Greg Harrod

When a Bias for Action Becomes a Leadership Problem

Greg Harrod — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:45:00 +0000

As Sid and I wrapped up our discussion, it was clear that he now saw the pattern that had been holding his teams back for years.

He was a guy with all kinds of ideas and a “bias for action.” And when he was an individual contributor, that served him well. Most of the time anyway.

He would have an idea about how to solve a problem and he would go do it. Immediately.

He didn’t waste time getting input from others or analyzing multiple options. His ideas were usually pretty good, and he built a reputation as a guy who would “run through walls” to get his projects done.

But as he moved his way up the org chart, he became a manager. First, he had just a few direct reports. They were good at listening to his ideas, and they did their best to turn what he had in his mind into reality.

Sid didn’t mind watching over their work and correcting them as they went along. He made sure they did it exactly like he wanted them to. He loved getting down in the weeds with his small team and guiding them through all the details as they implemented his ideas.

When I asked him whether his team members liked having him that involved, he looked at me like he’d never considered that question.

At that point in his career, that wasn’t really a concern to him. All that really mattered was that his idea was implemented just like he envisioned it.

He taught his team that they needed to take action. When he gave them an idea, he wanted it implemented. Right. Now.

He communicated his expectations clearly so everyone knew them.

They knew something else too. Frustration was building within his team.

Everyone saw it. Except Sid.

As he moved up the ladder, the number of people in his organization grew. And so did their frustration.

Because now when he shared one of his ideas, it came from the big boss. The guy who was one, two, or three levels up.

When he was with people in the cafeteria talking about how he would handle a problem, his idea was no longer one of many options to consider. It was now THE solution.

That’s not what Sid intended, but that’s what happened.

And, because that idea came from the man who expected immediate action, the people on his team who heard his ideas knew they had better get busy.

So, his ideas were implemented quickly.

Sort of.

It’s more accurate to say that people’s interpretations of what he mentioned in passing were implemented.

What was actually done rarely matched what Sid had in his mind.

How did those who took immediate action after listening to him discover this disconnect in communication?

He told them.

Sid would explain why their work wasn’t what he wanted and how he would have done it differently.

As you can imagine, he was frustrated and annoyed. But not nearly as much as the people who reported to him.

Unfortunately, scenarios like this happened regularly. Turnover was up and engagement was down.

I suspect that you’re reading this story and it’s obvious to you why things were so bad. You likely have a long list of the things Sid did wrong and how he could improve as a leader.

But let’s be fair. We’re on the outside looking in and it’s so much easier to see gaps in someone else’s behaviors than it is our own.

I know I’ve made leadership errors as bad as Sid’s and others that were even worse.

But his heart was in the right place, and he wanted to improve because he knew he had a problem. That’s why he hired me.

Through our work, he was able to see that his natural tendency to take action immediately was a big contributor to the dysfunction within his organization.

The behaviors that made him so successful were now holding him back.

This can happen to all of us if we’re not careful.

Great leadership isn’t about collecting more advice. It’s about knowing which advice fits. And, more importantly, which doesn’t.

And there’s a trap I see leaders like Sid fall into over and over again.

And, sadly, I constantly hear well-meaning authors and speakers saying things that are pushing leaders like him directly into that trap.

In fact, I heard it again yesterday on a podcast I was listening to as I was watering the sheep at the barn.

The host and the guest were talking about how important it is for leaders to act without hesitation. “Those who are successful are those with a bias for action,” they said.

That’s good advice for a lot of leaders. But not for everyone.

Some leaders, like me, tend to overanalyze decisions and take too long to get started. Personally, a reminder to just make a decision and do something is good for me to hear.

That isn’t the case for leaders like Sid.

He was taking plenty of action. Too much, in fact. And he was acting too quickly.

He improved as a leader when he slowed down. He became a better leader, and his team performed better.

When he began to ask others to critique an idea he shared before he told them to go do it, they avoided wasted time and effort.

Many times they would realize during the evaluation process that they shouldn’t go ahead with what at first seemed like a good idea. Previously, they wouldn’t have discovered this until they had invested precious time, money, and energy in something that was not good for the business.

And the overall morale of the people on Sid’s team improved as well.

You know how discouraging it is to have to go back and rethink decisions after you’re in the implementation phase of a project. You may have also experienced having a project completely stopped after you’ve invested your heart and soul in it. You know the kick-in-the-gut feeling that brings.

Once Sid began involving his team in the analysis of his ideas instead of pushing them to act immediately, things like this didn’t happen nearly as often. Their workflow wasn’t always perfect, but it improved a lot.

That’s Sid’s story, and I share it so you can be thoughtful and intentional about how you apply the advice that leaders should have a bias for action.

Do you need to stop overthinking, stop overanalyzing, and finally move on the idea you’ve been considering for your business? As the saying goes, is it time to get off the pot?

Or do you need to remember that taking quick action is something you already do naturally and you can be even better as a leader when you invite others who are wired differently than you are to help you pause and evaluate your ideas before acting?

The right answer depends on you.

Not what someone said on a podcast or wrote in a book.

Self-awareness matters more than popular advice.

I’m curious about your view on the bias for action advice and would love to hear what you think. Reply to this email and let me know. I read every one myself, and reply to as many as I can.

And, if you’d like to talk through things like I did with Sid, let me know. Here’s my scheduling link to have a free 45-minute coaching session to get us started.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

Greg Harrod

Greg Harrod is a Business Coach and Strategic Communications Partner. Follow GregHarrod.com to learn how you can build clear communication, aligned teams, and simple rhythms so your business runs smoothly. Greg will help you learn how to go from daily firefighting to calm, confident leadership by sharing his 30+ years of experience leading teams and businesses.

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Feeling Overwhelmed at Work? Start by Writing Down Everything You Do.

Greg Harrod — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:45:00 +0000

“I didn’t realize I was doing all of this.”

Those were the words of a woman I was coaching a while back. I’ll call her Marie.

Marie and I were talking because she felt stuck and wasn’t sure what to do. She was looking for another perspective. So she called me.

She was overwhelmed and feeling like she was starting to burn out. Sadly, Marie used to truly enjoy her job, but that was no longer the case.

She was still doing outstanding work, but she now dreaded coming to work.

Marie felt like she was always behind and it was impossible for her to ever catch up.

I could see the deep discouragement on her face and hear it in her voice as she talked about wanting to get even a little bit of her time back. She would have been thrilled to find a way to reduce her workload by a few hours each week. But she was at the point where she would have been happy with recovering just a few minutes because she was missing out on what she enjoyed doing away from work.

Marie loved her dog, Frank. And she hated coming home to him later and later each night. And with less and less energy to play with him.

The job that once brought her fulfillment was now draining her of all her energy.

It wasn’t a good situation for Marie. Or for Frank.

Maybe you’ve been where Marie was. I know I have.

And to be honest, it sucks.

Thankfully Marie didn’t stay stuck where she was.

And if you’re also feeling like your work task list is starting to dominate your life, you don’t have to stay in the situation you’re in either. There’s hope.

Here’s the first step I had Marie take to start regaining control of her time and energy so she could enjoy her life again. And so could Frank.

I simply asked her to write down all the tasks she was doing.

You might be tempted to think that such a basic activity couldn’t possibly help fix such a painful problem.

Marie was skeptical at first too.

But she did it anyway.

And that’s when she said:

“I didn’t realize I was doing all of this.”

