May You Experience Peace and Joy

Cathie Leimbach • December 21, 2021

The festive season has arrived! Bright lights and appealing decorations are all around us! The air is full of happy celebration!


Peace and joy are abundant in the communities around us. Are you feeling this peace and joy in your heart, at work, and at home?


When people like their work they are more productive and have a more positive life experience. One of the main contributors to people liking their job is that they are making a difference at work because their job matters and they are doing their job well. When people are confident in these areas, they feel valued and stable, giving them a sense of peace about their livelihood.


Another contributor to people liking their job is having friendly relationships at work. When someone is appreciated and feels comfortable appreciating others, when workplace colleagues trust each other, and when coworkers smile and regularly greet each other in a friendly manner, they experience joy and contentment at work. And these positive emotions spill over into their personal lives.


If your workplace is a place of peace and joy, continue to be a leader who positively impacts the environment around you. If this isn’t your work experience, what can you do to inject positivity and appreciation so you and others can start experiencing peace and joy at work.


Thinking about being positive and appreciating the diversity of people around me brings back wonderful memories of enthusiastic sing-alongs at Junior Farmers’ Association of Ontario events. Hundreds of teens and young adults expressed peace and joy as we sang the following chorus written by Paul and Ralph Colwell.


Up! Up with people! You meet ‘em wherever you go,
Up! Up with people! They’re the best kind of folks we know.
If more people were for people, All people ev’rywhere,
There’d be a lot less people to worry about, And a lot more people who care.


Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season!



May you experience peace and joy and be a source of peace and joy for others.  

"Produce More" Isn't a Goal

By Cathie Leimbach • November 10, 2026
For the tenth day in a row, production missed its target. Barry, the production manager, was frustrated and worried. Customer orders were piling up, inventory was running low, and he had no idea how to get things back on track. Even the VP of Manufacturing and HR had no helpful answers. Meanwhile, Joe, one of the line supervisors, couldn't understand why Barry was so upset. He'd heard through the grapevine that sales were down. So why was producing less such a big deal? Barry was baffled. He'd told his supervisors to increase production. Why weren't they pushing their teams harder? He pulled up the AI summary from Monday's "What's Up This Week" meeting. There it was. He'd asked the supervisors to produce more than last week because a large customer order had to ship the following Monday. But had he made his expectations clear? Barry thought he'd given a goal. Joe thought he'd heard a suggestion. Neither knew they weren't on the same page. Sound familiar? When expectations are fuzzy, even good employees miss the mark. The result: frustrated managers, confused employees, missed targets, and disappointed customers. LEADERSHIP TIPS: THREE STEPS TO STRONGER PERFORMANCE 1. Make expectations crystal clear. Explain what needs to be done, by when, and why it matters. Instead of saying "produce more," Barry could have said, "We need 200 additional widgets by Friday to fill a 500-widget customer order that ships Monday." Then he could have asked each supervisor what their line could realistically produce and what support they needed. A two-way conversation builds clarity and commitment. 2. Monitor progress daily. Don't wait until Friday to discover the team is behind. Review production results with supervisors every day. Compare actual output with the weekly goal, and recognize progress along the way. Ask, "Are we on track? What might keep us from reaching our target?" 3. Take corrective action before shortfalls grow. When production falls behind, don't just demand better results. Start a conversation. Ask, "What's getting in the way? How can we catch up? What help do you need from me?" Then work out a plan together, agree on who's doing what, and follow up to make sure it happens. Strong performance doesn't come from pushing people harder. It comes from clear expectations, regular monitoring, and shared accountability. When leaders explain what matters, listen to their people, and help remove roadblocks, employees are better equipped and more motivated to deliver. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ Say what matters. Ask what's in the way. Agree on next steps. Missed targets, fuzzy expectations, or a talk you keep postponing? Bring it to the Workplace Conversations Clinic on November 16. We'll discuss how to have that conversation with kindness and clarity. Register Here

Be Kind to Your Team AND Hold Them Accountable

By Cathie Leimbach • November 3, 2026
Tammy was furious. For the third day in a row, the hydraulic hose assembly line was falling behind. How could they keep customers happy when production was this slow? The target was 50 hoses per hour, with at least 98% meeting quality standards. Yet, after two hours, Tom's team had produced only 65 hoses, and six had failed inspection. Tammy marched over to Tom, the line supervisor. “This is unacceptable! You know our targets. Get your people moving!” She stormed off, frustrated and worried about falling further behind. Tom felt embarrassed and discouraged. He told his team to work faster. An hour later, production was still behind, and more hoses had failed inspection. Leadership Tip – Correct Kindly, Solve Problems Together Corrective action doesn't need to be harsh. A calm, respectful conversation can improve both performance and trust. Clarify the gap. Remind the employee of the agreed expectation and describe what you've observed. “Tom, our target is 50 hoses per hour, with 98% meeting standards. Your team produced 65 in two hours, and six failed inspection.” Explore causes and solutions together. Ask, “What's getting in the way?” Listen carefully. Perhaps a crimping machine needs adjustment or a new employee needs coaching. Ask, “What could we do differently? How can I help?” Agree on next steps. Ask Tom to summarize what he'll do. State what you'll do to support him. Agree on when you'll review progress. Bottom Line Kindness doesn't mean lowering expectations. It means helping people meet them. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ Be kind. Be clear. Hold people accountable. Have a conversation you’ve been putting off because you don’t want to sound harsh—or let the issue slide? Bring it to the Workplace Conversations Clinic on November 16 to discuss addressing the problem with kindness, setting clear expectations, and agreeing on next steps. Reserve your spot for the November 16 Workplace Conversations Clinic → HERE