Creating a Culture of Innovators

Cathie Leimbach • April 15, 2020

Carla Harris, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Morgan Stanley, intentionally serves her followers. At Leadercast 2019 she shared several of her success factors for being a servant leader. One of her leadership practices is creating a culture of innovation and a change-ready workforce.

Innovation means trying new ways of doing things. And new ways of doing things aren’t always successful. So, why should leaders encourage their people to try something new?

In the world around us there is constant change. If we don’t change to adapt to the changes around us, we will no longer be relevant. High performers who stick to the once-best-way of getting the job done will be surpassed by better ways discovered by innovators.

So why doesn’t everyone innovate? Why do many organizations and teams find themselves entrenched in a rut? Often, they are trapped in a culture of fear. They are criticized for trying something new because some resources were wasted or the results didn’t meet the goals. This is fair criticism if the unsuccessful trial becomes the norm. But when innovative ideas that improve the bottom line are adopted, organizations tend to flourish.

Since most people resist change, how can you inspire your team members to have an innovative mindset? Allow them to take risks and fail. Encourage your team members to approach challenges creatively by celebrating what was learned from failed attempts and by implementing the new ideas that yield enhanced results.

May your organization encourage and celebrate those who reach beyond the status quo.

Inspire your staff to explore, to innovate, and to make new discoveries!

Put Your Brain in Gear When Using AI

By Cathie Leimbach • June 16, 2026
Artificial Intelligence is becoming a powerful workplace tool. It can summarize information, analyze data, draft content, and generate ideas in seconds. But there is a growing risk leaders need to recognize: AI can sound convincing even when it is wrong. In an article by Erica Dhawan, she describes a legal case where attorneys used ChatGPT to help prepare a court filing. The brief looked professional, the reasoning seemed logical, and the citations appeared legitimate. There was only one problem: several of the cited cases did not exist. The AI had fabricated them. The danger wasn't carelessness. It was trust. Because the information was presented clearly, confidently, and professionally, nobody stopped to question it. Psychologists call this the "fluency heuristic"—our tendency to assume information is accurate when it is easy to process and sounds credible. As leaders, we cannot allow polished answers to replace critical thinking. When you find yourself thinking, "This is too good to be true," put your brain in gear. Dig deeper. Investigate. Verify the facts. Ask what assumptions were made, what information might be missing, and what evidence supports the conclusion. AI can be an incredible assistant. It should never become a substitute for judgment. The smooth answer is not always the wrong one—but it is often the one that deserves the most scrutiny. Before You Act, Verify. The biggest risk with AI isn't bad information. It's believable information that's wrong. That's why we created the AI Verification Checklist for Leaders —a simple 5-minute tool designed to help leaders challenge assumptions, identify missing information, verify conclusions, and make better decisions before acting on AI-generated recommendations. Download the free AI Verification Checklist for Leaders and start asking better questions before making important decisions.

If Employees Aren't Growing, Performance Isn't Either

By Cathie Leimbach • June 9, 2026
Most leaders want better performance. They want employees who take ownership, solve problems, adapt to change, and consistently deliver results. Yet Gallup reports that only 31% of employees are engaged at work. That means nearly 7 out of 10 employees are not fully applying their talents, effort, and initiative to their roles. The question leaders should be asking isn't simply: "Why aren't employees performing?" It's: "Are we developing people to perform at their best?" Gallup's latest research suggests many organizations may be falling behind. Nearly 6 in 10 CHROs say employee development is one of the areas where their organization struggles most. At the same time, fewer than half of U.S. employees have participated in training or education to build new skills for their current job. That gap creates risk. As AI, technology, customer expectations, and job responsibilities continue to evolve, employees cannot meet changing expectations with outdated skills. The impact is especially significant among high performers. Gallup found that organizations providing fewer development opportunities are more likely to lose their best people. The good news is that development doesn't require expensive programs or lengthy workshops. It starts with leaders who consistently: • Connect strengths to daily work • Clarify expectations • Provide meaningful feedback • Coach performance • Hold growth-focused conversations  One of the most effective ways leaders can support employee development is through regular 1-on-1 meetings with each direct report. These conversations create opportunities to coach, remove obstacles, align priorities, and discuss growth before problems become bigger issues. For practical ideas, read our resource: 5 Factors in Successful 1-on-1s . Organizations that thrive won't simply expect more from employees. They'll develop people so they can contribute more. Because when employees grow, performance grows with them.