Why do some leaders empower their teams to thrive while others fall into the trap of micromanagement?

The answer often lies in a fundamental trait: belief in others. In this episode of Leadership Traits Decoded, Cynthia Kyriazis and Drea Martin explore how a leader’s capacity to trust in their team’s abilities creates a foundation for empowerment or dysfunction.

They discuss the delicate balance between accountability and belief, revealing how these traits work in tandem to create effective leadership.

Too little belief in others can turn leaders controlling rather than empowering, while excessive belief may create blind spots. The conversation also examines whether leadership behaviors cascade through organizations and how emotional intelligence plays a pivotal role in breaking negative cycles.

You’ll Learn:

• Why too little belief in others makes leaders controlling rather than empowering
• How low belief can prevent leaders from seeing employees’ full potential
• Why addressing this trait often requires direct conversation and developmental planning
• How leaders may unconsciously perpetuate patterns from their own managers
• How emotional intelligence helps break negative leadership cycles
• The difference between empathy (shared experience) and compassion (intellectual understanding) in leadership contexts
• Why both empathy and compassion are critical for developing effective leaders.

Whether you’re reflecting on your own leadership style or working to build empowered, high-performing teams, this episode offers practical insights on balancing trust, accountability, and growth.

Ready to explore your leadership traits? Connect with us on LinkedIn or visit www.plllab.com to see how we transform leadership intelligence into return-driven action.