding the same position. That’s one of the objectives of this exercise. It will help you see who you are overloading, who isn’t performing even their basic job functions completely, and what job functions are not being met because you or others are performing tasks that should reside with other positions.

This exercise will help you see who you are overloading, who isn’t performing even their basic job functions completely, and what job functions are not being met because you or others are performing tasks that should reside with other positions.

As you work through this exercise, connect with your peers and calibrate across teams, divisions, and regions to ensure there is consistency in position expectations across the organization. Once everyone is clear on who is supposed to do what, holding yourself and others accountable becomes much easier. However, the first step to clarity is building that ladder.

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When Being Respectful Isn’t Possible

Liz Weber — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:06:00 +0000

“I’m done. I’m just done, Liz. I’m done with the attitudes. I’m done with the personality clashes, the rudeness, and the resulting lack of cooperation and communication. I’m done with the selfishness and the lack of empathy for anyone else. We’ve got so much to do, and I’m just done with trying to get my team to act like adults, be professional, and respect one another so we can work well together.”

Leaders are tired. They’re really tired – physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

Though not verbatim, I’ve heard this same idea at least a dozen times in the past three months. Leaders are tired. They’re really tired: physically, emotionally, and psychologically. The past several years have been a non-stop slog of trying to produce products or provide services in constantly changing environments, while societal and political tensions have escalated further heightening personality and belief differences. For many, they have left their pressurized leadership roles for an earlier-than-expected retirement, or a new position with less or no responsibility for others. But for those who have stayed, they’re looking for relief and for their teams to act like a team instead of individual fiefdoms with walls that are only getting stronger.

Leaders are looking for relief and for their teams to act like a team instead of individual fiefdoms with walls that are only getting stronger.

So, do I have a magic pill to help them change their teams’ attitudes and behaviors? No, but I have been sharing an insight that’s been resonating. Regardless of what they believe about society, politics, or other aspects of life, while working, every team member is being paid to perform specific functions and collaborate with others to ensure the customers can be served. That’s pretty straight forward right? Now, keep this in mind: They’re being paid their full salary to perform their function 100% to ensure the customers are served.

They’re being paid their full salary to perform their function 100% to ensure the customers are served.

Also, if your company has company values (or as I call them, The House Rules), every employee is by default bound to abide by them – as long as they’re taking a paycheck from your company. In order to get paid, they have to do their job and abide by the House Rules. Again, that’s pretty straightforward. But here’s where the challenge has come into play for many team members and leaders – and understandably so. Many of us leaders have been telling our teams they have to be respectful of one another. Either as a ‘common courtesy’ or because that behavior expectation is a part of our company values. However, as I’ve heard from some of my clients, it’s REALLY hard to respect someone whose politics is diametrically opposed to yours, or who is cheating on their spouse, or who needs constant validation, or who regularly demeans others. I get it. Believe me I understand. So let’s make it easier and a bit more clear when respecting someone is tough. Instead of telling your team they need to be respectful of one another, simply say be courteous to one another.

Instead of saying be respectful of one another, simply say be courteous to one another.

This slight wording adjustment changes emotions and behaviors. Being courteous doesn’t require you to respect a person, but it does require you to be a professional and do your job 100% (i.e., communicate with them, collaborate with them, support them in supporting the customers, etc). Every client I’ve shared this insight with has grabbed onto it. Give it a try with your team. It may just help you and them when being respectful is just too hard.

Copyright MMXXVI – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890
Liz Weber is an advisor to boards of directors, business owners, and C-Suite leaders. She’s a leadership, strategic and succession planning consultant, keynote speaker, and author. Learn more on LinkedIn.

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Change How You Communicate and Create the Culture You Want and Need

Liz Weber — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:24:56 +0000

I’ve had conversations with two coaching clients recently in which we addressed the quality and quantity of their communication. Why? Because as leaders, their communication and behavior were key drivers in creating their office’s or company’s current culture. Mind you, neither had the culture they wanted or needed.

As leaders, their communication and behavior are key drivers in creating their office’s or company’s culture.

