Strong people leaders are the cornerstone of organisational performance—they set culture, drive engagement, and are often the deciding factor between a thriving business and one beset by turnover or underachievement. Research consistently shows that leadership at the team level is directly linked to productivity, innovation, and morale. For example, Gallup’s analysis indicates highly engaged teams, led by skilled leaders, can see up to a 21% increase in productivity and significant reductions in absenteeism and quality issues.
The Promotion Paradox: Technicians to Team Leads
Yet, it’s a common trap: top technicians - salespeople, engineers, developers etc - are promoted into leadership roles based on their technical skill but rarely given the development they need to succeed as people leaders. The transition from expert contributor to team leader is not intuitive; technical know-how doesn’t automatically translate into the ability to coach, manage conflict, or inspire trust in a team. When businesses overlook this, they risk losing not only their best individual contributors but also effective team leadership - often with a negative impact on performance and workplace culture.
Foundations First: Building Strong Leadership from the Ground Up
Much like a house is only as strong as its foundation, the basics of people leadership - relationship-building, consistent feedback, clear expectations, and genuine care - are fundamental. High-performing teams depend on leaders who foster trust, accountability, and psychological safety. Without these basics, even the most skilled teams can falter. Studies show organisations with robust leadership fundamentals report more resilient teams and higher engagement and are more agile in facing change.
Investing in the Right Support
For Executives, HR leaders and Business Owners, providing structured development, ongoing feedback, and accessible tools is not just a nice-to-have - it’s essential to business success and sustainable growth. Businesses that take people leader development seriously are three times more likely to have highly engaged teams and see measurable improvement in profitability and performance. Ignoring this is costly; supporting it is a proven strategy for organisational strength.