90 Seconds to be Inspired

This edition of Time for Joy is being written from Naples, FL where I’ve been for the last few days attending the TroopHR retreat. Reflecting on the many moments of inspiration I gathered, I realized why I’m leaving this retreat restored versus depleted

First and foremost, I got in person quality time with people I love and respect.

Not just HR peers, but my family too! I’m traveling all but one week this summer so my family is joining me on a few trips. But here’s the key, they left when it was time for the retreat to begin. I’m mentioning this because in the past when I’ve brought family on work trips I’ve felt distracted and guilty.

I shouldn’t be schmoozing at drinks with clients, I should be tucking my kids into bed!

I shouldn’t be in the pool with the family, I should be listening to that awesome panel discussion. 

So we blended the trip to make it multi-use, but with distinct chapters.

And the final chapter was one solo day post-retreat for me. I needed the time to not be social and to crank on work that piled up.

In other years I’ve left this retreat feeling overwhelmed, missing my family and worried that I didn’t maximize the experience. This year I feel restored and proud of the intentionality I put into planning this experience and the resulting impact.

This shift in mindset got me thinking about the bigger picture — not just how I show up, but how leaders can create environments that help their teams feel this same sense of restoration and impact.

Which is why this next insight hit close to home…

90 Seconds to Learn

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“Global employee engagement declined to 21% in 2024, with managers experiencing the largest drop. This marks only the second decline in engagement in the past 12 years — a worrying sign for organizations already struggling with productivity.”

At the retreat they had a live podcast recording where a very brilliant panel provided some hope and a few tactics on how to turn this around. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I captured:

• Focus on Mission. “One of the best ways to rebuild engagement is to connect people back to your mission, your organization’s secret sauce”

• Double down on your values! The CPO of Warby Parker shared an example of one of their values: Inject fun and quirkiness into everything we do! They celebrated Pi Day with a day of eating pie together. So random, but a way to easily and authentically live that value.

• Ask simple and powerful questions: “tell me what you need to be successful” and if needed, “how can I reduce barriers to your brilliance?”

• Model boundary setting. I loved this example. One panelist shared her OOO message when she goes on vacation that says “My team is dope, y’all, which is why you won’t miss me at all while I’m enjoying this vacation. Reach out to them with any question you have in my absence (and honestly, keep asking them even when I come back!) What a powerful way to model boundary setting, the importance of taking a break, recognition and empowerment of your team all in one!

• And finally, feedback. Another stat from this report is that managers still think they are giving feedback way more than their people are saying they’re getting it. Giving feedback is a love language. You have to give it in a way the recipient will hear and receive it. If you need help with this, read Thanks for the Feedback

90 Seconds to Connect

Is engagement the manager’s responsibility or the employee’s? 

My friend posed this question to the panelists. I think it’s a dual responsibility. The manager needs to create the right conditions for high performance (i.e. clarity, psychological safety, self awareness), and the employee needs to understand those expectations and deliver but also have the self awareness if they can’t or won’t and take attempt to make a change.

This connected perfectly back to the message I shared in a workshop I led at this retreat-

What are the conditions required to keep you [sustainably] performing at your peak?

The answers?

• I’m playing in the right sandbox

  • Strengths fit: I use my greatest talents regularly and they are appreciated

  • