Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Liane Davey, Co-founder and Principal at 3Coze and best selling author of The Good Fight. 3Coze is also The Roundtable’s official team development content partner, for a candid conversation about what’s keeping teams stuck—and what leaders can do to shift out of the spin.
From blurred expectations to unspoken tensions, the pressure on leaders right now is real. As expected, Liane delivered practical, no-fluff insight that every leader needs to hear.
Here are three takeaways you don’t want to miss:
- Busy-ness is not a measure of success. If you want to drive effectiveness on your team, don’t track what they’re doing—track what they’re changing. Liane shared a 3-part framework that breaks it down clearly: when you focus on activities you get busy people; when you focus on output, you get productive people; and when you focus on outcomes you get effective people. Sometimes, leaders and teams get so stuck in the weeds of busy-ness, they lose sight of what’s actually important. If you’re stuck in meetings and dashboards but nothing’s improving, it’s time to shift focus. Ask: What’s the actual result we’re here to create? Then drop the clutter.
- You can’t “make” people accountable. Here’s the irony: the more you try to force accountability, the more you’ll have to micromanage. Accountability doesn’t come from pressure—it comes from an internal drive. To cultivate accountability, you need to start with clarity. Be crystal clear on the outcome. Then back off and let your team own the “how.” And remember, unspoken expectations are a fast track to frustration. If it matters, say it.
- Conflict debt is costing you. We avoid hard conversations, and the tension builds. That’s conflict debt. The fix? Normalize disagreement. Healthy tension—when done right—moves a team forward. Without it, you’re stuck in resentment and spin. If your team’s too “nice,” it might be time to invite the right kind of friction. Some things are worth fighting for.
This was such a rich and inspiring session—packed with practical tools and a much-needed dose of real talk. If you missed the webinar or want to share it with a colleague, you can watch the full webinar recording here.
Is your team in need of a tune-up? Here’s how you can get started:
- Assess the opportunities in your team – sign up for our Team Coaching Micro Course and explore actionable tools for accountability, alignment and engagement based on material from Liane Davey’s bestselling book The Good Fight.
- Learn more about Liane’s work by visiting her YouTube channel packed with tips and tricks for managing and leading teams.
- Explore our Team Coaching Packages and The Roundtable for High Performance Team Coach Program if you’d like to support building team coaching competence in your organization.
This was the first installment of our new Roundtable Talent Talks series designed for talent professionals and senior leaders. Join us on May 22, when we will look at the effect of energy on a team’s ability to reach their goals.
Do you have a topic you’d like us to explore as part of this series? Send me your suggestions. I’d love to hear them.
P.S. – If you’re ready to reset your team’s expectations, increase accountability, and cut through the noise—book a complimentary discovery call to discuss how we can help.
PPS – We have two seats left in The Roundtable for Leaders open enrollment program for VP level leaders who are taking on more scope. Reach out to Ashley to learn more. Registration closes April 16.
