Managing Self and Teams

The Power of Connection: Why Managers Must Reconnect with the Basics

In our previous blog, we looked through the lens of the manager, exploring the importance of managing self, honing emotional intelligence, and embarking on a deeper journey of personal development.

Understanding our own triggers, and how we respond to situations, demands personal mastery. It requires us to become more self-aware, emotionally intelligent, and intentional in how we show up—not just for ourselves, but for our teams.

Balancing Self-Development with Team Engagement

While developing ourselves is crucial, it’s equally important to strike a balance in how we manage and engage our team members. Every individual is different—each with unique needs, preferences, and motivators.

You might be thinking, “This all sounds like a lot of work. Do I really need to put this much thought into how I engage with my team? Do I need to become some kind of chameleon to suit everyone?”

Well—yes, to an extent. But think of it this way: imagine the potential you unlock by truly understanding your team. Taking the time to learn what drives them, what support they need from you, and even what behaviours might be unintentionally holding them back. It’s this deeper level of engagement that separates average leaders from exceptional ones.

The Pitfall of Task-Driven Leadership

Even now, I continue to encounter leaders in influential positions who have lost sight of true engagement. Instead, they operate through a cycle of task-driven interactions—checking off to-do lists, chasing updates, and rarely making genuine connections.

I often sit in meetings where no one even asks, “How are you?”—not even the most basic human acknowledgement. And that lack of connection is doing more harm than many realise.

What Does This Lack of Engagement Do to a Team?

When we lose sight of the people behind the tasks, we also lose sight of their potential.

There is a sweet spot—an intersection between understanding individual needs and awakening personal motivation. When leaders find that balance and nurture it continuously, they unlock untapped potential that can transform productivity, loyalty, and team dynamics.

The journey begins with understanding yourself—developing self-awareness, emotional resilience, and the ability to reflect. This journey of self-mastery is never-ending, but the more we pursue it, the more we grow. The same applies to understanding others.

Why Connection Matters—In Every Role

Connections matter. They build trust, strengthen teams, improve customer experiences, and ultimately drive results.

And yet, many leaders, managers, and sales professionals still don’t fully embrace the power of connection. Let’s be clear—this isn’t something you do because a book told you to. You engage because you genuinely care. You connect because you want to know how your people are doing.

In our development workshops, we often find that managers and teams have simply lost sight of these basics. But when they’re reminded—when they reconnect—it sparks something powerful. A renewed energy. A sense of purpose. A fresh perspective.

A Real-World Example: The Missed Opportunity in Retail

Let me bring this to life with a quick personal example. I visited a high-street clothing store recently, picking up a few t-shirts for an upcoming holiday. Simple stuff, right? But in my mind, I was starting to build that holiday feeling—and even buying those few items was part of the experience.

I approached the till with a little buzz of excitement—only to be met with a cold, emotionless stare. No smile. No greeting. Barely a “Do you want a bag?” I was left standing there thinking, Is this a joke? Am I on a hidden camera show?

It might have only lasted three minutes, but the impact was long-lasting. Will I shop there again? Probably not. And the bigger question—how many other customers has that sales assistant made feel the same way? Does her manager even know?

The Bottom Line

Whether it’s leading a team or serving a customer, connection is everything. A disengaged employee can cost a business dearly—in productivity, morale, and sales. And a disengaged sales assistant? That’s a direct hit to revenue and brand loyalty.

The good news? These are skills that can be developed. At Lookback Training, our Managing Self workshops and leadership programmes focus on exactly these fundamentals—helping you reflect, reconnect, and reignite the basics of people engagement.

It’s time to start a revolution in how we lead, serve, and connect. And it begins with you.

Let’s reignite the basics, together.