In the first conversation, Rory, a senior leader in human resources wants to advance into the C-Suite and has been struggling to identify strategic initiatives he can drive forward to help the company. However, he’s been floundering. “I don’t have time to think,” Rory shared. “I’m bogged down with team members coming into my office or sending me messages all day long complaining about something or someone. I don’t have time to quiet my brain and think strategically.” Hmmm, was he bogged down with legitimate complainers with real issues or had he created a culture that condoned complaining? When asked what might have caused this office cultural norm to start and now mushroom around him, he looked at me somewhat shocked. “Well, I’ve told everyone my door is always open. I want to be accessible to them,… but I didn’t want this!… Ah geeze. I’ve created this mess haven’t I?” It’s hard to rise to the C-Suite when you can’t manage who has access to you and your time.

It’s hard to rise to the C-Suite when you can’t manage who has access to you and your time.

Another client, Tony, the CEO of a large financial institution, came to realize how his lack of useful communication and access nearly created legal ruin for his organization. In the past year, Tony’s firm has had numerous regulatory changes as well as technological and cybersecurity enhancements challenges to address and integrate. In addition, his firm has had several unexpected team changes due to health or family issues. As a result, morale has been in the tank, frustration and confusion have been rampant, and non-negotiable deadlines kept approaching rapidly with little hope of meeting them. As the days ticked by, Tony’s team became more and more dejected. With nine months to go before drop-dead dates hit, I asked Tony what was really driving the low morale and dejected behavior of even his most senior staff. “Liz, I honestly don’t know. I’m trying to encourage them, but this is tough, I can’t lie. I don’t know if we can do this.” Luckily, Tony asked me to see if I could identify a path forward for him and his team. Here’s what I found out: The team didn’t know what to do. Everything was a priority. Sure, Tony would tell them things were important, but he wasn’t available for further clarity, prioritization, or help. He would lock himself away in his office and work furiously on things that were important, but he wasn’t available to his team to clear roadblocks for them, to sequence priorities for them, and to help them move forward – together. Because of his ineffective communication and lack of availability, his teams were setting their own timetables and working against one another. He’d created a culture of siloes, competing priorities, and frustration. You can’t create a collaborative and productive team culture if you don’t communicate and help your team prioritize and collaborate.

You can’t create a collaborative and productive team culture if you don’t communicate and help your team prioritize and collaborate.

Effective communication by and with leaders needs a certain level of intent to be truly effective. It requires measured availability and a back and forth of information in a comfortable, psychologically safe environment. If your direct reports bring anything and everything to you to discuss, they’re not doing their jobs and you’re enabling their dependency on you. If your direct reports aren’t comfortable speaking up, reaching out to you, or coming to your office to ask questions, share ideas, or simply to talk, you’re creating siloes and frustration. When your managers echo your behaviors with their own teams, you’re now creating an ineffective communication and performance problem that will permeate down and throughout your organization. Now you’ve got a culture problem. You’ve created a culture where people aren’t comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, or simply talking with you and probably with one another. You’ve created a culture where team members are siloed, isolated, frustrated, and unable to perform. It’s bad, but it’s not hopeless.

If your team doesn’t feel comfortable speaking up, reaching out to you or coming to your office to ask questions, share ideas, or simply to talk, you’ve got a problem. You’ve got a culture problem.

If you’re wondering if any of this might be relevant to you and your organization or how to fix it, ask yourself: “How easy and comfortable is it for my direct reports to come to me with questions, ideas, or concerns? How easy is it for them to communicate with me? How often are our conversations purposeful and productive or are they simply time wasters? How available am I to help them move forward when they legitimately need help? What intentional or unintentional barriers are in place to limit who has access to me?” After you consider these questions, pay attention at your next team meeting or all-hands meeting. Intentionally join the meeting early. How do people behave when you join the meeting? What happens when their managers join the meeting? If the banter, laughter, and conversations stop quickly when you join or when their managers join, you’ve got a problem. I’m not suggesting every meeting should be filled with laughter and happy banter, but if the relaxed tone of your team abruptly changes when you or other members of your management team join a meeting, you’ve got a problem. If your team isn’t comfortable being themselves around you or other leaders, you’re not going to hear about issues before they become crises. You’re not going to know when your teams are struggling until they’re drowning in chaos, and you’re not going to know your team and your business is in deep trouble, until they are.

