In 2025, 79% of managers at best-practice organizations were engaged at work, compared with 22% of managers globally, according to Gallup's 2026 State of the Global Workplace report.
That difference raises a question for executives: what are the managers at those organizations doing differently?
So what can executives do to create the kind of workplace where people want to contribute their best?
Leadership expert Dr. Todd Dewett has spent years studying how people work together. On the latest DesignRush Podcast, he discussed the everyday habits that help professionals earn trust, encourage better ideas, and work more effectively with their teams.
"Usually, success is the cumulative effect of many small things done correctly over time," Dewett tells DesignRush.
Throughout our conversation, he shares what years of working with executives and their teams have taught him about leadership.
We discuss:
- Why people skills deserve as much attention as professional expertise
- How executives can invite ideas and make team discussions more productive
- What authentic leadership looks like in everyday interactions
- What 30 days of intentional leadership can teach you about your team
Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify.
Who Is Dr. Todd Dewett?
Dr. Todd Dewett is a keynote speaker, leadership author, and former tenured management professor with a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Texas A&M University. He has created more than 50 professional development courses, primarily for LinkedIn Learning, reaching millions of learners worldwide.
Should People Skills Be a Leadership Priority?
Ask Dewett what helps someone earn a promotion, and he'll tell you that being good at the job comes first.
"It comes down to people skills, all the communication things," Dewett says.
He brings up a few questions worth considering. Do colleagues enjoy working with you? Do they understand what you're saying? Do they feel heard?
These are everyday interactions, yet they influence how readily people approach one another and work through problems.
And Dewett has encouraging news for anyone looking to improve.
"Those are skills one can learn," he adds.
Communication, feedback, motivation, and handling disagreements all take practice.
Dewett has seen how much it matters when talented professionals also connect well as people.
"That's the secret sauce," he says.
Clear communication also depends on how employees share feedback and discuss expectations, as outlined in DesignRush's guide to internal communications.
Give Good Ideas Room to Grow
Dewett recommends giving employees an opportunity to speak before introducing a preferred solution.
"What are your best thoughts?" he suggests asking.
Dewett calls it the "status bubble," the difference in authority people naturally recognize when speaking with someone more senior.
He encourages leaders to hear people out and acknowledge their contributions, even when an idea needs more work.
And when several possible solutions are on the table, he suggests returning to one question:
"What are we trying to accomplish?" Dewett asks.
Once the team agrees on its goal, it becomes easier to evaluate ideas and decide which ones deserve attention.
Leaders can still make the final call when time is short. Dewett's advice is to give capable people a real opportunity to contribute to that decision.
A related DesignRush interview on scaling an agency looks at how Brand New: a Collective approached team relationships and trust while growing its business.
Let Your Team Get to Know You
One of Dewett's stories comes from his earlier consulting days.
He was working with a manager who felt confident about how well he knew his team of seven or eight employees.
Dewett went ahead with employee surveys and conversations anyway.
What he heard was surprisingly simple.
People wanted their manager to occasionally thank them at the end of a busy week or ask how their weekend went. Those personal conversations mattered to them.
For Dewett, the experience reinforced something he still tells leaders.
"You want to be successful, you can't just be a professional. You also have to be a person," he says.
That can mean showing appreciation, sharing something about your own life, or talking openly about a professional lesson you've learned.
Dewett also believes leaders have an important responsibility to demonstrate the values they expect from their teams.
"You gotta model the way," he says.
Dewett links leading by example to psychological safety, which allows employees to:
- Share ideas without fear of embarrassment
- Give honest feedback to colleagues and managers
- Discuss mistakes openly
DesignRush explored similar ideas in its interview on company culture, featuring 5WPR executives discussing transparency and accountability.
Businesses looking for specialist support can also explore corporate training companies offering leadership and communication programs.
There's plenty more from Dewett in the full conversation, including:
- How to help talented employees work effectively with the wider team
- Why everyday leadership decisions matter for company culture
- How sharing personal experiences can make honest conversations easier
- What leaders might discover after 30 days of putting his advice into practice
Don't miss the full convo! Watch the episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify.
