The Quadruple Bottom Line

Cathie Leimbach • January 18, 2022

In Ken Blanchard’s book, Leading at a Higher Level, he says that “In high performing organizations, everyone’s energy is focused on … four bottom lines – being the:

  • Employer of choice
  • Provider of choice
  • Investment of choice
  • Corporate citizen of choice.”


The Ken Blanchard Companies’ research reveals that the most important leadership function is “creating a motivating environment for your people”. This is the cornerstone of being the employer of choice. When employees work in a motivating environment, they are engaged at work; they pay attention to the quantity and quality of their work and provide great customer service.

 

When customers rate their satisfaction with customer service at 9 or 10, they will purchase 7 times as much from the company as when customer service is rated at 8 or lower. When customers are raving fans, the company becomes their provider of choice.


The strong revenue from raving fans yields strong profits. Investors want to be shareholders. Lenders offer favorable terms on loans to help the company grow or upgrade its facilities and equipment. The company becomes an investment of choice.


The financial health of the company increases its sustainability. It can operate with the long-term view in mind and it can be generous to the community. Healthy companies have the resources to make choices in favor of long-term environmental health and to support local non-profits and community development. They become a highly respected corporate citizen.  


And respected corporate citizens attract motivated employees, who serve customers well, yielding higher profit, and strengthening the organization’s presence in the community. The cycle continues.


How are your leaders creating a motivating environment to develop and retain engaged, productive employees who are essential to  the organization’s short-term and long-term success? What are you doing to equip your leaders to build a win/win/win/win reality in your organization? 

Age and Gender Shape How Employees Want to Be Appreciated

By Cathie Leimbach • June 10, 2025
In today’s evolving workplace, one constant remains: employees want to feel valued. Interestingly, research comparing data from before and after COVID-19 shows that employees' preferred languages of appreciation have remained remarkably consistent over time. However, age and gender differences reveal important nuances leaders shouldn’t ignore. Gender differences are clear. Men more frequently chose Acts of Service as their preferred form of appreciation (26%), while women gravitated toward Words of Affirmation (46%). When asked about their least preferred language, women were more likely to rank Acts of Service at the bottom, while men showed a strong dislike for Tangible Gifts. Age also matters. Employees over 60 overwhelmingly preferred Words of Affirmation (48%), while the youngest generation (under 20) leaned toward Quality Time (33%). These trends suggest that life stage and workplace experience shape what appreciation feels most meaningful.  The takeaway? While core preferences haven't shifted dramatically post-COVID, effective leaders need to understand and respond to individual differences. Avoid blanket strategies and invest in knowing how each team member feels most valued. Personalized appreciation builds stronger teams—across every generation and gender. For further details, see Dr. Paul White’s article on gender differences in appreciation preference.

Why Better Leaders Mean Better Bottom Lines

By Cathie Leimbach • June 3, 2025
Let’s talk straight—leadership development isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s the engine behind real economic progress. John Kotter, a world-renowned voice in leadership and change, made it clear: organizations don’t rise or fall on products alone—they succeed because of how well they lead through change. When leaders know how to cast vision, inspire action, and adapt quickly, the ripple effect is huge. Teams become more engaged. Strategy gets implemented faster. Resistance turns into momentum. And yes—revenue and results improve.  Kotter’s work shows that companies with strong leadership navigate uncertainty better and capture more market share during tough times. Why? Because effective leaders create clarity in the chaos. They don’t just manage—they lead change with purpose. If we want to strengthen our teams, our organizations, and even our communities, we have to prioritize leadership development. Not later—now. Because when leadership improves, so does everything else. That’s not just theory. That’s proven strategy. Click here to view the document: Better Leader = Better Bottom Lines and see why investing in leadership pays off. Let’s build leaders who build better futures.
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