Up until that point, she hadn’t paused long enough to think about where she was spending her time. And she certainly hadn’t slowed down to ponder how she ended up in this difficult situation.

When I asked her to explain what she was feeling, Marie said she was surprised by how much she was doing. That encouraged her.

But she also felt like everyone was taking her time by asking her to do things for them.

Through our conversation, she concluded that part of her interpretation was correct.

People were asking her to do things.

And why wouldn’t they?

She was incredibly talented, and she consistently delivered excellent results.

So it was natural for people throughout the business to come to Marie with requests.

But as we talked about these interactions with her coworkers, Marie began to realize her perspective wasn’t completely accurate.

Other people weren’t taking her time. She was giving it to them.

Writing down her work and talking through it helped her realize this.

When she saw the list, right there in black and white, of all the tasks that were consuming her time, she recognized several things.

One observation was that many of them weren’t in her job description. Another was that there were projects on her list that she’d never discussed with her supervisor or analyzed to confirm that they were valuable investments of her time.

Then there was a set of activities that stood out to Marie and really bothered her.

Those were things that she never should have said yes to.

But she did. Because that’s the kind of person Marie is. She likes to help people. And when she can do something for someone else, she likes to do it.

As we talked, she admitted that her tendency to always say yes was harming her. She was feeling it mentally and physically.

As Marie and I dug deeper into the list of activities that were draining her energy, she had another realization.

She recognized that her over-helpfulness was harming other people too.

She pointed out how some of the tasks she took on were the responsibilities of other coworkers. She wasn’t doing them occasionally to help out another team member when they were in a bind. That’s how it started. But now she was doing these tasks for them all the time.

Marie was doing work that they were being paid to do!

This led her to make two decisions.

First, she needed to stop consistently doing work that someone else was responsible for. This was an integrity issue for Marie.

Second, she wasn’t going to just stop helping them and leave her coworkers to figure things out. She knew this wouldn’t be good for her teammate or the business. And Marie recognized that she may be partially responsible for creating this relationship because she may not have set and communicated clear boundaries with those she was now supporting too much.

So she put together a plan to talk openly and honestly with each person who should be owning a task that was currently on her list.

Some of those conversations were easier than others.

Many of her coworkers agreed with Marie and eagerly took back the work they had unintentionally let fall to her.

Some were frustrated, not at Marie but because their own task lists were already causing them to feel overloaded. Marie was quick to share the same technique that was helping her manage her overwhelming situation.

And a few coworkers who didn’t share Marie’s integrity and character did their best to talk her into continuing to do the work that they should be doing.

Marie didn’t budge.

The effort she put into documenting her tasks gave her the courage to stand strong. She wasn’t willing to continue to do work that wasn’t hers to do.

Marie had become convinced that being competent and having a strong desire to serve others did not mean that she had to be pushing herself to the point of physical and mental exhaustion.

She now felt the freedom to say no to work that didn’t belong on her plate and yes to going home at a reasonable hour and playing with Frank.

You may identify with Marie’s story and wish you could get some things off your task list so you could be home more with your loved ones too.

If you do, I’ll give you the same suggestion I gave Marie.

Take a few minutes to pause and write down all the things you’re doing. Then review those tasks to see what should remain on your list and what needs to be removed.

Like Marie, you may find work that doesn’t belong to you and can be returned to its rightful owner.

I hope that’s the case, so you can reclaim a little more of your time for yourself and the people and the dog you love. Or cat. Or even sheep…

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

P.S. If it would be valuable for you to have me provide an outside perspective like I did for Marie, you’re welcome to schedule a time here for us to chat. I’d love to be a part of helping you get some of your time back.

Greg Harrod

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I Didn’t Think I Was a Leader

Greg Harrod — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:45:00 +0000

Last week, I had a surprising realization.

A few years ago, I probably wouldn’t have hired…me.

If someone had told me:

“I help leaders who feel like everything still depends on them develop their people so their business can grow.”

“I help you build a team you’re proud to lead.”

I would have immediately thought,

“Well, that doesn’t apply to me.”

Not because I disagreed with the idea. That wasn’t the problem.

I simply didn’t think I was the kind of leader those statements were talking about.

That realization caught me off guard because I’ve spent the past several weeks clarifying exactly what problem I help business leaders solve.

As I’ve refined that message and shared it with others, I’ve discovered that some people immediately recognize themselves in those statements while others quickly assume they don’t apply.

So before I go any further, I’d like to ask for your help.

If these statements leave you with more questions than answers, please tell me. I’d genuinely value your feedback.

Here’s what I do with my coaching clients.

“I help leaders who feel like everything still depends on them develop their people so their business can grow.”

Or, even more succinctly:

“I help you build a team you’re proud to lead.”

The process of refining those two sentences forced me to look back over my own career. I began asking myself whether my current services would have been valuable to my former self.

My conclusion was that they would have been.

The problem is that I probably wouldn’t have realized it.

Here’s what I would have immediately told myself.

“I don’t own a business. I don’t even own a budget in the company where I work.”
“I don’t have a team. No one reports to me.”
“I’m not a leader. Reference 1 and 2.”

And I don’t know about your inner voices, but mine are rarely kind and encouraging to me.

Those thoughts would have quickly become self-condemning messages like these:

I’m not doing enough to deserve the title I have.

I’m not performing at the level I should be.

I’m letting everyone around me down.

I’m not a leader.

I’m a failure.

As I said, those voices in my head can be nasty. I’ve made a lot of progress in this area, but I still have to work hard not to let those self-condemning words that pop into my head take root.

You may be fighting a similar mental battle, so I want to give you some encouragement.

Being on the other side of three decades of professional experience, here’s what I would want my former self to know.

1. You Don’t Have to Own a Business

You don’t have to own a business or even a budget for the phrase “so their business can grow” to apply to you.

At one point in my career, I worked for a publicly traded company. I owned a tiny bit of stock but really wasn’t a “business owner.” I also had a relatively small budget compared to the size of the company.

Because of these things, I could have been tempted to tell myself that I wasn’t in a position to help this business grow.

But that wasn’t the truth.

My very small team of direct reports and I were providing program and project support for multiple cross-functional teams who were redesigning almost every product line we built.

The investment by our parent company was well over $100 million!

I wasn’t technically the “business owner,” but I felt the weight and responsibility of helping this business grow. And the gratitude and pride when it did.

So, I encourage you to pause and consider the value of the work you’re doing to the business even if you’re not the owner. It’s likely even more important than you realize.

2. You Don’t Need Direct Reports

You don’t have to have direct reports to have “your people”.

While being someone’s official supervisor does make it easier in some ways to positively impact their lives, it isn’t required.

In fact, I once reported to the CEO and was an individual contributor. I didn’t have anyone reporting to me in the system.

But I was still able to “build a team I was proud to lead” because I found ways to help others grow as people and as leaders.

I held regular one-on-one meetings with people throughout the organization. Not as their supervisor, but as a fellow coworker. I had the privilege of leading workshops on change management and appreciation in the workplace. I made myself available to serve others as a coach and mentor.

I saw these people develop, grow, and become even more successful in the company. And I now see them continuing to do great things as leaders in other businesses.

Did they ever report to me? No.

Do I still feel proud that I was able to have a small part in leading them? Absolutely!

I’m sure you have “your people” who aren’t shown as reporting to you in the org chart but still consider you their leader.

3. You Don’t Need a Leadership Title

You don’t have to have a position of authority to be a leader.

I have to stop myself from getting up on my soapbox for this one.

