Make Your 2021 Great!

Cathie Leimbach • January 7, 2021

One of the outcomes of 2020 for many of us was the opportunity to hit the “pause” button temporarily. It gave us some space to contemplate what worked and what didn’t pre-Covid. Yet, saying goodbye to 2020 hasn’t changed day-to-day life for most of us.

Saying hello to 2021 and embracing the New Year lets us write our own story for the next 12 months. The one thing we can all do is control how we react to the environment within which we work and live. A shift in mindset and some planning can provide an impetus to remain more positive and energized. 


We can decide to focus on the things that matter to us. What would you like to change about your life and your work? And what are a few actions you can take to create that change? The good news is that it isn’t complicated. You can create a simple plan in less than an hour. Selecting the high impact actions to take consistently will yield impactful results.


We’ve all fallen into the trap of New Year’s resolutions. Setting ourselves up for failure because the goals and habits we have identified are not sustainable. It isn’t easy to develop new habits.  We are most successful at achieving them when we work on no more than three areas of improvement and start small.


Here are some ways to get started:

  • Start with the end in mind. Identify what you really want to achieve and how you will get there. 
  • Decide what measures you will have in place to track progress. For example, one of my goals is business growth in 2021. I am monitoring progress by tracking the strategies I am using. And, adjusting if what I am doing is not working.
  • If you have a long list, pick the three most important or most doable ones to work on first.
  • State your desired result in each area.
  • Commit to 2 or 3 actions you will take every day or week towards achieving your desired result.
  • Track your progress daily or weekly.
  • Write down a reward that will motivate you to stay focused but won’t break the bank.


Here is an example from my 2021 action plan. I am focused on experiencing stronger connections with friends, family, and professional contacts. My overall intent is to feel more satisfied with my interpersonal relationships, so my measure will track my level of satisfaction each month.  Here is the breakdown of the actions:

  • Reach out to an extended family member, friend, neighbor, or community member every day.
  • Connect with two professional contacts weekly to stay in touch.
  • Ask how I can help and look for ways to make a positive impact.


I’ve already connected with several people this week and discovered ways to have physically distanced catchup conversations on the porch or during walks. Having phone conversations with my sister and my aunts and uncles during other walks helped me feel connected to my family. A Zoom call (yes, another one) with a business contact helped me catch up on business and personal news.

My satisfaction with relationships and connections has already risen. What a great reward for taking some very do-able actions consistently.


What parts of your work or personal life would you like to change in 2021? I encourage you not to stay stuck in wishing mode. Develop a goal and action step plan and implement it. Take control of your life and create your preferred future!


I would love to hear about the goals you set for 2021 and your progress towards achieving them!



If you wonder how your family or workplace could develop a plan for 2021, email me, and I will send you a group goal setting process that you can accomplish in an hour. If you might like someone to facilitate the development of a basic 2021 plan for your organization, set an appointment for us to talk. 

Trust-Building Conversations

By Cathie Leimbach • June 30, 2026
Most workplace tension doesn't come from major conflicts. It comes from too few conversations. A disappointment that was never discussed. A broken agreement that was never repaired. Appreciation that was never expressed. Over time, these "withholds" create friction that slows collaboration, weakens trust, and makes even simple conversations feel difficult. The strongest teams don't avoid tension—they address it early. Research highlighted in a recent McKinsey article found that unresolved tensions can significantly reduce team effectiveness, while high-trust teams consistently outperform their peers. The difference isn't the absence of problems. It's the willingness to talk about them. One of the most practical leadership habits is creating regular opportunities for transparent interaction. That includes appreciation. People should hear what they're doing well far more often than they hear about their shortfalls. Specific, genuine recognition builds trust over time. Those trust deposits matter because once positive relationships are built, difficult conversation are more likely to accept the message . When correction is needed, reinforce that you value the person, even though they aren’t perfect. The goal is growth, not judgment. But leaders should be careful not to make appreciation transactional. If positive feedback has been absent for months, suddenly offering praise immediately before a critique usually feels insincere. Trust is built through a steady pattern of recognition, encouragement, and honest conversation—not a last-minute compliment. Transparent leaders also address issues early. Small frustrations become large resentments when left unresolved. Teams that clear the air quickly spend less energy managing tension and more energy producing results. The result? Less friction. More trust. Stronger relationships. Better performance. Because healthy conversations don't just solve problems—they strengthen the team. Free Leader Guide: 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations The best leaders don't wait for tension to become conflict. They build trust before it's needed. Download our 5 Practices for Trust-Building Conversations guide to learn practical ways to strengthen relationships, reduce friction, and create a culture where honest conversations lead to better performance. Download the guide and start building trust one conversation at a time.

Speaking Up Is Not Defiance. It's Duty.

By Cathie Leimbach • June 23, 2026
Most leaders say they want employees to speak up. They want people who spot risks, question assumptions, and help the organization make better decisions. Yet many employees hesitate to do exactly that. Why? Because leaders often respond to speaking up as if the speaker is complaining, criticizing or resisting. When people fear being viewed as difficult, they stop sharing what they see. The organization loses valuable information, ideas, and perspectives. A recent McKinsey article found that teams with high psychological safety are two to three times more likely to generate breakthrough ideas. When people feel safe speaking up, better thinking follows. The best leaders understand a simple truth: Speaking up is not defiance. It's duty. When employees question assumptions, raise concerns, or offer a different perspective, they are helping the team avoid blind spots and make stronger decisions. That's why effective leaders don't merely tolerate speaking up—they invite it. They ask: What are we not seeing? What assumptions are we making? Who might see this differently? What information are we missing? Just as importantly, they respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness. They thank people for expressing their perspective. They explain how input influenced decisions. They make speaking up safe. Because organizations don't improve when everyone agrees. They improve when people feel responsible for helping the team see what others may have missed. In healthy organizations, speaking up isn't rebellion. It's responsibility. It's duty. Leadership Reflection Think about your last leadership team meeting. Did people simply agree? Or did someone help the team see something it otherwise would have missed? Download 5 Questions That Surface Better Thinking and make speaking up a productive part of how your team thinks, decides, and performs.