Character Forges Trust

Cathie Leimbach • August 2, 2022

“People notice those who do what is right ahead of what is easy,” says David Horsager. And people trust those who value justice and honesty rather than taking the easy way out of difficult situations.

People of good character consistently live by their values.  They are usually conscious of their top 3 to 5 personal values and the live their life accordingly. 


Character is displayed by acting the same in similar situations no matter who else is around. Generous people who have good character will donate the same amount to charity in private as they would if they received public recognition. They don’t put on a show for all to see.


People of good character show respect for all people regardless of their social standing, background, or race. They don’t say thank you to others only when somebody else is watching and they don’t join the ‘cool’ group in bullying the new kid at school.


Honesty is another character trait. Honest people own up to their mistakes rather than letting someone else take the blame and the punishment for their poor choices or destructive actions.


We are more likely to trust someone who regularly exhibits generosity, respect for others, honesty, and other positive character traits. Since their actions are consistent with their positive values, we have confidence they will continue to contribute positively to the community around them.


What is one value that you live regularly demonstrating you may be a person of good character? What is one habit you could develop more fully to demonstrate that you are a person of good character? 


When you frequently show strong positive behaviors, how will it affect the trust you have for others and their trust in you? 

What’s Really Driving Employee Detachment?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 21, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because the root causes of disengagement are easy to miss. Right now, many employees are emotionally detached from their workplaces—and a majority are still watching for their next opportunity. But this isn’t about perks or pay. It’s about something more foundational. Less than half of employees clearly know what’s expected of them. Even fewer feel encouraged to grow, connected to purpose, or heard at work. Those aren’t surface issues. They’re leadership gaps. And they show up in everyday conversations. Engagement is built—or broken—through how leaders communicate expectations, opportunities, purpose, and voice. For example: When expectations aren’t clear, people guess and stay busy—and performance suffers. When employees don’t see how their work matters, connection fades. When leaders don’t ask for employees’ perspectives, people disengage—even if they stay. These aren’t big system failures. They’re missed conversations. The good news? What causes detachment is also what fixes it. Where could clearer, more intentional leadership conversations reconnect your team? Look at your last two workplace culture or employee engagement surveys. What do they show about how well your leaders meet employee needs? Where are leaders falling short? How do these strengths and gaps affect your bottom line? How long are you willing to accept the underperformance that follows?  Your Next Step: Click here to book a free conversation with Cathie Leimbach about discovering and/or closing leadership gaps in your organization.

What Problems Disappear When Leadership Gets Stronger?

By Cathie Leimbach • April 14, 2026
Most workplace issues don’t start big. They build slowly—through missed conversations, unclear expectations, and more people leave. That’s where disengagement shows up. And when it does, the cost is real: 78% higher absenteeism 51% higher turnover 63% more safety incidents These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And across the U.S., the bigger picture is hard to ignore— disengaged employees cost organizations nearly $2 trillion annually in lost productivity (Gallup). These aren’t just HR problems. They’re leadership problems. When people don’t feel connected, clear, or supported: They call off more More people quit Mistakes and risks increase The good news? These patterns are preventable. Strong leaders reduce these issues by: Addressing problems early Creating clarity instead of assumptions Having consistent, direct conversations Reinforcing expectations before things drift It’s not about doing more. It’s about leading differently—every day. A question to consider: Which of these challenges is quietly costing your organization the most right now? 👉 Join our upcoming Leadership Conversation on April 27th, 3:00 PM—this is not a webinar . This is a candid conversation with leaders comparing their employee engagement challenges and successes.  Most organizations are tolerating more of this than they realize. The question is—are you?