For too long in my career, I thought I needed to have a certain title, have people reporting to me, or be responsible for the P&L of a business before I could call myself a leader.

I was wrong.

Anyone can lead anytime, anywhere.

If you’ve followed me for very long, you’ve heard me use this phrase often. It’s the message of one of my favorite books, Your Leadership Edge, written by my friends Ed O’Malley and Amanda Cebula. And it’s the core of the teaching of The Kansas Leadership Center, the organization Ed founded and where I’ve done extensive training.

So, if you consider my coaching services and tell yourself that these may apply to you someday in the future, but you’re not qualified for them now because you’re not a leader, hold on.

You’re already leading people even if you don’t have direct reports or a budget.

In fact, I’m confident that you are already leading the people around you.

You’re influencing how they think and what they do through what you say and how you live. And in some cases, you’re having more of an impact than their official supervisor.

This has been the case for me personally and many other leaders I’ve worked with.

I have a friend I worked with for over a decade who was such a good leader of people that nearly every person who ever reported to him continued to meet with him regularly to get his guidance. They had new supervisors, but they still wanted his leadership wisdom.

Maybe, you’ve never had anyone report to you, but you’re still the person everyone on your team looks to for advice. You’re a leader.

Or, you may have led people for years but you now find yourself in an individual contributor role. You’re still a leader.

Your experience and ability to serve others didn’t go away with your supervisor title.

You can still lead from right where you are.

Here’s the takeaway message I want you to hear.

Regardless of your title, your level of responsibility, or your place in the org chart, you can lead.

You are where you are for a reason, and you can positively impact the lives of the people around you.

If you’re doubting me (and yourself), schedule some time here. There’s no charge, and it would be my privilege to encourage you.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

P.S. Kiersten was out of town a couple of weeks ago and left me in charge of our Pemberley Woolworks business. That included letting me write her weekly newsletter. If you’d like to see how things went at the barn with the sheep, chickens, and other unexpected varmints during her absence, you can read about my adventures here. Photo evidence included. Boy am I glad she’s back!

Greg Harrod

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Don’t Let Your Ferraris Sit There Idling

Greg Harrod — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:59:00 +0000

“What are you doing?”

I was in the university welding shop when my boss asked me that.

He had more years of experience than I’d been alive and I still had a lot to learn. But the answer to that question seemed pretty obvious to me.

I had a push broom in my hands, and I was using it to transfer dirt from one location of the concrete floor to another. Perhaps he wasn’t aware that I had also masterminded a plan to later move that collected dirt into a dustpan and then into the trash can.

Was I missing something? Or was this a trick question for the new kid?

This was one of the two jobs I had while going to summer school before I started my first fall co-op term with Caterpillar. The other was doing MATLAB programming for one of my professors in his air-conditioned office.

Neither of these were anything like what I had done to make money during all my summers up to that point.

I started mowing yards with my mom when I was 10 and then switched to working for my dad in his welding shop when I was 14. (Thanks, Mom, for teaching me how to work hard and run a business at an early age.)

Air conditioning had never been a part of either of those jobs.

But I thought this welding shop would be very similar to working at my folks’.

Turns out I was wrong.

My first clue should have been the route my coworker drove to get from one side of the campus to the other.

We needed to do some repair work in a tunnel below the campus, and it couldn’t have been more than a 3-minute walk from the shop.

It made sense to take a truck since it had all the equipment we needed.

But here’s the part that was completely new to me.

My coworker took the scenic route. So it took us FOREVER to get to where we were supposed to be working.

At the time, Manhattan wasn’t as big as it is now. And, to clarify, I mean the Little Apple not the Big Apple. Kansas, not New York. It’s an easy mistake to make. Just as the Boeing recruiter who sent me airline tickets departing from La Guardia… but that’s a story for another time.

But as long as it took us, you would have thought we were fighting New York City traffic.

If you knew how my dad worked and what he expected of his employees, you would know why this shocked me.

I can still remember him taking me aside one day after I had been standing by him to listen in on a conversation he was having with a customer. He very clearly explained to me that I was being paid to work not to stand there.

Obviously, my new teammates at the welding shop, including my boss, had never worked for my dad.

Because here’s what happened between my boss and me just before I started sweeping.

I arrived for my shift and asked him what he wanted me to do that day.

He said, “Nothing.”

That’s where the miscommunication occurred.

I suppose it was the echo of these words I’d heard from Mom and Dad more times than I can count that caused me to misinterpret his directive and drove me to cleaning.

“You can always find something to do.”

It was a natural reaction for me to start picking up welding rod ends, stacking scrap metal, and sweeping the floor.

So that’s what I did.

Until my boss explained to me that what he wanted me to do was to sit down beside him at his desk while he read the newspaper.

He wanted me to do what he was doing: NOTHING!

Not clean.
Not study for my Matrix Theory exam.
Not optimize the driving route for the next job.

He didn’t want me to do anything productive.

Even though MY tuition payments were funding both of our wages.

I can’t remember one thing I learned in Matrix Theory that summer, but I can remember this experience like it was yesterday.

So why am I sharing this story with you?

I’m convinced that you want the people on your team to do meaningful work. And the people you’ve hired want to add value by applying the talents they were born with and the skills they’ve developed.

It would be easy to read about my experience in the welding shop during college and miss an important leadership lesson.

We might assume the guys I worked with were lazy. Or that state government jobs are filled with wasteful practices. Or that organizations in the ‘80s hadn’t yet been forced to get lean and efficient.

I’ll admit it’s also quite possible that I have a completely inaccurate memory and interpretation of the incident now that I know that the frontal lobe of my brain wasn’t fully developed at that age.

That little tidbit of human anatomy knowledge explains a lot, doesn’t it?

So all of those speculations may or may not be true. But they’re not the point.

The point is that I’ve seen versions of this happen throughout my career.

They just weren’t as blatant about it.

These high-level leaders didn’t tell their people to “do nothing.” But their actions caused the same response in their people as it did in me.

I can recall dozens of conversations when excellent employees said, “I’m just not very busy.” Those were their words, not mine.

They wanted to do more and talked to their supervisor about it, but they still weren’t being challenged.

So they dreaded coming to work because they knew they would be underutilized.

Not only were they bored, but they also felt nagging guilt.

Because just like me and my welding shop boss that summer, they were still being paid a full paycheck whether they were fully utilized or not.

And that didn’t match up with who they were and how they’d been raised.

One situation still pains me to think about.

A talented, highly-motivated young man was performing well and meeting expectations, but he wasn’t given enough meaningful work to do.

This was obvious to the people around him because he was openly looking for ways to contribute more. He was constantly asking for opportunities to do work beyond what his official job description required.

And it wasn’t that he was in a department that had too many people or supporting a product that was reaching the end of its life.

The project he was on was one of the biggest in the company’s history and behind schedule. There was more than enough work to do.

Eventually, his boss acknowledged that there was a problem. But it was too late.

He left the company.

And the cost in time and money to replace him added even more pressure to this high-visibility project.

Unfortunately, this is just one of too many similar stories I could share with you.

But I won’t.

Instead, I’ll share this bit of advice that was shared with me and a few of my recommendations based on having the privilege of leading some incredible people.

This is the leadership advice that was shared with me:

“Don’t hire Ferraris and just let them sit there idling.”

The application of that simple tip is obvious.

Leaders often assume people leave because they’re overworked. Sometimes they leave because they’re underchallenged.

When you’ve got high-performing, highly motivated people on your team, do all you can to let them do what they’re made to do.

