Stretch Capacity? & Broken Promises - 5 Steps to Rebuilding Trust After Overstretching a Team

“We don’t have the money for that.”

I stood there, stunned. The programming team had met their impossible deadline, and we had promised them a simple steak dinner to celebrate. Now, the CEO was refusing to follow through.

I had a choice—let the broken promise erode trust, or find another way.

Early in my career, I was brought into a startup to improve productivity and create structure. I'm a systems junkie, and they needed order. As the interim Director of Operations, I was responsible for four departments, 80 employees, and about as many contractors.

The company grew quickly. While growth was exciting, there were no systems and no true leadership to help the team thrive under increasing demands. I spent time with each department and department head, looking for ways to increase efficiency. Many welcomed the order I was bringing, while others were concerned about streamlining and potential job losses. It was grueling work—creating processes and strategies to improve engagement and productivity while also navigating demands from the leadership team.

I took a step back and made three changes:

? I had open conversations about workload and energy levels, both at the department level and with individual contributors.

? While creating processes and timelines, I built in handoff and recovery time so that high performance could be sustained.

? I shifted my leadership style to stretch people and departments strategically—not constantly.

I also had to build trust.

My goal was to create a positive culture that would last long after me. With approval from the CEO, we introduced fun incentive programs to help employees transition from ineffective routines to efficient strategies. Each department received a tailored program. I applied everything I had learned in my "Situational Leadership" certification and got to work.

The writing and SEO department tripled their output without any changes to staffing. The customer service department improved response times and implemented processes that eliminated overtime, earning them a well-deserved day trip to Disneyland. It was deeply satisfying to see performance improve, and I loved my job.

The programming department was a bit trickier. They carried a significant burden in the organization—the SaaS software only worked if they did their job well. They worked long hours under high demands. Though they had flexible work hours (a rare practice at the time), they were still missing deadlines. Even with priorities set, they struggled to adapt to the changes I proposed to improve productivity and performance.

I asked the department head what kind of incentive would motivate them to hit a major deadline using the new processes. While I expected a big request, he simply said, "We'd just like to go out for a steak dinner." It was a reasonable request, and I had no trouble getting approval from the CEO. We scoped the project, set the timeline, and I was optimistic about their willingness to try a new approach.

When I speak about Stretch Capacity?, I emphasize that good leaders know how to stretch their teams without breaking them. Growth happens when we stretch—even if only a little. The organization was asking a lot from the programming team, and I knew it was a stretch. But I also believed they could do it.

Despite a few hiccups, the project was completed on time. I arranged the steak dinner and went to get the company credit card from the CEO. She said, "No, we don't have the money for that." I knew from leadership meetings that it was a tight month, but I was shocked at her disregard for the promise we had made. Despite multiple conversations, she wouldn’t budge.

Disappointed and frustrated, I grappled with what to do. If I didn't fulfill the promise, we would face much bigger trust issues down the line. But I also knew this wasn't my personal responsibility to fix. It wasn’t my fault that the CEO had poor planning and lacked integrity, yet I was left dealing with the consequences. Making matters worse, I was earning a modest startup salary and didn't have the funds to cover it myself.

Ultimately, I chose to pay for the meal out of my own pocket. We made some modifications to fit the budget, and while the team appreciated the effort, the damage was done. Word spread about why the plans had changed, and while I was respected for my willingness to uphold the company’s promise, trust in the leadership team was broken. It was never the same—for the department or for me.

In the end, the stretch of the scope and deadline didn’t break them—it was the breach of trust that caused the snap. I didn’t stay long after that. While I was proud of the improvements made in each department, I walked away with invaluable leadership lessons that I carry to this day.

As a leader, you may find yourself caught between your team and upper management. Maybe you've experienced situations where you were stuck between leadership’s demands and your team’s expectations. Maybe you've seen the effects of broken promises firsthand. Maybe your organization struggles with low morale and a lack of trust built up over time.

5 Steps to Rebuilding Trust After Overstretching a Team

1. Acknowledge the Overstretch (Own It, Don’t Ignore It)

Trust is rebuilt when leaders recognize their mistakes openly and honestly.

Avoid: "We’ve all been under pressure; let’s just move forward."

Try: "I realize I pushed too hard. I see the impact it’s had, and I want to make it right."

? Action Step: Have an honest team conversation where you take responsibility. People don’t expect perfection—but they do expect awareness.

Leadership Sounds Like: "I pushed for results without checking in enough. I see the stress this caused, and I want to adjust how we approach challenges moving forward."

2. Listen & Validate Employee Concerns

Trust is rebuilt when leaders listen, not just fix.

After overstretching, employees may feel overworked, undervalued, or frustrated with leadership decisions.

? Action Step: Schedule one-on-one or team check-ins to listen—without defending yourself.

Leadership Sounds Like: "How has this pressure affected you?" "What’s one thing we could have done differently?" "How can I support you moving forward?"

Listening without defensiveness demonstrates emotional intelligence and humility.

3. Adjust Expectations & Reset Workloads

Trust is restored when leaders implement real changes.

If your team is in the Overstretch or Break Zone, scaling back is essential before moving forward.

? Action Step:

• Prioritize and remove unnecessary pressure points.
• Pause non-essential projects to allow recovery time.
• Give people permission to slow down and rebuild their resilience.

Leadership Sounds Like: "I recognize that we’ve been stretching beyond a healthy level. Let’s reset our priorities and focus on what truly matters right now."

4. Rebuild Psychological Safety (Stretch Smarter, Not Harder)

Trust grows when employees feel safe expressing concerns.

Avoid: Pushing just as hard but expecting different results.

Try: Creating a culture where feedback and balance are valued.

? Action Step:

• Give employees a voice in goal-setting and stretch challenges.
• Encourage ongoing check-ins to avoid future overstretching.
• Set clear "Stretch and Recovery" cycles—when to push, when to pause.

Leadership Sounds Like: "How can we stretch in a way that feels sustainable?"

?? Great leaders know when to push and when to pause. Stretch your team—but never break them. You have a Stretch Capacity?, too. As you assess both your own ability to stretch and that of your team, what are you capable of?

Have you ever experienced being stretched too far by leadership? How did they handle it? Drop your thoughts below!

#Leadership #Trust #StretchCapacity #Burnout #TeamPerformance

Michelle McCullough is a leadership development strategist, author, speaker, podcaster and CEO. Learn more about Stretch Capacity? at https://www.speakmichelle.com