Up to this point, the work has been personal. We’ve reflected on individual values and begun conversations as a team. Now, it’s time to shift our focus to the collective.

This week asks an important question: What does this team stand for when no one is watching?

Welcome to 2026! A new year is the perfect opportunity to transition from "working together" to becoming a high-performing team, for a project team, a departmental team, or another type of team/group charter). This 2-month series is designed to help you and your team build a foundational vision from the ground up.

The core of the holiday season is connection, warmth, and a shared sense of joy. Ironically, these very qualities are the foundation of effective, inspiring leadership excellence. December offers a powerful, organic chance to practice these skills, not just at home, but in your professional influence.

How can we translate the spirit of the holidays into tangible, year-round leadership practices? It starts with two key elements: profound appreciation and conscious positive influence.

The holiday season is often described as a time of joy, but for many leaders, it feels like another race to the finish line—a sprint of year-end deadlines, social commitments, and travel logistics. Amidst the flurry, we risk arriving at January feeling depleted, not restored.

As the year winds down, many leaders feel the weight of unfinished goals and lingering challenges. But effective coaching reminds us that every “problem” is simply an invitation—to notice, learn, and grow. The shift from problem to possibility begins with insight, then solidifies through intentional action.

Gratitude isn’t just a feeling—it’s a practice that strengthens teams, families, and even the brain. Neuroscience shows that expressing appreciation increases dopamine and oxytocin, chemicals that fuel trust and belonging. When leaders intentionally acknowledge others, they shift collective energy from tension to appreciation.

Leaders who validate both facts and feelings create emotionally safe spaces. They separate truth from interpretation and experience from assumption. This practice doesn’t require agreement—it requires empathy.

As the season turns and the air cools, we’re reminded that change is both inevitable and beautiful. Nature’s quiet transformation offers a perfect metaphor for leadership growth: slowing down, becoming still, and deeply listening to what’s emerging—within ourselves and others.

In fast-changing, high-demand workplaces, leaders are under constant pressure. To thrive — not just survive — leaders need more than technical skill or drive. They need self-awareness, emotional intelligence (EQ), and wellness practices that build resiliency.

Outstanding leaders do not simply manage tasks—they shape culture and inspire growth. This level of influence requires more than technical expertise; it demands exceptional emotional intelligence (EQ), and the gateway to EQ is self-awareness.

Exceptional leaders share a common trait that transcends industry, tenure, and title: self-awareness. Research across decades shows that leaders who truly understand themselves—both how they see themselves and how others experience them—are more effective at inspiring trust, shaping culture, and delivering results. And, mic drop… research shows that 95% of people believe they are self-aware, yet only 10–15% actually are (Eurich, 2018).

When organizations search for great leaders, they often prize strategic thinking and results. Yet the leaders who consistently outperform share something less tangible: high emotional intelligence (EQ).

Leaders often rise on technical expertise or business acumen, but staying effective over time hinges on something more subtle: your ability to align, inspire, motivate, and elevate others. A different competency is needed to succeed in leading others: Emotional Intelligence (EQ)—the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in oneself and others—is consistently linked to leadership success. At the heart of EQ is self-awareness, the cornerstone that makes the other dimensions—self-management, social awareness, and relationship management—possible.

Change is not just a strategic process, it’s a deeply human one. And in times of uncertainty, the greatest asset an organization can develop is change-ready leadership. Executive coaching has emerged as a powerful tool to support leaders navigating complex change, helping them unlock clarity, resilience, and influence when it’s needed most.

Change is the only constant, yet many leaders struggle with how to lead through it with courage and clarity. Coaching offers powerful tools to develop the mindset and behaviors needed to sustain excellence during disruption.

In today’s volatile environment, leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about having the self-awareness and agility to navigate the unknown with integrity. Here are seven evidence-based coaching techniques to help leaders not only survive change, but thrive through it.

In today's dynamic business landscape, effective leadership is paramount. Transformational leadership, characterized by inspiring and motivating teams toward a shared vision, has emerged as a critical driver of organizational success. Central to cultivating such leadership is the strategic implementation of coaching. This blog delves into the profound impact of coaching on transformational leadership and its substantial return on investment (ROI).​

Creating an exceptional organization requires exceptional leaders.  Leadership requires inspiring people to want to follow, and optimally, to want to lead (projects, their own role, and possible others).  Leadership is not one class, or even one degree (which includes many courses), it is a life long journey because once you master one style/approach, things change, people change, problems/obstacles change. 

When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become wise and better as an organization. In complex systems, various expertise is needed to move the needle and create solutions.

Stephen Covey once said, “Strength lies in differences, not in similarities. Respect those differences, and your team will thrive.” In today’s interconnected and global workplace, this wisdom is more relevant than ever. Embracing differences isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s a business strategy that directly impacts organizational performance.