Sixty-three percent of employees don’t trust their leaders—not because they’re bad people, but thanks to a daily gap between what leaders say and what they do. No motivational email can fix that disconnect.
If your team seems disengaged, going through the motions, or quieter with new ideas, the real issue might be a lack of honesty, specifically, emotional honesty. Leaders often avoid hard conversations and instead turn to pep talks or incentives. But when trust is lacking, what people want most is the truth, not tactics.
Where Disconnection Begins
Disengagement often grows from a lack of meaningful connection and shared purpose. When employees feel excluded from meaningful conversations or sense a gap between leadership’s values and actions, trust naturally erodes.
Sometimes, rapid change, unclear priorities, or overwhelming workloads cause leaders to prioritize tasks over relationships. In this environment, minor misunderstandings can accumulate, making people feel unappreciated or overlooked. The result isn’t outright rebellion, but gradual detachment—less collaboration, fewer questions, and more indifference.
Essentially, disengagement takes root when people stop seeing the significance of their work, or when they believe their contributions aren’t genuinely valued. Rebuilding engagement requires leaders to prioritize empathy, foster open dialogue, and demonstrate care in everyday interactions.
Making Real Connections
If your team feels disengaged, the solution isn’t organizing another retreat or adopting the latest trending management tactic—it’s being present, providing clarity, and having the courage to replace performance with genuine connection.
Begin by evaluating your own approach to leadership, not just business processes:
- Have I clearly explained the reasons behind our priorities lately?
- Am I making space for my team to share what isn’t working?
- Do I approach situations with curiosity, or am I defaulting to control?
Authentic leadership isn’t about maintaining a façade of constant productivity. It’s about showing up authentically and connecting with your team in real, everyday moments.
My Story: The Day I Chose Real Connection
Years ago, while leading my staffing company, we hit a wall. Morale was low and energy was missing, even though the numbers looked fine. I tried every trick—contests, team lunches, new tech—but nothing reignited the spark.
Then a team member told me, “We don’t know what you think or feel anymore. You used to talk to us. Now, it just feels like you’re managing us.” That honesty stopped me in my tracks.
I realized my own stress had made me emotionally unavailable. So, I dropped the formalities and held an open, no-agenda town hall, sharing my fears and uncertainties, and listening in return.
This conversation created a shift. Slowly, ideas and engagement returned. We started being real with each other again. I learned that you don’t need all the answers—you just need to show up as yourself.
Client Story: From Stalled to Soaring
Last year, I coached Celena, a founder whose once-active team had grown quiet and disengaged. She realized she’d stopped sharing her worries and the bigger picture, thinking silence would protect her team. Instead, it had created distance.
We worked together on a new approach. In her next team meeting, she was honest: “I’ve been trying to shield you, but I see now that’s made things tougher. I want to include you in both the challenges and the vision.”
Slowly, her team came alive again—sharing ideas, asking questions, and taking responsibility. What made the difference wasn’t a new strategy, but her willingness to trust her team with the truth.
Celena put it best: “I didn’t need to fix them, I needed to let them in.”
Beginning the Rebuild
If your team feels disconnected, try these steps:
- Name what you’re noticing. Start the next meeting by voicing any sense of disconnection: “I feel like we’re out of sync lately—let’s talk about it.”
- Make space for honest feedback. Keep this time separate and encourage everyone to share openly, without judgment.
- Reflect on your own example. Consider how your attitude and actions might be shaping the team’s mood or distance.
- Act on what you hear. Choose one change to make and share your follow-up, so your team sees you’re committed.
Trust is rebuilt through simple, consistent actions—not just words.
Positive Changes to Expect
When leaders focus on building real connection, everything shifts. Teams speak up, take ownership, and solve problems early.
The Culture Pulse 2025 study found that emotionally honest leaders drive 35% higher engagement, 27% faster execution, and 40% lower turnover, even in tough times.
From my coaching experience, I've found that when founders lead with honesty, they build trust that lasts beyond any crisis. People show up fully—not because things are perfect, but because they feel safe to be themselves.
**Everything doesn’t need to be figured out all at once.
**You don’t have to fix it all right now.
You just need to take the first step.
Not with a strategy, but by being present.
You can’t make your team care, but you can create the space for genuine care to grow again.
It all begins with honesty.
Here to help,
