Ben MortonLeadership Trainer, Coach and Speaker

Are you unintentionally suppressing your team's potential?

27 Feb 2026 · 1 min

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In this opening segment of his YouTube video, leadership coach Ben Morton draws on 13 years of experience coaching leaders. He observes that many managers claim they just need their people to "step up," but he argues that it’s extremely difficult for employees to do so when their boss’s subtle, often unconscious actions effectively pin them down. Morton emphasizes that this suppression is rarely intentional; it arises from everyday behaviors that leaders may not realize are limiting their teams. He also admits to having exhibited these behaviors himself, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of how managers can unintentionally stifle potential and what they can do to change it.

Chapters

Over the past 13 years coaching and training leaders. One of the things I commonly hear is along the lines of I just need my people to step up. But here's the thing. I've realised it's very hard for people to step up if their boss has got their foot on their chest pinning them down. And hear me out before you dismiss this idea. It's very rare for us to do this intentionally. We don't set out to suppress and pin our team down, but it happens through some subtle, unintentional behaviors and actions. And if I'm honest, I've done this myself in the past.