Give them work that challenges them.

Learn what energizes them, what they’re naturally good at, and then give them opportunities to use those strengths.

Create a culture that makes it easy for them to tell you when they don’t have enough work.

Look for projects that are missing skills your people have. Then position them to fill those gaps.

Years from now, the people who report to you may still remember the assignments you gave them. What story do you want them to tell?

I’m confident they’re going to talk about how you were the leader that gave them tasks that challenged them, energized them, and allowed them to make a significant impact on your business by doing what they were built to do.

And that’s a legacy you can be proud of.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

P.S. If this newsletter resonated with you, let’s talk. If you feel like everything still depends on you, I’d love to help you develop your people so your business can grow. I’ve opened a few complimentary 45-minute coaching sessions over the next couple of weeks. You can reserve one here using my scheduling link.

P.P.S. I recently had the privilege of joining Dave Crysler on the Crysler Club podcast. We had a great discussion about why your most reliable employees are often the closest to burnout and what leaders can do to prevent it. You can listen to our conversation here.

Greg Harrod

A quick note about affiliates

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Why Business Leaders Should Focus on Verbs

Greg Harrod — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000

If you’re leading people, you should be thinking about verbs. A lot.

Now it may sound ridiculous to suggest that parts of speech are a critical aspect of developing your people and building an effective team but hear me out.

To be clear, I don’t have anything against nouns, pronouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Prepositions, participles, and gerunds are fine too. To be honest, I’m guessing about gerunds because I can’t remember what those are, but I’m sure they serve a worthwhile purpose in the English language. (Coach Skillen, I know you’re reading this right now and rolling your eyes because I’m sure you taught me this, but please forgive me.)

So why do verbs deserve a business leader’s attention?

Well, a million years ago when I was in grade school, I was taught that a verb is the “doing” word.

And work is about doing things. Taking action.

When people are on a team in a business, or any type of organization for that matter, their purpose is to accomplish tasks.

Businesses are built on two things: people and verbs.

People taking action.

The better you are at using verbs, the better leader you will be.

When you clearly articulate the work you expect someone to do, they will be more successful.

To illustrate my point, here’s a story based loosely on some work I was doing recently with a client.

I’ll call him Chuck and fuzzy up the details to protect his privacy.

Chuck was preparing to hire a new team member. And I was reviewing a draft of the job posting. This is one of my favorite things to do with clients, so I was really digging into it.

Chuck’s got a small team, so adding one more person is a big deal. If he gets it right, his business will benefit greatly. But, if he makes a bad hire, the negative impact will be even bigger.

He’ll waste time and money with firing and rehiring and potentially disturb the high level of trust and cohesion he’s built within his team.

That’s why I was involved.

When I studied the first revision of the job posting Chuck shared with me, I paid close attention to the verbs he used.

I did that for two reasons.

First, I wanted to make sure that any job seeker reading the posting would immediately know if they were a good fit. If they were, they would apply. If they weren’t, they would move on and save everyone time.

Second, I wanted to help Chuck think at a deeper level about this role and communicate more clearly.

Here’s what happened.

Chuck used the verb “own” multiple times to describe the responsibilities of the person in this role.

“Own” is a good verb.

We all want people on our team who “think like an owner,” and good leaders hire people who have an owner’s mindset.

But what does “own” really mean?

That’s what Chuck and I discussed.

As we were talking, I reminded Chuck about the Working Genius principles.

Every person has only two Working Geniuses, which represent the types of tasks they enjoy doing and bring them energy and fulfillment.

And every project requires all six Working Geniuses to be applied.

Therefore, every project is best done by a team with a diverse set of Working Geniuses.

Can one person do a project all by themselves?

Sure they can. But they’re going to be frustrated and not working at their full potential most of the time.

That may be acceptable for some leaders. But it wasn’t for Chuck.

He’s committed to providing his employees with work that brings them fulfillment.

In fact, it’s one of the core values of his business.

Chuck works hard to understand his people and give them work that lights them up.

Which brings us back to the verb he was using in his job posting.

“Own.”

Chuck and I decided this verb was good, but not good enough.

Because this vague action doesn’t really capture the specific tasks Chuck has in mind for this person.

Own could mean this one employee has to personally do every task from the start of the project until it was completed. By themselves.

Since Chuck has such a small staff, this is a reasonable interpretation. But that would be a disaster waiting to happen. And it wasn’t what Chuck meant.

No one person should be expected to be good at and enjoy every aspect of a project from start to finish.

Take a minute to think about yourself. Are you wired to do all these steps well?

Identify the need for improvement or a change.
Generate several creative ideas and solutions.
Evaluate them and decide which one is best.
Get the work started and keep it moving.
Help others who need to be involved.
Drive the project to done.

I’m not. Neither is Chuck.

And when he used the word “own,” he didn’t mean that he expected one person to be fully responsible for all the tasks that needed to be done for the project.

But through our discussions, he realized that a potential candidate could get that impression from the job posting as he first wrote it.

Chuck knew he needed to use a different verb. Several of them actually.

For context, this is the situation he and his team were in.

Last year, they recognized a business opportunity, and the team came up with several innovative approaches they wanted to consider.

The ideation phase of this project was done.

They had also evaluated and selected the process they wanted to use. Then they developed a playbook for the team to follow.

They had a kickoff meeting and everyone was excited to get started.

Activation phase of the work: complete!

But that’s when progress stalled.

They just couldn’t seem to get this new initiative to move beyond the excitement of the initial launch. As a result, it wasn’t yet delivering the results they knew it could.

This project was stuck in the implementation phase.

That’s why Chuck was adding a person to his team. And that’s what he meant when he used the word “own.”

So, we worked together to tighten up his verbs.

Here are some of the options we discussed.

Track deadlines
Manage timelines
Remove obstacles
Drive accountability
Facilitate collaboration
Conduct status reviews
Measure results after launch
Ensure quality standards are met

That’s what Chuck really meant by “own.”

In the language of the Working Genius model, he needed someone on his team with Enablement and Tenacity.

Which, not coincidentally, is the gap his Working Genius team map highlights.

With just a short coaching conversation, Chuck was able to more clearly articulate what he was really looking for in candidates for this role before he posted it publicly.

As a result, he saved himself hours that would have been wasted interviewing candidates who could “own” parts of the project but weren’t who Chuck needed on his team.

The time he spent thinking about verbs was valuable for Chuck.

You may not be writing a job posting to hire a new person on your team, but you’re using verbs every day as you lead your team.

Do the verbs you’re using clearly communicate what you really want?

I encourage you to do what Chuck did and consider tightening up your verbs.

The more clearly you articulate your desires and intentions, the more successful your team will be.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

P.S. If you’d like some help thinking through the verbs you’re using as a leader in your business, I’d love to support you. Feel free to grab a spot on my calendar using my scheduling link.

Greg Harrod

A quick note about affiliates

The post Why Business Leaders Should Focus on Verbs appeared first on Greg Harrod.

The Conversation That Changed Their Marriage

Greg Harrod — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000

The Light Bulb Moment

The look in her eye told the whole story.

I didn’t see it but my wife, Kiersten, did.

I was coaching a young couple at our dining room table. They’re longtime friends of ours from church so Kiersten was there with us.

This couple had recently started a business together.

I was walking them through their two-person Working Genius team map when she had a “light bulb moment.”

She suddenly realized that his probing questions about her ideas weren’t negative criticisms.

