You’re in a tricky spot. The team seems to adore their boss, who has a handle on every department. Questioning the team about specific concerns risks planting seeds of doubt about the leader’s competence. Meanwhile, when you ask the boss, you get vague responses—understaffing, tight budgets, or clunky systems. Sound familiar?

Having seen this pattern across multiple businesses, I’ve learned that the only way to pinpoint what’s draining an organization is to immerse yourself in it—not from the executive suite, but on the front lines. Spend a few days with employees at every level. Don’t just observe—roll up your sleeves, wear your work pants, and do the job alongside them.

Come prepared with an agenda. Know what you need to uncover and arm yourself with targeted questions.

Assessing Employee Clarity and Training

Start with the basics: Do your entry-level team members know what’s expected of them? You’ll see it in how they work. If they’re efficient, can train you on their tasks, and explain why they do things a certain way, they’re clear on their roles. But it’s time to dig deeper if they seem scattered, lack explanations, or perform tasks sloppily—like a toddler took a stab at it. Ask questions about the task, their training, and their thoughts while steering clear of anything that points fingers at management. Try these:

1. “I’ve never seen it done that way before. How did you learn that?”

2. “It’s been a while since I worked the field/register. Why do we do it this way?” (Using “we” instead of “you” eases the pressure.)

3. “If you were training new hires, what would you implement or change?”

Enthusiastic, forward-thinking answers suggest gaps in training—a management issue that’s fixable with effort. Half-baked responses or mumbled half-thoughts? That’s a sign of an employee mentality problem.

Decoding Company Culture

Next, examine company culture—the personality of your organization. Do your employees share your vision for the business, and does it show in their daily actions? Watch how they tackle their tasks. Are they purposeful and intentional, or do they cherry-pick the easy jobs, leaving the heavy lifting to others? If customer service is a core value, how do they enhance the client experience?

Working side-by-side reveals subtle cues. Are customers greeted warmly, with sincerity and energy, or with a monotone, box-checking script? If the latter, it’s a personal issue—they know what to do but lack passion.

Then, listen to how employees talk. Phrases like, “We always try to help the customer understand ___,” signal engaged team members invested in the company’s success. But if you hear, “I’ve been told you want this done,” or “Mr. Manager says ___ is important to you,” it points to a manager fostering an “us vs. them” divide—workers vs. owners. This mindset often creeps in unintentionally and can be coached out, but the manager must recognize it and embrace a unified team approach.

If this rings true in your organization, meet with the manager. Emphasize their power lies in communicating the organization’s needs and leading by example. Saying, “The boss lady said it has to be done this way,” reveals: 1) they don’t grasp why the process exists, 2) they’re not bought in, and 3) they’re just a messenger, not a decision-maker. After a few coaching sessions, if there’s no progress, they should invest in self-development—perhaps by reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People—and revisit the issue. A full-team mindset should be non-negotiable.

 Spotting Patterns Across the Organization

As you move between departments or locations, ask: Are the same problems everywhere? Unkempt appearances, disregard for rules, or a lack of respect among team members signal poor leadership. If you mostly see engaged employees—curious, asking questions—with just a few bad apples, it’s a personnel issue. These underperformers must be coached up or coached out and fast. Don’t let them erode what you’re building. Partner with the manager, sit down with these employees and set clear expectations. Confirm they’ve been trained to succeed, then set a short timeline for improvement—two weeks max. Attitude and effort can shift instantly; don’t give them longer.

Boosting Profitability

Once you’ve assessed daily operations and culture, turn to the numbers. Here are quick checks to increase profitability:

1. What’s the minimum number of payroll hours (per position or location)? Are you over? If so, what can you adjust to reduce hours?

2. Are there services eating up time without profit?

3. What offerings could you add without increasing overhead? What’s the initial investment, and how long until it pays off?

Building Success from the Ground Up

A thriving company starts with a strong team and is cemented by excellent service with healthy margins. By embedding yourself in the trenches, you’ll uncover whether the root of your struggles lies with employees, leadership, or both—and where to invest for improvement. The answers are there, waiting for you to find them.

The post Bad Employees or Poor Leadership? Uncovering the Root of Organizational Decline appeared first on Cleanfax.

If you want to reach more clients, have a more profitable business, and really contribute to the betterment of society, building a diverse team and nurturing a workplace of inclusion are musts. You will not be successful without it.

Diversity—more than just looking different

The problem is diversity should not be based solely on having a team that looks different. Our team and our peers should be respected, hired, and retained not because of the diversity of appearance they bring, but because of the diversity of thought, personality, and energy. As a society, we are at risk of bowing down to the idea that diversity is based strictly on appearance. That’s not true diversity.

As a female, I don’t want a seat at the table because I look different than 90% of the other leaders in the industry; I want a seat at the table because I earned it. I earned it because I worked smarter and harder than those around me. I didn’t just try; I made it happen. Every time I hear about “holding spots for females” or “actively looking for a female in this role,” it diminishes my accomplishments. I don’t need a seat held for me, and I don’t need to be “sought out” based on my gender. My resume and my career speak volumes, and when society ties those to my gender, it lessens the perceived value of those accomplishments.

What we need are people who are genuinely different—who have diverse backgrounds, who grew up differently, who have different lifestyles and different life experiences. We need people who see the world differently. We need people who are willing to speak up and share not only their point of view but their thought process. When an individual is willing to share how they arrived at a specific conclusion, we can better understand not only that person but the world as a whole. Insight into how others process the world around them will broaden our perspective of the world.

Thought diversity

According to a poll by Quantum Workplace, 55% of the employees surveyed desire more cognitive diversity in the workplace. So, how do we build a team that thinks differently, and how do we find those people?

A workplace that attracts people with diverse thought processes is one built on respect. By fostering a culture that celebrates people that speak up and think differently, you will begin to give a voice to those who think differently
than you.

Take the time to explore all options that are presented. Walk through the pros and cons with your team. Explore new, fresh ideas that are outside the box.

I can feel your hesitation now. New sounds risky. However, according to inclusion and diversity consultant Juliet Bourke, studies show cognitive diversity can enhance team innovation by up to 20% and reduce risks taken by up to 30%. What if your company had a more creative marketing plan? What if your sales team had more unique ways of closing the deal? What if your leaders had a more engaging way of managing their teams? You will never know the potential you can unleash until you give a voice to those that think differently than you.

Employees—share your diversity

Whereas the most important thing we can do as leaders is to give our employees a team they can connect with and trust and a space to speak up, it’s still ultimately the responsibility of the employees to raise their hands.

As an employee, if you tend to be a person who is a bit timid, you need to hear this: Your employer wants to hear from you. If you have ideas that will drive the business forward, share them. Whether you’re the warehouse tech or the CEO, you’re the closest to your position—you know it the best. You’re in your position because you bring talents and abilities that others don’t; there is value in that. There is always room for improvement. Don’t rob your team by not speaking up.

I’ve spent years building a team of people who think differently than I do. When we first started our restoration company in 2012, I had to wear a lot of hats. I had to do things outside my skill set and comfort zone. While I enjoyed the stretch and I’m thankful to have been able to participate in so many areas of the business, it was mentally exhausting.

As we grew and became more profitable, I was able to hire new team members to take on the things I found more challenging. I intentionally hired people who thought differently than I did. After all, if they thought the same way I did, why pay them? I’ll just keep doing it myself. I wanted more than that for my company.

If you want more for your company, take the time to learn how your team thinks, then take the time to hire to fill in the “thought gaps.” As you do, you will build a more well-rounded, more profitable company.

The post Diversity of Thought, Personality, and Energy appeared first on Cleanfax.