Celebration, Relationships, and Rest

Cathie Leimbach • December 18, 2023

The holiday season is upon us! During the next two weeks, most of us will be taking a break from our normal routine to celebrate Christmas, New Years, Kwanzaa, or simply time off. This is a great season for celebration, relationships, rest.


Take advantage of this season to celebrate! Enjoy traditions that celebrate your faith. Treasure group events and the small things that affirm your beliefs. Acknowledge your achievements throughout the year. Maybe you have become healthier, taken up a hobby that energizes you, or furthered your education. Perhaps you started a new business or got a promotion at work. You may have achieved a financial goal or taken your dream vacation. Celebrate your successes!


Invest in your personal relationships. Take time for long dinners and conversations. Have fun with the people in your life. Encourage others around you by giving them a meaningful gift or lending them a hand with a project.


Enjoy some rest. Sleep in or take naps. Make time for both physical and mental rest. In today’s society, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and overburdened. Give yourself permission to play, to do things that give you joy and recharge your spirit.   



I encourage you to live the next two weeks intentionally, so you get the most out of this holiday season. How can you have a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? What celebrations are most important to you? What relationships do you wish to enjoy or strengthen? What will allow you to feel rested? Scheduling these life-giving activities is the first step in making them happen.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with joy, hope, love, and peace!

The Workplace Has Changed. Has Your Leadership?

By Cathie Leimbach • July 21, 2026
There was a time when many employees expected to spend most of their careers with one organization. Job security, pensions, and long-term loyalty often kept people in the same company for decades. Today's workforce thinks differently. Millennials and Gen Z expect to build careers—not necessarily with one employer. If they don't see opportunities to learn, grow, contribute, and advance, they'll find them somewhere else. Research consistently shows that younger employees are looking for more than a paycheck. They want managers they trust, meaningful work, opportunities to develop, flexibility when possible, and a workplace where they feel respected, supported, and heard. Gallup reports that 87% of Millennials say professional development is important to their job satisfaction. Combined with growing expectations for work-life balance and a positive workplace culture, it's no surprise that organizations relying primarily on compensation to retain employees continue to struggle with turnover. The encouraging news is that leaders influence most of what keeps people engaged.  Managers who hold meaningful conversations, clarify expectations, recognize contributions, coach for growth, and genuinely care about their employees create workplaces where people want to stay. They build trust, strengthen engagement, and help employees grow, succeed, and see a future with the organization. Today's retention isn't driven by job security or loyalty alone. It's driven by a workplace experience where employees are growing, supported by leaders they trust, and confident their contributions matter. Download our Retention Conversation Guide to discover practical ways to strengthen trust, engagement, and retention—one leadership conversation at a time. Conversation is where leadership happens.

Feedback Isn't a Download. It's a Dialogue.

By Cathie Leimbach • July 14, 2026
Most leaders know they should give feedback. Yet many avoid it. Not because they don't care, but because they worry they'll discourage someone, create conflict, or say the wrong thing. Unfortunately, when feedback is delayed, vague, or avoided, employees don't feel supported—they feel uncertain. Research highlighted in a recent McKinsey Quarterly article found that employees who receive regular, specific feedback are significantly more engaged than those who don't. The problem isn't that employees dislike feedback. They dislike feedback that feels judgmental, unclear, or disconnected from their growth. The strongest leaders understand something important: Feedback isn't a download. It's a dialogue. When leaders approach feedback as an employee development conversation rather than a list of mistakes, people become more open to hearing hard truths and more motivated to improve. Effective feedback communicates two powerful messages at the same time: I respect you. I believe you can grow. That combination changes everything. The best leaders don't simply evaluate past performance; they help employees see future potential. Rather than focusing only on what went wrong, they provide feedforward —guidance on what someone can do to become even more successful. High-performing organizations understand a simple truth: Improvement requires input. The question for leaders isn't whether to give feedback. It's whether our feedback leaves people feeling smaller—or stronger. Feedback doesn't change people. Better conversations do. Download our one-page guide: 5 Practices That Turn Feedback Into Growth Learn five practical ways to make every feedback conversation more productive, more encouraging, and more likely to inspire lasting growth. Conversation is where leadership happens