She saw for the first time that he wasn’t just being “a wet blanket” when they talked about the new things she wanted to do in their business.

He was thinking deeply about what she shared with him.

His mental gears were turning as he considered how to implement her dreams.

He was trying to move the work forward, but she felt shut down.

She didn’t know what was going on inside his brain, and he wasn’t able to explain it.

The Difference Wasn’t the Problem

They were both eager to turn her ideas into reality.

But he’s wired to evaluate before implementing.

She, on the other hand, would prefer to skip that step and act immediately.

Together they made a great team.

But until that point, they didn’t see their differences as an asset.

They were a constant source of conflict.

One simple conversation changed their business relationship.

More importantly, it changed their marriage.

A New Level of Respect

Here’s how she described the shift.

She used to be frustrated and annoyed by his natural tendencies. But once she understood him better, she saw him with a new level of respect.

I’ve seen that exact scenario repeated over and over.

The Working Genius model not only improves relationships within businesses.

It transforms marriages.

“I Get My Husband Now”

I know that’s true from my own marriage and from coaching other couples.

And the creators of the Six Types of Working Genius agree.

Pat Lencioni regularly talks about people who come up to him after a presentation and tell him they didn’t think their spouse even liked them, but now they realize it was simply a difference in Working Geniuses.

He even had a woman tell him this.

“I think you just saved my marriage. Because it was kind of on the rocks and I get my husband now and I can’t wait to go home and talk about this.”

Wow.

That’s powerful.

An Hour Well Spent

I’m sure you know as well as I do how devastating and damaging a broken marriage can be.

Being married is hard.

Building a strong marriage takes work.

And you’ve got to continually invest to keep your relationship with your spouse healthy.

So, if you’re married, I’m going to encourage you to invest an hour of your time in your marriage this week.

If you’re not married, I’m going to ask you to make the same investment because I’m confident you have someone in your life who’s important to you and is either married or might be married someday.

And, as a leader, you have an opportunity to support them.

My Recommendation This Week

Here’s what I’m encouraging you to do this week.

Attend this live webinar on Thursday.

It’s titled, “Why Your Spouse Acts That Way”

You can register by clicking here or on the image above.

Pat Lencioni and his wife, Laura, will be doing this webinar along with Cody Thompson and his wife, Lindsey, and others.

Pat and Cody host the Working Genius podcast, and their conversations are always enjoyable and helpful to listen to. I have no doubt they’ll be just as engaging with their wives during this event.

In the first couple of minutes of this episode of the podcast, you can hear them describe the webinar and why they’re doing it.
Click here to watch it.

One More Thing

The rest of this episode is really good too.

In fact, I’ve shared it with several leaders who are building their leadership teams.

Pat and Cody explore this question:

“What would change if your team focused more on talents than job descriptions?”

They talk about why leadership roles cannot be reduced to generic titles or one-size-fits-all job descriptions.

So, if you have an extra 22 minutes to invest this week, watching this episode is a good way to use it.

But, if you only have an hour, don’t miss the Working Genius marriage webinar.

I’m confident you will benefit from it whether you’re married or not.

Let me know what you think about it after you watch it.

If you attend, send me an email and tell me what stood out to you. Or schedule a call and we can compare notes.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

P.S. Here’s the link to register for the Working Genius Marriage webinar. It’s this Thursday so sign up now so it’s on your calendar. And, share this email with your spouse and friends so they can join too!

Greg Harrod

A quick note about affiliates

The post The Conversation That Changed Their Marriage appeared first on Greg Harrod.

The Problem Under the Problem

Greg Harrod — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000

A few weeks back I was running my weed eater through what turned out to be a whole bunch of poison ivy. And, while that in itself could be enough of a lesson to share with you today, I’m going to pass along something else I learned while I was cleaning up that ditch.

As I was depositing itch oil on my arms, I was putting something helpful in my ears. (Thankfully!)

I was listening to an episode of The Nathan Barry Show and Bryan Harris, founder of Growth Tools, told a story that got my attention.

He was recommending a book called Stop Guessing by Nat Greene and sharing one of the examples Greene uses to teach problem solving.

The story has stuck with me since then. So has the itching on my arms.

A $15 Million Problem

A paper products manufacturer had a problem.

A big one.

Their marketing team had introduced a new product that customers loved, and demand took off.

Unfortunately, production couldn’t keep up.

The bottleneck was a packaging machine.

Whenever operators tried to increase the machine speed beyond a certain point, everything went wrong. Packages tore. Product flew off the line. Production slowed to a crawl.

As I’m listening to this story, it sounds very familiar. I’ve been a part of more than a few situations that involved chasing an elusive problem that wasn’t exposed until we ramped up production rates.

Just like we did, that company was trying everything they could think of to keep customer shipments flowing.

They were running extra shifts.

People were working overtime.

Engineers were involved.

Consultants were hired.

Cross-functional teams were formed.

Expensive solutions were being proposed.

Some of the recommendations would have required significant modifications to the facility and millions of dollars of investment.

Everyone was focused on solving what appeared to be a highly complex problem.

Then one night, a maintenance technician did something simple.

He positioned himself so he could look down into the machine from the top.

And he watched it run.

Not at its normal operating speed.

At full speed.

As he watched, he noticed something moving inside.

Eventually, he shut the machine down, removed a panel, reached inside, and pulled out a small bolt.

That’s it.

A bolt.

Somehow it had found its way into the machine.

At lower speeds, it caused no issues.

At higher speeds, it would catch the packaging material and create chaos.

The company was preparing for a multi-million-dollar solution.

The actual problem was a bolt that cost less than a dollar.

One phrase from Nat Greene’s book stood out to me:

“Refuse complex solutions.”

The More I Thought About It…

The more I reflected on that story, the more it reminded me of leadership.

Because most leadership problems don’t arrive labeled with their root cause.

They show up as symptoms.

A leader tells me:

“We have communication problems.”

Another says:

“My team isn’t taking enough ownership.”

Someone else says:

“I’m involved in too many decisions.”

Or:

“People keep bringing me problems they should be able to solve themselves.”

Those problems are real.

The frustration is real.

The consequences are real.

But I’ve become increasingly convinced that many of those challenges are symptoms rather than root causes.

Finding the Bolt

One of the themes I’ve noticed in my conversations with business leaders is that we often jump to solutions before we truly understand the problem.

I’ve done it myself.

We change processes.

Redesign meetings.

Add more structure.

Implement new reporting systems.

Create accountability mechanisms.

Invest in better technology and tools.

And sometimes those things help.

But sometimes we’re spending thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours, and enormous amounts of energy trying to solve a 50-cent problem.

What I’ve observed is that many leadership challenges stem from something deeper.

In my experience, one of the most common root causes is surprisingly simple.

The leader has not yet learned how to consistently develop people and build ownership.

It’s not because they’re bad leaders and it’s rarely because they don’t care.

Usually, they’re struggling because no one taught them how.

Most leaders were promoted because they were good at solving problems.

Not because they were experts at developing others.

So they continue doing what made them successful.

They answer questions.

Solve problems.

Make decisions.

Rescue projects.

Step in when things get uncomfortable.

And over time, their team becomes increasingly dependent on them.

The leader becomes the bottleneck.

Not intentionally.

But predictably.

A Better Question

The maintenance technician in Nat Greene’s story didn’t start with a solution.

He started with observation.

He got curious.

He slowed down long enough to understand what was actually happening.

As leaders, we can do the same thing when it comes to developing our people.

