Welcome back to another episode of Pushing Beyond the Obvious. I recently read a blog post from the MIT Sloan Management Review titled "Your people are not all right," which highlights the immense overwhelm and stress employees are currently facing. This inspired me to talk about a critical responsibility we have as leaders: having a clear understanding of what is happening in our team members' lives, not to spy on them, but to genuinely ensure their wellbeing.

In this video, I break down the subtle but vital differences between an average leader, a good leader, and a leader worth following. While a good leader might only notice a problem when it negatively affects the team's results, a leader worth following is always on the lookout for shifts in behavior—whether it's a top performer slacking off, someone suddenly arriving late, or a typically cheerful person becoming withdrawn.

I discuss why regular check-ins and asking simple questions like "Are you okay?" or "Tell me what's going on?" are the best tools you have. These questions give your people the space to share what they are comfortable with and help them feel truly seen, heard, and invested in.

Listen in to learn how to spot these signals early so you can take care of your team before they burn out.