Identify what’s perpetuating the barriers to comfortable communication. Whatever is happening – no doubt unintentionally – is inhibiting you from helping to create the company and culture your team needs and wants.

Copyright MMXXV – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890
Liz Weber is an advisor to boards of directors, business owners, and C-Suite leaders. She’s a leadership, strategic and succession planning consultant, keynote speaker, and author. Learn more on LinkedIn.

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Please! Go In A Different Direction

Liz Weber — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:44:32 +0000

I didn’t close the deal. I didn’t get the six figure leadership training contract. Instead, I received an email that said, “We enjoyed meeting you and appreciate the obvious thought and effort you put into the proposal. However, we’ve decided to go in a different direction.” Was I surprised? Not really. Was I disappointed? Yes. But, most importantly, was I relieved? Yes!

Was I surprised? Not really. Was I disappointed? Yes.
But, most importantly, was I relieved? Yes!

Relieved? Why was I relieved? Because I wouldn’t have to fight an uphill battle trying to convince a leader to grow and develop for her team.

After submitting the proposal and receiving positive feedback, I had the opportunity to meet with the company founder and CEO. She’s obviously smart. She’s built a tech firm that’s grown and can potentially scale with the right strategies and leadership. To do this, she knows she needs to elevate her leadership team’s skills. However, she doesn’t believe she needs to elevate her own leadership skills too. And that’s where the disappointment comes in. I’m disappointed that I couldn’t more effectively explain to her that her willingness to learn too would be crucial in helping her achieve what she wants for her managers and her company. Without her learning and adjusting behaviors as they do, any progress on her managers’ part will be impeded because she won’t be changing and growing with them – if not ahead of them. She’ll still be leading and managing the way she’s always done – which has gotten her and her team this far. However, it’s not the type of leadership that’s needed to get them where the company needs to be to scale.

She’ll still be leading and managing the way she’s always done – which has gotten her and her team this far. However, it’s not the type of leadership that’s needed to get them where the company needs to be to scale.

As we concluded our conversation, she said, “You’ve given me a lot to think about.” It felt more of a polite send off than a statement of impending self-reflection, so, when I received the email, again, I wasn’t really surprised. I was relieved. After 30+ years of helping leaders become better leaders, I’ve repeatedly experienced that before any real and sustainable change can occur with a collective leadership team, the top leader(s) need to grow and learn as fast if not faster than their managers. Because if the top leadership continues to lead the way they’ve always led, the developing managers will see their individual/the company’s potential impeded. They’ll see the hypocrisy, and they’ll become frustrated, demoralized, and wary of any further leadership development initiatives. Leadership growth and change because even harder going forward. It has happened and it will happen.

So, if you want to develop your leaders but not yourself, Please! Go in a different direction. I can’t help your managers help create the company you want, if you’re not willing to become the leader they need you to be.

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Even the Quiet, Analytical, and Gruff Like Being Appreciated

Liz Weber — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:56:19 +0000

I recently provided a customized, two-day leadership program for managers from five different countries representing three different business lines. With a room of mechanical engineers, production managers, facility managers, accountants, quality control managers, and a few human resources professionals thrown in, to say one might anticipate a quiet, less-than-open group would be an understatement. However, this group was anything but that. They were engaged, open, and genuinely interested in practical takeaways they could individually and collectively use to become even better leaders.

“… this group was anything but that. They were engaged, open, and genuinely interested in practical takeaways they could individually and collectively use to become even better leaders.”

So why was this group different? Why did this group not fit the stereotype of a quiet, analytical, and potentially gruff group? Well, there were three primary reasons. First, their company has been incredibly intentional in developing and reinforcing a culture that supports and promotes psychological safety. However, as they’ve been on a rapid acquisition spree, bringing new team members into the fold, and enabling them to trust their new environment, is understandably a slow process. However, it’s of consistent focus and a consistent message. For the managers attending from companies that had been acquired within the past few years, everyone said, “This place is different. We’re appreciated here.”

“…their company has been incredibly intentional in developing and reinforcing a culture that supports and promotes psychological safety.”