Instead of immediately asking:

“How do I solve this?”

Perhaps we should first ask:

“What is really causing this?”

That’s often where clarity begins.

You’ll often discover you’re missing important information about the people on your team.

Maybe it’s a strength you haven’t recognized.

Maybe it’s a frustration that’s draining someone’s energy.

Maybe it’s a lack of confidence that’s causing a capable employee to avoid ownership.

Maybe it’s a misunderstanding between two team members that’s creating friction for everyone around them.

Whatever it is, you’ll never find it if you jump straight to solutions.

Just like the maintenance technician in Nat Greene’s story, leaders need to slow down long enough to understand what’s actually happening before they start fixing things.

When we take time to observe and pay attention to what’s happening at a deeper level with our people, we’re in a much better position to help them develop and grow.

Before you invest your energy solving the visible problem this week, spend a few minutes looking for the bolt.

You might discover that the real issue is much smaller, much simpler, and much more important than you first imagined.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

P.S. If you’re wrestling with a challenge in your business and aren’t sure whether you’re looking at the real problem or just a symptom, I’d be happy to help.
A Complimentary Clarity Coaching Session gives us 45 minutes to talk through what’s going on, explore possible root causes, and identify a practical next step.
You can schedule one here: GregHarrod.com/schedule.

Greg Harrod

A quick note about affiliates

The post The Problem Under the Problem appeared first on Greg Harrod.

3 Simple Ways to Build Stronger Connections at Work

Greg Harrod — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000

She was hurrying down the aisle of the crowded exhibition hall when our eyes met. She slowed her pace just slightly, then she stopped.

I introduced myself and we began to talk.

Jen’s story is fascinating.

But the encouraging conversation that I’ll share more about in a moment almost didn’t happen.

Why?

For the same reason we can work beside our coworkers for weeks, months, even years without really getting to know them.

Why We Don’t Really Know Our Coworkers

You’ve likely read the same reports I have about how workers are feeling increasingly isolated and lonely in their jobs.

But you don’t need the studies to know that’s true.

Just take a moment to think about how current you are with what’s going on in the lives of your coworkers. Even those you’re closest to.

The guy on your team who told you a few weeks back that he and his wife are trying to sell their house. How’s that going for him and his wife? Have they had any offers? Are they discouraged about the progress? Or are they about to close and excitedly planning their move across town to their new home with the nursery for their first baby? Was it a boy or a girl they’re expecting?

How about the new woman who joined the team last month? (Or was it two months ago? Or three?) How’s she doing?

And it’s not just our coworkers who are feeling disconnected. We have those feelings too.

When was the last time someone at work asked how your dad’s doing? Caring for an aging parent can be a long, hard path to walk and the mental burden doesn’t leave you just because you’re at the office.

Knowing a coworker cares about what you’re going through and sincerely wants to know how you’re doing can make those difficult days a little more bearable.

We all want that kind of support. And most of us want to offer it to others too.

So what gets in our way?

Just like Jen, we’re all in a hurry.

We’re hustling to get where we need to go and do what needs to be done.

The pace of business feels relentless.

And we’re all doing our best to keep up.

Moving quickly and efficiently is necessary and required to meet the obvious needs of our customers and our employees.

But as humans, our customers and our employees have another need that can sometimes go unseen and unmet.

We All Need Personal Connection

Every person has an innate need to be connected to other people.

We’re wired for relationship.

Personal connection strengthens us. This is true for the deep relationships we have with our families and dearest friends. And it’s true for the less intimate relationships with coworkers and even new acquaintances.

As an example, let’s go back to my experience with Jen last week.

My wife, Kiersten, and I had a booth at the Texas State Homeschool Convention in the Houston area. We were there to share our Beast to Blanket Fiber Arts Curriculum and build relationships for our Pemberley Woolworks business.

Jen was also an exhibitor there.

She’s a retired veterinarian who now writes a children’s book series called Rooster and Squid. And she’s a wonderful human being.

Kiersten and I were encouraged and energized by Jen even though we spent very little time with her.

We had that first conversation at our booth when she paused as she hurried by. After that we had a brief text message exchange and a few short chats as we passed in the hallway.

We didn’t have in-depth discussions about our deepest secrets.

We talked about our animals, our businesses, and our life journeys. And how our introverted selves couldn’t wait to sit down and have some quiet time to recharge for the next day of peopling.

The connection Kiersten and I made with Jen and the natural interactions we had with her encouraged and strengthened us as we were doing our work.

As I reflected on how that encounter came to be, I realized that we took several intentional steps that you can apply as a leader in your business to build connection and relationships with the people you work with.

3 Simple Steps You Can Take to Connect with Your Coworkers

1. Create a Welcoming Environment

Kiersten and I designed our booth to create an environment where people felt encouraged to pause and observe.

Kiersten spun wool into yarn with her spinning wheel continuously during the entire 3 days of the convention. (Yes, her level of skill and endurance is remarkable!)

She did this because people are mesmerized by the motion and mechanics of the process. They want to be still and watch her do her thing.

They also want to ask questions and have a conversation.

She gently smiles to communicate that she’s inviting them to interact with her.

Even though they’re on an urgent mission to visit all the booths on their list and have no time to spare, they find themselves pausing.

They relax just a little even though they’re surrounded by the noise and chaos of a huge exhibitor hall packed with hundreds of people.

They enjoy the moment and their heartbeat slows.

They connect with strangers as they chat about what they see.

Kiersten’s spinning creates a refreshing oasis experience for people.

You don’t have to have a spinning wheel at your desk to serve people this way in your business.

Maybe you’re the one who has the candy dish at your desk, where everyone in the office stops to get a treat in the middle of the afternoon and to hear the encouraging words you offer them every time they come by.

They say they’re there for the candy, but you know the human interaction you’re giving them is what they really value.

That candy you’re giving them costs you money, but those short chats require you to invest your time as well. And that’s an even more valuable asset.

So, it’s wise to be intentional about how you invest your time to build connections and relationships.

2. Use Your Calendar as a Tool for Connecting with People

If you’re like me, your calendar can get completely filled with activities that are focused on accomplishing tasks.

That’s good in the short-term for getting things done, but a packed schedule doesn’t allow time for building relationships with people.

And that takes time.

You have to spend time interacting with your coworkers to get to know them and support them.

Kiersten and I would not have met Jen, or the hundreds of other people we interacted with last week, if we hadn’t invested our time to be there. Or if we were working on our phones as they walked by our booth.

We had to intentionally schedule time to connect with people.

I encourage you to take a similar approach.

Build time into your schedule to make room for spending time with people.

That may look like scheduling one-on-ones with your direct reports or simply holding a few minutes every day to give you the time you need to talk with people who stop by to catch up.

Whatever approach you take, protecting your schedule so you can spend time connecting with your coworkers is a solid short and long-term investment.

Here’s another easy way to use your calendar as a tool to build relationships with people.

Set reminders so you can follow up on the events that are important in the lives of others.

When someone tells you their son is going off to college in a month and they’re anxious about it, set a reminder for that date so you can check in on them.

Remembering the first anniversary of a coworker’s loss can be an encouraging act of compassion for them as they move through the grieving process.

These are just a couple of practical ways to stimulate your thinking.

3. Be Curious

Finally, I encourage you to simply be curious and genuinely interested in learning about other people.

I am constantly amazed at how fascinating people are. And I’m equally amazed at how often we miss easy opportunities to learn about the interesting people around us.

