Summary: Even when budgets are tight, leaders can still meaningfully develop their people. You don’t need expensive programs or flashy perks—what you need is intention, creativity, and a mindset shift. In this post, I break down three practical takeaways from my conversation with leadership expert Amber Johnson on how to help people grow when resources are stretched thin.
We’re All Being Asked to Do More With Less
If you’ve been in the workforce for longer than five minutes, you’ve heard some version of it:
“Do more with less.”
Less budget.
Fewer people.
More responsibilities.
Higher expectations.
This isn’t new—but according to Amber Johnson, PhD, it’s louder than ever. And it’s not going away anytime soon. Amber is a leadership and strategy consultant with 25+ years of experience working with values-driven organizations. She knows what happens when development gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list. And she also knows how to bring it back to the top—without breaking the bank.
In our conversation on The State of Work Today podcast, we talked about how to develop talent, foster culture, and keep people growing in environments that are stretched thin. And the good news? It’s not about having more money. It’s about asking better questions, creating space to reflect, and giving people what they actually need to grow.
Why Development Still Matters (Even When It Feels Optional)
Let’s start with a quick reality check: when people leave a company, the top reason is almost always salary. But the second? Career growth. People want to know that their work matters—and that they’re going somewhere. If you’re not offering that, they’ll find it somewhere else.
And here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be a formal program. You don’t need $10,000 per employee in L&D funding. You need curiosity, conversations, and consistency.
As Amber put it, “Development without a dime is still possible. But it requires intention.”
Takeaway #1: Self-Reflection Is a Powerful (and Free) Tool
Amber shared something simple but profound: “We grow either through crisis or self-reflection.” And if you’re not in a crisis, the only tool you’ve got is reflection. The good news? That costs nothing.
Leaders often want to jump straight into solutions, tools, or frameworks. But what if the real work starts with asking the right questions?
Try this one:
“When was I at my best as a leader?”
Not when your intentions were good—but when your *impact* was what you wanted it to be.
Amber recommends journaling on that question. Ask your coworkers or past managers when they saw you at your best. Look for patterns. Then ask yourself what it would take to do more of that.
Recommendation:
Block time every week for self-reflection—and protect it. Put it on your calendar. Call it something like “Executive Strategy Session” if you need others to respect it. That reflection time is where your development begins.
Takeaway #2: Ask More, Talk Less
This one hit me hard: “Your advice isn’t as good as you think it is.”
Amber dropped this line (borrowed from coach Michael Bungay Stanier), and it stuck with me. As leaders, we’re often quick to answer questions, solve problems, or fix situations. But when we do that, we rob our people of the chance to develop.
The better move? Ask questions.
When someone brings you a problem, instead of jumping in, try:
“What do you think we should do?”
Even if you already know the answer, let them walk through their thinking. Coach them. Guide them. Help them get to the answer on their own. That’s how people learn.
Recommendation:
Start every 1:1 or check-in with one of these questions:
“What’s something you’re proud of this week?”
“Where are you feeling stuck?”
“What’s one area you’d like to grow in?”
“How can I support your development right now?”
These questions create trust, open space for dialogue, and make it clear that growth is part of the conversation—not just an afterthought.
Takeaway #3: Development Without Delegation Doesn’t Work
Amber said it plainly:
“When we fail to delegate, we fail to develop.”
If you’re holding onto every task, every decision, every meeting—you’re not only burning yourself out, you’re holding your people back.
Delegation isn’t just about getting things off your plate. It’s about giving someone else a shot. Letting them stretch. Letting them figure it out and prove to themselves (and to you) that they can.
That’s how people grow.
Recommendation:
Pick one task this week that you can delegate to someone on your team. Not something you just want off your plate, but something they could learn from. Then give them the context, the support, and the room to run with it.
And if it’s messy? That’s fine. Growth usually is.
This Is What Real Leadership Looks Like
Here’s what stood out most from my conversation with Amber:
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s not about budgets or org charts.
It’s about asking better questions, making time to reflect, and helping people become better versions of themselves.
If you’re leading a team right now and feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to perform while also developing people—start small. You don’t need a new budget line or a formal training calendar.
You need to make space. You need to ask. You need to listen.
Lead Like a Coach, Not a Boss
If there’s one shift we all need to make, it’s this: stop managing tasks and start developing people.
Amber summed it up perfectly: “Think like a coach. See yourself as someone who helps others grow—not just someone who checks boxes or hits deadlines.”
Leadership today isn’t just about getting things done. It’s about helping others do it better than they could last year. That’s growth. That’s development. And that’s your job.
Want to go deeper?
Check out the full episode with Amber Johnson on The State of Work Today podcast(or: https://pod.fo/e/2beb48). It’s packed with smart, practical ideas for anyone who leads a team—or wants to grow into a leadership role.
And if you’re not already asking your team, “How do you want to develop?” — now’s the time to start.