The second and third reasons for their openness were that they were being included in conversations versus being talked at, and they appreciated being appreciated.

They were included in conversations versus being talked at…

Right when I started the program with the participants introducing themselves, I can’t help myself, but I jumped into coaching mode at various times to provide insights to select individuals on speaking as an executive to not diminish their brand with something as ‘basic’ as their voice not carrying across a room. We then moved into a ground rules interactive exercise that we’d return to throughout the two days. By the time we got to our morning break on the first day, three participants approached me to tell me they were enjoying the training. They’d never attended training in which the trainer included them and talked with them versus at them. Wow. That’s depressing.

They appreciated being appreciated.

After two full days of training, activities, and evening dinners, to say the group was exhausted is an understatement. Yet they hung in there and continued to focus on takeaways. When we’d wrapped up and I was starting to organize my materials to pack them away, one of the operations managers, “Tony”, approached me. He’d been engaged, but with over 25 years experience in his facility before it was acquired and having a somewhat gruff demeanor, he was one of the more quiet participants.

Tony said to me, “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“When we’d ask you a question, you’d often respond first by saying something like, ‘That’s a great question.’ Do you intentionally do that or did you really mean the questions were good questions?”

“Well, Tony. Now that IS a great question (wink, wink), but let me explain why I do that. First, I don’t say it all the time, but when I do say that, it’s because the question someone asked was leading to the next point I planned to make. So, by asking the question, I knew they were tracking with me. The second reason I often say it, is because the question reminds me of something I want to share with the group that is relevant and I’d forgotten to share it or highlight it. So they’re question was helping ME.”

“Well I appreciated it. You said it to me twice and both times I felt pretty good, like I’d asked a smart question.”

You never know who needs to hear a “Thank you” or who would appreciate being told, “You’ve got good ideas.” Even the quiet, analytical, and gruff types like being appreciated.

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Strategic Thinkers Consider The Waves Their Decisions May Cause

Liz Weber — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:40:00 +0000

During a leadership summit recently, I was asked to share my thoughts on the critical aspects of strategic thinking. Before I did that, I asked the leaders to share their thoughts on strategic thinking. What is it? How do you know if you or someone has that ability? Can you develop it? Their responses ranged from, “It’s thinking ahead. Either you do it or you don’t,” to, “Everyone has the ability. It just isn’t used or developed by some people.” (As you can tell, they were a candid group so we got along great.) Before I shared my thoughts on strategic thinking with them, I first shared my definition of strategic thinking:

“Strategic thinking is the ability to visualize a future outcome that enables a better state – while also considering ways to mitigate the risks and negative unintended consequences.”

Strategic thinking isn’t simply thinking about and planning for the future. It’s also considering a myriad of potential intended and unintended consequences and assessing their impact on the desired goal. Strategic thinking without thinking about the consequences isn’t strategic thinking; that’s impulsive thinking.

Strategic thinking without thinking about the consequences isn’t strategic thinking; that’s impulsive thinking.

You can never consider every potential ramification of your decisions nor should you. If you tried, you’d be in a never-ending analysis paralysis tailspin. However, you should consider some of the ‘obvious’ impact points of your potential decisions to mitigate risks and elevate the odds of achieving your desired outcomes. So how can you do that? Keep it simple. I encourage my clients to use the basic balanced scorecard framework as a starting point. How will this decision or action impact your/the:

People
Money
Products
Processes

Now visualize these four potential impact points at the center of a wheel. They’re interconnected. Invariably a change in one will have some impact on at least one if not all three of the other potential impact points. Now, consider who/what will be impacted most obviously or first? Who/what will be impacted after that? Who/what will be impacted after that?

People (i.e., customers, team/staff, vendors, regulators, advisors, tangent stakeholders, etc.)
Money (i.e., revenues, expenses, taxes, economy, debt load, cashflow, interest rates, etc.)
Products (i.e., products you make, services you offer, sourcing/supply chains, etc.)
Processes (i.e., production capabilities, business operations, technology, regulations, etc.)

As you work through this exercise, you will start to identify layers or waves of impact. By being more intentional, you’re able to proactively and strategically consider those or that which you intend to impact – and those or that you don’t. When you think along those lines, you’re thinking strategically – not impulsively.

