Do you know the individuals on your team?

As leaders, it’s easy to get caught up in numbers—sales reports, customer satisfaction scores, or performance metrics. Data matters, but it doesn’t tell the full story of the people driving those results. Leadership is not just about managing outputs; it’s about understanding the individuals who make the work possible. The question is: how well do you reallyknow your team?

Do you know each person’s favorite candy or snack? Could you name their favorite sports team, or when their birthday is? These may sound like trivial details, but they matter. When you take the time to know someone on a personal level, you communicate that they are more than just an employee—you see them as a person. That recognition builds trust, connection, and loyalty, which no spreadsheet can measure.

Legendary NFL Coach Jimmy Johnson once said, “I treat everyone fair, but I don’t treat them the same.” This statement captures the essence of people-centered leadership. Fairness doesn’t mean uniformity. Each team member is unique, with different motivators, personalities, and aspirations. Some need a direct challenge to stay engaged. Others need consistent encouragement and reassurance. Still others thrive when given autonomy and space to innovate. If you lead everyone the same way, you miss the opportunity to bring out their best.

The best leaders recognize that people require different types of attention and motivation. Consider how Johnson managed professional athletes with diverse backgrounds, egos, and skill sets. He understood that a star quarterback and a rookie lineman couldn’t be motivated in the exact same way. But both deserved his attention, fairness, and respect. In business, the same principle applies. A seasoned top performer might need new challenges to avoid complacency, while a newer employee might crave mentorship and guidance.

This kind of tailored leadership is only possible if you invest the time to know your people. Beyond workplace conversations, ask questions about what they enjoy outside of work. Celebrate their milestones. Learn their quirks. Remember the details they casually share. These small acts of intentional listening and curiosity add up to meaningful relationships.

And here’s the payoff: when people feel known, they feel valued. Valued employees are more engaged, more loyal, and more willing to go the extra mile when the team needs it. It also makes difficult conversations easier. If a leader has already built genuine trust by showing care and interest, employees are more likely to accept feedback and rise to challenges.

Ultimately, leadership is not a one-size-fits-all formula. It’s a relationship built on fairness, individuality, and trust. The metrics on your dashboard will always matter, but they will never fully capture the human side of leadership. The real question is: do your team members believe you see them, know them, and care about them?

Because when they do, they’ll give you more than performance—they’ll give you their trust. And that’s what transforms a group of individuals into a high-performing team.