Providing Growth Opportunities

Cathie Leimbach • May 3, 2022

87% of millennials strongly prefer jobs that offer them opportunities to grow, yet only 40% of employees indicate their workplace has offered them opportunities to learn and grow in the past year. They want to get better at their current job, prepare for their next workplace position, and equip themselves to be successful in all aspects of life in our fast-changing world. If you don’t provide opportunities for employees to be lifelong learners, they will be less passionate and engaged at work, reducing the organization’s success.


And, don’t think you are saving money by not investing in employee development. 65% of currently employed people are looking for another job. 25% of employees changed jobs last year. 30% of new hires quit within 90 days. Once someone is working within a company, they experience its culture and growth mindset, or lack thereof. When the environment doesn’t feel like a right-fit for them, they are on the lookout for potentially better opportunities.


Many people are looking for diverse growth opportunities, not just formal training programs, so continuing education doesn’t have to be a big budget concern. Here are some possibilities:

  • Formal group training
  • Coaching to support the implementation of training content
  • Mentoring by a more experienced person in their role
  • Mentoring by someone in another role in the company
  • Job shadowing someone in another part of the company
  • Working on a group project for the company
  • Working on a community service project with others within the company or beyond the company
  • One-week job exchange or transfer to experience another position within the company for which they have most of the necessary skills


To determine which opportunities are most appropriate for an employee, ask them what knowledge or skills they would like to learn. Suggest 2 or 3 possible options and let them choose, or simply ask them how they think they might be able to fulfill that desire.


At performance review time, ask employees to set a personal growth goal and help them get access to the necessary resources.

The world around us is changing quickly. You and your employees need to change to keep up. Help your employees fulfill their desire for growth opportunities and your company will be a winner.

The Futility of Leadership Perfection

By Cathie Leimbach • May 26, 2026
Many leaders quietly carry the pressure that they are supposed to have every answer. Be decisive. Stay strong. Never show uncertainty. Keep pushing forward no matter what. The problem is that approach often creates distance inside organizations instead of trust. In The Imperfect CEO , which was released on May 19, Jim Brown challenges the idea that leadership effectiveness comes from appearing flawless. Instead, he makes the case that healthy organizations are built by leaders willing to lead with clarity, humility, accountability, and honesty. Larry Siff, CEO of Neptune Advisors and C-Level Community, shared this perspective: “In The Imperfect CEO , Jim Brown doesn’t shy away from the messy reality of being a real person in charge, yet he shows how that honesty becomes a source of organizational health.” Edna Lopez, former Senior Executive at Gateway and Amway, wrote: “In every organization I've led, one truth has been constant: culture determines whether strategy ever sees daylight. The Imperfect CEO gets to the heart of that reality.” That connection between leadership and culture is exactly why the ideas in this book matter. In Conversational Management, we often see organizations struggle , not because leaders lack intelligence or effort, but because communication patterns quietly create confusion, defensiveness, disengagement, or fear. The healthiest organizations usually are not led by leaders who are aiming for perfection. They are led by leaders who know perfection is elusive. They acknowledge their limitations and the benefits of team collaboration. They humbly create honest conversations, clear expectations, accountability, and trust — even when it feels uncomfortable.  The wait is over for a down-to-earth book that dares to reveal common leadership imperfections and provides support for enhancing leadership impact! The Imperfect CEO is now available!

The Leadership Problem Most Companies Don’t Address

By Cathie Leimbach • May 19, 2026
Many organizations assume their biggest challenges are rapidly changing technology, customer retention, and employee initiative. But quite often, the root cause is people leadership problems. That’s one reason The Imperfect CEO by Jim Brown is so timely. Releasing today, May 19, the book explores how leaders build healthier organizations not by pretending to have all the answers, but by creating cultures grounded in trust, clarity, accountability, and meaningful conversations. Brian Besanceney, Chair, Board of Orlando Health, Inc., described the book this way: “Through vivid stories, real-world examples, and a model grounded in collaborative culture, Jim Brown gives leaders permission to wrestle honestly with the generational divides, misaligned targets, and cultural fractures that can too often sabotage high-potential organizations.” Greg Apple, CEO of Amgine.ai, connected the book to leadership beyond business alone: “In a fast-moving company, culture is everything. Jim Brown’s principles have helped our team lead with greater clarity and alignment. The Imperfect CEO distills those lessons brilliantly. Every leader should read it.” What stands out to me is how closely this book aligns with the principles behind Conversational Management. Healthy cultures are rarely built through policies alone. They are built through the quality of everyday leadership conversations — how expectations are clarified, how accountability is handled, how feedback is delivered, and how trust is strengthened over time. That’s why leadership development cannot stay theoretical. Culture changes conversation by conversation.  The Imperfect CEO is an easy-to-read business fable that illustrates common people leadership challenges and provides suggestions for overcoming them. Order your copy today and start building healthier leadership conversations inside your organization.