What Business Leaders Are Really Doing to Build Engaged, High-Performing Teams

Posted on 1st April 2025 at 19:43

Discover how real business owners are improving team accountability, retention and business execution using simple leadership habits. Learn how you can do the same.

Is Your Team Culture Helping You Grow or Holding You Back?

Most business owners spend their time refining strategy, chasing sales and improving systems. But even the best-laid plans fall flat if your team is not fully engaged.

You do not need a bigger team or more tools. You need the right habits.

Habits that create space for people to take ownership, raise issues and contribute meaningfully to your business.

That is exactly what we are seeing across both our client base and our ScaleUp Radio guests.

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We hear this time and time again from our clients and ScaleUp Radio guests. High-growth business owners often discover that real momentum does not come from working harder, but from building a team that takes ownership, shares the vision and contributes proactively.

In our latest free eBook, Stop Start Continue & Retention Conversations: A ScaleUp Guide to Building a High-Performing Team, we have featured practical, proven examples from real founders who are getting this right.

Why Team Engagement Matters for Business Owners

Team engagement is not a ‘nice-to-have’ it is a business growth lever. Disengaged teams create delays, drain leadership time and miss opportunities. Engaged teams contribute ideas, take ownership and execute more effectively.

Whether you lead a small team or a growing one, developing habits that drive engagement will help you scale more sustainably without relying on you to do everything.

Real Business Owners, Real Results

Recognition is one of the most underused tools in team building and employee accountability. The best-performing businesses do not wait for an annual review to say "well done".

What Smart Leaders Are Actually Doing

Mike Dunn – Excel TM Group celebrates his "Team of the Year" with internal awards that boost morale and motivation

Siva Kugathas – ServiceMaster Clean rewards performance with bonuses, rare in his industry, but powerful for team loyalty

Sam Spoors – Talentheads Community uses regular team debriefs and visibility from leadership to show people their work matters

These insights were shared on ScaleUp Radio, where we explore what truly drives growth from within.

Try this in your business

✔️ Use the Continue part of the Stop Start Continue framework to spotlight and celebrate what is working

✔️ Build recognition into your regular meeting rhythm

✔️ Reinforce behaviours that align with your company values

Are You Asking the Right Questions to Drive Performance?

If your team is underperforming or not taking ownership, it might be because they do not have the space to speak up. Leaders who create structured feedback loops are more likely to build high-performing, accountable teams.

What Smart Leaders Are Actually Doing

Joe Seddon – Zero Gravity uses weekly team pulse surveys to check engagement and spot issues early

Jonathan Guy – Aqueous Digital ensures his team has regular contact with customers to stay aligned with their purpose

Ross Latta – MacroFin has introduced clearer career paths and supports growth through regular check-ins

How to do the same

✔️ Use the Stop section to ask: “What is getting in the way right now?”

✔️ Make time for quick feedback check-ins weekly or monthly

✔️ Prioritise action and follow-through to build trust

Do Your People Feel Like They Belong or Just Turn Up?

People stay when they feel connected to something bigger than their job title. Engagement and retention improve when people feel like they belong and their work matters.

What Business Leaders Are Doing

Dan Maudhub – Wonderful Creative Agency brings teams together through purposeful in-person collaboration days

Siva Kugathas takes team members on international retreats to build trust and shared values

Sam Spoors ensures her leadership team remains visible, engaged and responsive

Make this real in your team

✔️ Use the Start section to introduce new ways to connect such as one-on-ones, shared wins or better meeting habits

✔️ Tie feedback and recognition to values

✔️ Show your team you are listening and acting

Are You Investing in Growth or Just Managing People?

Leaders often overlook that the best way to retain top talent is to invest in their development. Engagement improves when people feel seen, heard and supported in their personal and professional growth.

Practical Moves from ScaleUp Leaders

Rebecca Widdowson – Hallmark Whatley Hulme introduced flexible working and well-being days

Alexander Dick – Alexander Lyons Solutions supports people’s personal goals, not just their job KPIs

David Davies – Sovereign Beverage Company balances remote work with meaningful in-person time to stay connected

Simple ways to start

✔️ Run regular Retention Conversations using the guide in our eBook

✔️ Ask your team what they need to thrive and act on it

✔️ Use the Balance Wheel tool to support a whole-person approach

Want to Build a More Engaged, Accountable Team? Start Here.

Engagement is not about beanbags, free snacks or micromanagement. It is about structure, clarity and consistent leadership habits that build a culture of ownership and execution.

That is why we created the Stop Start Continue & Retention Conversations eBook so you can take action immediately using the strategies that are already helping business leaders across the UK scale smarter.

📊 Curious what is really holding other businesses back? The ScaleUp Challenge Report highlights the biggest barriers to growth and what is working to overcome them.