Anton Guinea
Entrepreneur, Speaker, bestselling author, and founder of The Guinea Group of Companies. For over 15 years, Anton has helped leaders move their teams to become psychologically safe, physically safe and overall better versions of themselves.
As leaders, we all experience moments when a team member says something that stays with us long after the conversation ends. Sometimes it’s a quiet comment. Sometimes it’s a direct statement. But certain phrases carry deeper meaning. Signals that something in the culture needs attention. When leaders learn to decode these moments, they find opportunities to elevate trust, engagement, and performance.
Below are the five things leaders never want to hear from their teams, what they really mean, and how to turn them into powerful leadership insights.
1. “I don’t feel valued.”
This isn’t simply a request for praise, it’s a much deeper emotional cue. Feeling valued is about being seen, heard, and acknowledged as a contributor and as a person. When someone expresses that they don’t feel valued, they’re often signalling that their work, voice, or presence isn’t fully recognised.
What great leaders do instead: They show people they matter by being present and attentive. They listen actively, giving their full focus rather than preparing their next response. They recognise achievements in specific and timely ways, speaking to both the effort and the outcome. They take genuine interest in their team members beyond performance metrics, understanding their personal drivers, strengths, and aspirations. And they celebrate progress — not just big milestones, but the everyday steps that build confidence and momentum.
2. “I don’t feel cared for.”
This isn’t about needing emotional hand-holding, it’s about craving genuine human connection. When someone feels uncared for, it usually means they see their leader only in moments of urgency, crisis, or deadlines. They want a leader who notices them as a whole person, not just as a performer of tasks.
How great leaders demonstrate care: Leaders who care show up consistently, not reactively. They check in regularly and genuinely, asking questions that extend beyond job tasks and into wellbeing, motivation, and personal goals. They pay attention to changes in behaviour or mood, noticing when someone needs encouragement or support. And they bring empathy into interactions, creating psychological safety and trust are the foundation of any healthy, high-performing team.
3. “I don’t feel supported.”
A lack of support often emerges when people feel overloaded, unsure, or left to navigate complexity alone. It might sound like confusion about priorities, uncertainty around decisions, or frustration about lacking guidance. This usually means they need direction, clarity, or partnership, not micromanagement, but meaningful leadership.
How strong leaders provide support: Support starts with clarity. Leaders articulate expectations, priorities, and boundaries so their teams can perform with confidence. They offer guidance when asked, instead of pushing decisions back without context. They work alongside their people in challenging moments, helping to remove barriers or share insights. And they co-create development opportunities so team members can grow in ways that align with their ambitions. Support isn’t about doing the work for someone. It’s about ensuring they never feel alone in it.
4. “I don’t feel like I make a difference.”
Purpose is a powerful motivator. When team members can’t see how their work contributes to something bigger, engagement drops quickly. This often happens when their contributions go unnoticed, when wins aren’t celebrated, or when they become disconnected from the organisation’s mission.
How leaders reinforce meaning: Leaders help people connect the dots. They show how everyday tasks support organisational goals and customer outcomes. They share real stories of impact and how a project helped a client, solved a problem, or supported the bigger vision. They acknowledge contributions publicly and privately so people feel seen. And they highlight progress regularly, reminding team members that even small steps matter in the larger journey.
5. “I don’t feel empowered.”
When someone feels disempowered, it usually means they don’t feel trusted. They might feel micromanaged, restricted, or constrained in their ability to make decisions. Without autonomy, even talented people become disengaged.
How leaders foster empowerment: Empowering leadership is rooted in trust. Leaders provide clarity on the “why” behind decisions and then give their teams the space to determine the “how.” They delegate responsibility rather than just tasks, allowing people to stretch their capability. They create environments where it’s safe to experiment, try new ideas, and learn from mistakes. When leaders trust their people with genuine ownership, the results can be transformative.
What Leaders Can Do Today
If you want to elevate connection and trust in your team, start with the basics. Listen with intention, giving people your full presence. Build genuine relationships that reach beyond tasks, creating an environment of psychological safety. Provide clarity and direction so your team knows what matters and why. Show them the impact of their contributions to reinforce meaning and purpose. And give them space to exercise judgment, creativity, and autonomy so they feel truly empowered in their roles.
If you’re ready to take a more structured and proactive approach to psychological safety, consider bringing our Speak Safe: A Culture-First Psychological Safety Program into your organisation. This workshop is designed to help leaders and teams build the confidence, language, and practical tools to speak up, listen deeply, and handle difficult conversations in a safe, constructive way. It’s an ideal way to embed the principles we’ve explored in this article into day-to-day behaviours and team norms, so don’t wait. Secure your Speak Safe workshop before the year ends and give your team the gift of a safer, stronger culture.
Final Thoughts
Hearing any of these five statements isn’t a sign of failure, it’s a sign of leadership opportunity. These are the moments that allow us to reflect, recalibrate, and reconnect with what leadership is really about: people. The best leaders don’t run from difficult feedback. They lean into it with curiosity, humility, and a commitment to doing better.
If you’d like to go deeper on these ideas, explore how they apply to your context, or support your leaders to turn insight into action, book a call for a conversation. Let’s talk about what’s happening in your team, what kind of culture you want to create, and how we can partner with you to get there.
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