When 99% of Your Team Screams for Help (And You're Still Not Listening)Your anonymous survey just came back with 99% participation and brutal feedback about disconnection and poor communication. Before you blame remote work and drag everyone back to the office, let's talk about the real problem: leadership that forgot how to lead when people aren't in eyesight.

This episode tackles the uncomfortable truth about survey results that make you want to hide under your desk. Our panel dissects why remote work isn't the villain—it's just the magnifying glass that reveals what was already broken.


The "We Have a Problem" Wake-Up Call99% survey participation isn't a win—it's a desperate cry for help. When nearly every single employee takes time to tell you something's wrong, they've exhausted all other options. This isn't about your team being complainers; it's about leadership creating an environment where anonymous surveys feel safer than actual conversations. Ouch, but true.


Remote Work Didn't Break Your Team—It Just Exposed the CracksHere's the plot twist: telework isn't your problem, it's your symptom. Poor communication plagues plenty of in-office teams too—they just hide it better with hallway small talk and coffee machine chit-chat. Remote work simply removed the camouflage that made disconnected leadership look passable. When physical proximity can't mask the absence of real connection, the truth comes out in survey form.


Biology Doesn't Care About Your Zoom PolicyHuman beings haven't evolved for screen-based relationships. We're biochemically wired for face-to-face connection—the oxytocin release from physical presence, the trust built through eye contact, the casual interactions that create psychological safety. You can't replicate that with camera-off meetings and Slack threads. If your remote team never meets in person, they're working with talking heads, not teammates.


Stop Telling and Start AskingWant to fix communication? Revolutionary idea: ask your team how they want to communicate. Do they want daily check-ins or weekly deep dives? Structured meetings or casual virtual coffee hours? Written updates or video messages? Your staff knows what they need—leaders just have to get vulnerable enough to ask and humble enough to listen.

The Bottom Line: A 99% survey participation rate with negative feedback isn't a staffing problem, a remote work problem, or a survey design problem—it's a leadership problem. Period. And leadership problems require leadership solutions: vulnerability, intentionality, and the courage to admit when you've prioritized productivity over people.

Tune In For:

• Why 99% survey participation is actually a red flag, not a success metric
• The biochemical reality of why virtual-only teams struggle with trust
• How to set professional protocols for remote meetings (hint: cat butts on camera aren't leadership goals)
• The vulnerability required to look at brutal feedback and say "this is on me"
• Practical strategies for creating connection when physical proximity isn't possible

Leadership isn't about managing from a distance—it's about closing the gap between you and your team, even when screens separate you.

Have questions,  suggestions or just a great story to tell about some Leadership BS you have experienced? Let us know by emailing us 

Today's Featured Coach - 

Jeff Conroy - Organizational and Non-profit Expert, Motivational Speaker, Coach -  Executive Leader | Difference Maker for nonprofits in strategic planning, operations, and fundraising and development. Owner/Founder of Conroy Leadership Consulting, LLC. Reach Jeff at [email protected] or  208-215-6285

The rest of the gang:

• Geoff McLachlan - Motivational Speaker, Trainer and Coach, Bringing Fun Back Into the Workplace,  Owner/Founder of Professionals At Play Reach Geoff directly at [email protected] or 509-869-4506
• Myra Hall - Individual and Team Coaching, Midlife Mentoring- Helping you get excited about life again as you overcome the things that keep you from living and loving a life that counts. - Owner/Founder Waypoint Coaching Group Reach Myra at [email protected] or 765-623-9711
• Jeffrey Geier - Motivational Speaker, Trainer, and Coach - Helping You Win in Work & Life  Owner/Founder of Phoenix Coaching LLC Reach Jeffrey at [email protected] or 509-553-9248