Often it only takes one question to unlock a fascinating discovery about another person.

This happened time and time again last week at the convention.

I learned the details about Jen’s journey from a veterinarian to a children’s book author because I asked her to tell me more about what she was doing at the convention.

I discovered that one of the leaders of the convention was also a design engineering director for Lockheed Martin.

A data analyst from the UK told me how he works for a software startup company and has lived in 48 states with his wife, 3 kids, a dog and a cat.

A woman told me how she’s a podcast host, operates a print shop, and runs their farm with her husband after their military service.

I could go on and on with the life stories I heard last week.

These folks graciously shared their experiences with me and I’m grateful.

I hope they were encouraged as I listened to them.

You can have this same enriching experience for yourself and support your coworkers too.

Just invite them to share what’s going on in their lives and listen with genuine curiosity.

It really is that simple.

Since You Couldn’t Be at Our Booth Last Week

To close, I want to give you the opportunity to experience a little of what the visitors to our Beast to Blanket booth saw last week.

Here’s a short video of Kiersten at her spinning wheel.

You can see more on the Beast to Blanket website.

And I am sincerely interested in learning more about you and your life. I’d love to know how you would answer these questions.

What makes you unique as a person?

What kind of things are you into?

What do you like to do?

Shoot me a quick reply to one of those questions if you’re up for it. I read every email response myself and reply to as many as I can.

It would be a privilege to get to know you a little bit better.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

Greg Harrod

A quick note about affiliates

The post 3 Simple Ways to Build Stronger Connections at Work appeared first on Greg Harrod.

Before You Label Someone Indecisive, Ask This

Greg Harrod — Tue, 26 May 2026 11:45:00 +0000

Most leaders have worked with someone they would privately describe as indecisive.

You may have someone on your team that comes to mind immediately.

You ask a clear question and you expect a clear answer.

Instead, you hear:

“Well… it depends.”
“I’m not completely sure yet.”
“I can see a few different ways this could play out.”
“There are other factors we should probably consider.”

Or you just get a long pause…

Meanwhile, someone else in the meeting gives an immediate answer with total confidence.

Think about your reaction to each person.
Which one did you trust more?

Who Should We Trust the Most?

If we’re honest, most of us instinctively trust the confident person more. And we appreciate the quick response that keeps the meeting moving.

The hesitant person can be frustrating.

Slow.

Hard to pin down.

Maybe even… wishy-washy.

Before you label that person indecisive, I encourage you to ask yourself this:

“What might they be seeing that I’m not?”

That question has changed the way I lead.

Because I’ve found that sometimes the problem isn’t indecision in the other person. The area for improvement is actually in me. It’s my own impatience and my lack of understanding of how some people are wired that’s causing my frustration.

Sometimes the person I’m being slightly annoyed by is processing complexity I haven’t fully recognized yet.

Learning to Value the Wait

I’ve learned that the some of the best answers are those that come more slowly.

For years, I assumed some people simply needed to:

think faster
be more decisive
communicate more clearly
stop overcomplicating things
just make a decision and move forward for Pete’s sake!

And sometimes that’s true.

Some people genuinely do avoid ownership or commitment.

But that’s not always the case.

Sometimes what looks like hesitation is actually discernment.

You see two obvious choices. It’s clear and simple to you.

Their perspective is different.

They see unintended consequences, missing information, people dynamics, operational realities, timing concerns, or subtle assumptions nobody has challenged yet.

You think you’re choosing between A and B. It’s black and white.

They see the black and white too. And more shades of gray than they can count.

They’re noticing that A and B are both incomplete options.

Those are very different situations.

Which leads to an important leadership question:

Am I dealing with indecision?

Or…

Am I dealing with someone who is helping us think more clearly before we decide?

If you confuse those two things, you may shut down one of the most valuable perspectives on your team.

Fast Answers Are Not Always the Best Answers

One of the patterns I’ve noticed in the leadership teams I work with is that confidence often gets rewarded more quickly than thoughtful judgment.

The person who answers immediately sounds decisive.

The person who pauses sounds uncertain.

And the hectic pace of business can cause leaders to overvalue quick responses and actions.

But speed is not always evidence of wisdom.

And confidence and apparent clarity are not always as solid as they first seem.

Sometimes they’re evidence that someone is seeing only part of the picture.
What appears to be confidence and clarity on the surface may actually reflect an incomplete understanding of the situation.

The person slowing the conversation down may be helping the team avoid a costly blind spot.

That doesn’t mean every hesitant person is always right.

It also doesn’t mean teams should become paralyzed by analysis.

But it does mean wise leaders learn to distinguish between avoidance and discernment.

Those are not the same thing.

One Reason I Find Working Genius So Helpful

One of the reasons the Working Genius framework has been valuable to me is that it gives leaders a healthier way to interpret behaviors that are often misunderstood.

People with strong tendencies toward Wonder or Discernment are frequently the ones who:

notice risks early
recognize patterns
ask difficult questions
see complexity others miss
hesitate to declare certainty too quickly

From the outside, that can look frustrating.

Inside their head, though, something very different is happening.

They’re trying to synthesize all the information they’re taking in so they can confidently recommend a direction.

And when leaders misunderstand that process, they often unintentionally shut down one of the most valuable perspectives in the room.

As a result, they miss the insight that is most important.

I’ve Had to Confront This in Myself Too

Part of why this topic matters to me is because I can be this person too.

My Working Geniuses are Enablement and Discernment, with Wonder not far behind.

So when I’m processing a situation, my brain naturally starts evaluating:

patterns
exceptions
people dynamics
operational realities
downstream effects
unintended consequences

Many times, I’m overthinking.

Other times, I’m noticing something important.

And honestly, when I’m in the middle of it, it can be hard to tell the difference.

There are moments where I genuinely cannot give a fast answer because I’m still sorting through what I believe is actually true.

That realization has helped me become less judgmental of others.

Especially people who don’t process decisions the same way I do. Some process more slowly than I do. Others process much faster.

How to Help Thoughtful People Contribute More Effectively

If you’d like to support those of us who can be “slow processors”, here are some suggestions.

1. Ask for their perspective directly

Many thoughtful people will not naturally fight for airtime in a meeting.

Especially if:

they’re still processing
someone more forceful is dominating the conversation
they don’t yet have absolute certainty (which rarely comes for them!)

So invite them in directly.

Try something like:

“I have a feeling you may be seeing something the rest of us are missing. What concerns or considerations should we think through before we decide?”

That question changes the environment.

Now you’re not demanding immediate certainty.

You’re simply inviting them to share their insight.

Those are very different things.

2. Give them time to think before the meeting

Some people process externally. They like thinking out loud with a group.

Others process internally. Their preference is silent solitude.

The internally processing people often perform much better if they know ahead of time:

where the tension or uncertainty exists
what decision is being discussed
what input is needed

Giving them a little preparation time can dramatically improve the quality of their contribution.

3. Stop forcing false either/or decisions

One of the most common leadership mistakes I see is this:

A leader unknowingly limits the conversation to two incomplete options.

Then they pressure the team to pick one quickly.

Thoughtful people often resist this because they see:

missing information
flawed assumptions
or better alternatives that haven’t been explored yet

They tend to stay quiet and not share what they’re noticing.

And when the boss starts pushing hard for a decision right now, they definitely won’t open their mouth.

So instead of asking:

“Is it A or B?”

Try:

“Are A and B actually our best options, or are we missing something important?”

That small shift often produces much better thinking.

