As a leader, your job isn’t to keep everyone comfortable—it’s to help them grow. “Try to increase your outreach this week” and “We’re implementing a daily outreach minimum and tracking it together at 4:30 PM” are not the same message. One is a suggestion. The other is a strong choice. Your team can feel the difference—and your results will show it.

At ASA Staffing World’s CEO Roundtable, leaders across healthcare, industrial, and professional staffing shared the same truth: growth feels harder than ever. But the issue isn’t sales strategy—it’s structural. From tech overload and shifting motivation to leadership misalignment, six themes emerged that reveal what’s really holding firms back—and how top performers are reframing for 2026.

Sales, like golf, is a game of resilience and discipline. JJ Spaun showed us how to bounce back from setbacks, while Tommy Fleetwood proved the power of trusting the process through years of near-misses. Success doesn’t come from overhauling everything—it comes from consistent habits, preparation, and focus. In staffing and sales, when the market doubts you, staying committed to your process is what drives meaningful wins.

After 44 years in business—and a lifetime navigating both business and personal relationships, I’ve come to realize something both simple and powerful: nearly every relationship problem we face boils down to one of two things: miscommunication or lack of communication. We make assumptions, jump to conclusions, and often talk at people instead of with them. And when we’re not communicating at all? That’s when silence does the real damage.