So, do I believe strategic thinking can be developed in leaders? Yes. I think most leaders have the skill. However, the most effective leaders are the ones who consider the waves and the impacts their decisions may cause. They then adjust their strategies to ensure they’re creating the right waves and having the right impact. That’s strategic.

Liz Weber is an advisor to boards of directors, business owners, and C-Suite leaders. She’s a leadership, strategic and succession planning consultant, keynote speaker, and author.

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Focus on What Matters Most

Liz Weber — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 15:45:00 +0000

Today, leaders face no shortage of opportunities or distractions. Every day brings new initiatives, shifting priorities, and competing demands for time, resources, and attention. The real challenge isn’t finding things to work on; it’s knowing what to focus on to leverage your limited resources to realize the greatest impact.

The real challenge isn’t finding things to work on; it’s knowing what to focus on to leverage your limited resources to realize the greatest impact.

So how are leaders supposed to know what to focus on to maintain their sanity, leverage limited resources, and lead with clarity? Start by asking themselves: Are we simply working like crazy to get things done or are we working on what matters most?

Too often, I see leaders spread themselves and their teams thin. They chase the new “urgent” issue, immediately shift direction because of a new external pressure, or get bogged down in tasks that don’t really drive results or that should be handled by someone else. As a result, they end up with exhausted teams, lackluster production, and missed opportunities to create transformative, strategic changes that truly matter.

However, when leaders focus on what matters most, I’ve witnessed them:

Drive intentional change rather than operate in crisis mode.
Elevate performance instead of continuing to burn themselves and their teams out.
Communicate candidly as leadership teams rather than go silent.
Create a workplace culture that attracts and retains talent instead of one that churns staff.

Ironically, the goal of enhanced leadership and team focus is not just about increasing productivity. It’s really about enhanced team alignment, clarity, and a commitment to getting even better – together.

Ironically, the goal of enhanced leadership and team focus is not just about increasing productivity. It’s really about enhanced team alignment, clarity, and a commitment to getting even better – together.

A simple yet powerful framework I’ve started sharing with my clients to help them regain clarity and redirect their energy to where it matters most is my F.O.C.U.S. Model:

F – Find Clarity: Each quarter, clarify your Top 3 Goals, priority projects, or outcomes that matter most.
O – Own the Priorities: Align your leadership and your team around those priorities and clarify who/which team will drive each priority forward and how they will be supported.
C – Communicate with Impact: Message before you move. Ensure your messaging is succinct and consistent. Clarify WHY each action is a priority now, what the outcome needs to be, and the timetable in play. Don’t force team members to have to guess as to what is needed or what is going to happen next.
U – Unify the Team: Get everyone on the same cadence and thought process of what you are working towards – together. Work to establish a culture of shared focus, accountability, collaboration, and trust. This will take time (and your consistent focus) but the results can be dramatic.
S – Sustain Results: Put systems in place to monitor, measure, adjust, and reinforce your activities to ensure the outcomes and impact you wanted are being realized. If not, adjust your activities – or metrics – to realign your focus on what matters most.

This framework moves leaders beyond “being busy” to being intentional. Instead of just tracking to ensure things got done, it causes leaders and teams to ask: Are we realizing the results and the true impact of what we set out to do? If not, what do we need to adjust right now to do what matters instead of just doing what’s in front of us?

Are we realizing the results and the true impact of what we set out to do? If not, what do we need to adjust right now to do what matters most instead of just doing what’s in front of us?

When leaders develop their focus, they not only get more done, but they also create tangible, ripple effects throughout their organizations:

Teams perform better because expectations are clear.
Inter-team conflicts lessen because priorities are aligned.
Performance increases because resources are directed toward the highest-value, mission-driven opportunities.
Cultures improve because collaboration, teamwork, and outcome-focused communication are a part of daily operations.

In times of rapid change and uncertainty, organizations with leaders who can focus on what matters most don’t just survive, they elevate their teams, their cultures, and their impact.

As a leader, your focus determines your impact. And your impact defines your legacy. Focus on what matters most.

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