When a leader receives low engagement scores for their team, the reaction often follows a predictable pattern. First comes denial: the survey must be flawed, the questions were unclear, or the timing was bad. Then comes deflection: the team is disengaged because of organisational factors beyond the leader's control. Eventually, sometimes with the help of a coach, comes the harder question: what is my role in creating this result?
Starting with Honest Self-Examination
The coach's first task is to help the leader move past denial and deflection toward genuine self-examination. This requires creating enough psychological safety for the leader to acknowledge that their behaviour may be contributing to the problem. It also requires balancing compassion with honesty, because the leader is likely feeling vulnerable and defensive.
Begin by exploring the data with curiosity. What specifically are the lowest-scoring areas? Are there patterns across different questions that point to a particular issue? How do the scores compare to the leader's own perception of the team's experience? Often, the most valuable insights come from the gaps between the leader's self-assessment and the team's reported experience.
Help the leader see the engagement scores not as a judgement on their leadership but as data that can inform their development. This reframing reduces defensiveness and creates the motivation to engage seriously with the feedback.
Identifying Root Causes
Low engagement can stem from many sources, and not all of them are within the leader's direct control. Organisational factors such as inadequate resources, unclear strategy, or recent restructuring can all contribute. However, research consistently shows that the relationship between an employee and their direct manager is the single most important factor in engagement. Marcus Buckingham's well-known finding that people leave managers, not companies, remains relevant.
In coaching, explore the specific behaviours that may be contributing to low engagement. Does the leader communicate clearly about expectations and priorities? Do they provide regular, constructive feedback? Do they recognise and celebrate good work? Do they create opportunities for development and growth? Do they demonstrate genuine interest in their team members as people? Each of these areas represents a potential lever for improvement.
Developing an Action Plan
Once the root causes are understood, help the leader develop a focused action plan. Resist the temptation to address everything at once. Choose two or three specific areas where improvement will have the greatest impact and develop concrete, observable goals for each.
For example, if feedback from the team suggests that the leader is inaccessible, the goal might be to establish weekly one-to-one meetings with each direct report and to maintain an open-door policy for two hours each day. If the feedback suggests a lack of recognition, the goal might be to acknowledge at least one contribution publicly in each team meeting and to send personal thank-you messages for exceptional work.
Following Through and Measuring Progress
An action plan without follow-through is worse than no plan at all, because it creates cynicism and confirms the team's belief that nothing will change. Coach the leader to communicate their action plan to the team, to ask for feedback on how it is going, and to persist even when the initial responses are sceptical.
Track progress through informal check-ins, pulse surveys, and the leader's own reflections in coaching sessions. Celebrate improvements, however small, and use setbacks as learning opportunities. Over time, the combination of genuine behavioural change and visible commitment to improvement can transform a team's engagement and the leader's effectiveness.