4. Learn the difference between delay and discernment

Not every pause is unhealthy and not every fast answer is wise.

Strong leaders learn to ask themselves:

Is this person avoiding ownership?
Or are they trying to protect us from overlooking something important?

Those require completely different leadership responses.

5. Don’t punish nuance

If every thoughtful contribution gets interpreted as:

negativity
resistance
lack of confidence
slowing things down
“making things complicated”

Eventually your thoughtful people will stop speaking.

And once that happens, leadership teams become dangerously overconfident.

You don’t want a team that agrees quickly.

You want a team that thinks clearly.

Ideally you develop a team that does both. But that takes time and it’s rare.

Take Time to Pause Before You Label

Before you label someone indecisive, pause and stay curious. Ask what they may be noticing that you aren’t.

You’ll find that sometimes the issue really is overthinking and indecision.

But sometimes it isn’t.

Wise leaders learn how to tell the difference.
And often, that starts with examining their own assumptions before diagnosing the other person.

Because the goal isn’t simply faster decisions.

It’s clearer thinking and better decisions.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

Greg Harrod

A quick note about affiliates

The post Before You Label Someone Indecisive, Ask This appeared first on Greg Harrod.

Better Communication Starts with Better Understanding

Greg Harrod — Tue, 19 May 2026 11:45:00 +0000

“How long have you known each other?”

What seemed like a simple question to me generated some interesting looks during a recent meeting I was in with a client.

(An anonymized client, of course, to maintain confidentiality.)

I was talking with the leadership team of a small, but operationally complex business.

And they didn’t really know how to answer the question.

It turns out that most of them were related or had been in the same class since kindergarten. So they couldn’t really remember a time when they hadn’t known each other.

I wasn’t surprised.

Many small businesses are like this.

The founders are married or have been best friends since high school or both. So, when their kid needs a job, she’s on the team. Or when that nephew who’s still trying to find his way in life is once again “between jobs,” that open role in the family business becomes a perfect fit.

Sometimes having family or lifelong friends in the same business works well. Sometimes it doesn’t.

And, in the case of the leadership team I was talking with, things were going great.

We were talking about their roles in the business and the types of work they truly enjoyed.

The more we talked, the more they learned about each other.

In fact, they were a little surprised to discover just how much there was still to learn about how to work together.

Because you can know a person for years and still not fully understand how to work together in a way that brings out the best in both of you.

I find that’s a common theme for the founders of small businesses and the leaders on their teams.

They’re Doing Well, But Want To Do Better as Leaders

In most cases, the leadership teams are functioning well and their businesses are growing. The market demand is strong and they’re making capital investments so they can serve their customers better.

But they aren’t satisfied with where they are as leaders. They know they can do better.

In fact, they know they MUST do better so their people can continue to thrive as their businesses grow.

That’s a big part of why they give me the privilege of being in these conversations.

They’re experiencing a reality that every leader who’s started and grown a business knows all too well.

When you grow your business, the gaps you have grow too.

Often with leadership teams, the gaps they first identify as the most important to address aren’t around what you might expect: supply chain disruptions, production constraints, or even getting and keeping good employees.

Of course, like every business, they face constant challenges in all those areas.

But the thing they say causes them the most pain is a fundamental skill we all struggle with: communication.

It shows up in different ways throughout our conversations when they say things like:

“In my head, I know what I want done, but I don’t do a good job of explaining it to others.”

and

“Information flow is a BIG problem throughout our organization.”

Their comments remind me of the Leadership Pulse Survey I did last year at the Wichita Industrial Trade Show.

Communication Is a Commonly Reported Problem

I asked business leaders at the show this question:

“If you could fix one problem with your team dynamics, what would it be?”

Sixty-eight (34%) of the answers had something to do with communication.

This isn’t surprising.

I suspect every leader in every business would say communication is one of their biggest challenges.

But the more I’ve thought about the conversations I’ve had with business leaders, I’ve realized something.

Communication problems are real, but they’re usually surface-level problems.

When you’re struggling to communicate well, your real challenge is almost always deeper than that.

At least that’s true for me.

The Deeper Challenges Below Communication Problems

My “communication” challenges are more accurately described as “understanding” challenges.

I don’t understand what I’m trying to say.
I can’t communicate my message clearly because I am not clear about it myself. When I begin to write it down, the fuzziness of my thinking is quickly exposed.

I don’t understand the person or people I’m communicating with.
Even if what I’m saying makes sense to me, I’m not sure how to express it in a way that’s effective and meaningful for the receiving party.

I don’t truly understand myself.
This is the understanding that is critically important to develop, but also the most elusive.

Why Understanding Oneself Is Critical to Communicating Well

It’s important for a leader to develop a clear message and deliver it in a way that resonates with their audience.

But the most effective leaders do more than that.

They ask themselves hard questions like:

“Why is this topic important to me?”

“What impact do I want to have on my team?”

“Am I willing to invest the time to communicate more clearly?”

These are the kinds of questions I’m challenging myself to answer in my own business.

Pondering deeper questions like these and wrestling with my honest answers is difficult, but necessary if I want to communicate well.

This increased self-awareness creates a stronger foundation for the messages I communicate. It also fuels my desire to better understand the people I get to share my life with: my wife, my family, my business partners, and my clients.

Clear understanding always comes before clear communication.

Simple Steps to Start Developing Better Understanding

You may be thinking this sounds great in theory, but impossible in your day-to-day reality.

Your business is running at a pace that barely gives you time to eat dinner with the family or say goodnight to your kids.

It feels like controlled chaos. And “controlled” may be stretching it.

The business leaders I spent time with are in similar situations.
And honestly, so am I.

Starting and scaling a business is demanding and can feel overwhelming at times.

And that’s exactly why I encourage you to follow the example of these leaders I told you about.

Here’s what they did.

A Short Conversation Can Have a Big Positive Impact

They invested about an hour to sit together as a leadership team and have an open, authentic conversation.

They had a short discussion that allowed them to get to know each other better, not only as unique individuals, but as coworkers.

The context was intentionally on how work gets done in their businesses.

They were focusing on how they do their best work as individuals and as a leadership team. And they were building a deeper understanding of themselves and one another so they could lead their people and their business more effectively.

They invited me into the conversation so I could facilitate the discussion from a more objective perspective. As the new guy in the room, I haven’t known them for years and I’m not an expert in their businesses, so I was naturally curious about them and the work they do. In several cases, they learned surprising things about each other simply by answering the questions.

And based on their comments as we wrapped up the sessions, I’m confident that even this one meeting produced a deeper level of understanding that will lead to better communication among themselves, with their teams, and throughout their organizations.

If you find yourself struggling with communication challenges in your business, you can do what these leaders did to make progress immediately.

3 Steps to Improve Understanding and Communication in Your Business

Schedule 45 minutes to an hour with your leadership team. If it’s not on your calendars, it won’t happen.
Invite someone to serve as facilitator so you can be fully engaged in the conversation.
Talk about how you do your best work and invite others to do the same. Focus on understanding each other and the impact this has on your business.

Let me know how your conversations with your leadership teams go. I’d love to hear how your experience is similar to or different than the folks I met with last week.

And if you’d like some support, I’d be happy to talk with you about how I can help.

Helping you lead with clarity and confidence,

Greg

P.S. The easiest way to get on my calendar is to use my scheduling link. If none of those times work well for you, let me know. I’m sure we can figure out a time to connect.

Greg Harrod

A quick note about affiliates

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