Post by Liz Finneron

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺? High performers. Safe pair of hands. The ones you worry about. The ones you’ve quietly stopped investing in. Most leaders don’t do this intentionally. But it happens. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸? Too often, attention is poured into top performers. Whether we’re conscious of it or not, everyone else gets written off. Not because they lack potential, but because they’re no longer front of mind. In coaching sessions, I regularly encourage leaders to actively gather feedback. Not just from those they trust or the loudest voices. Because it matters to know what’s being said about you behind boardroom doors. Silence isn’t neutrality. It’s missed insight. 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. And it can’t be shaped by your own way of working. Leaders often expect others to operate like them. Same pace. Same motivation. Same drivers. When that alignment doesn’t show up, motivation gets questioned instead of understanding being built. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆. A growth environment is where feedback isn’t saved for appraisals or “difficult conversations,” but is part of everyday leadership. Expectations are clear, progress is visible, and development conversations happen early not when it’s too late. This is how organisations create opportunities for growth. Performance improves without fear. People feel invested in rather than assessed. So here’s the real question. 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵…𝗼𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺? ♻ Repost to inspire better conversations with everyone. Follow Liz Finneron for more leadership inspiration.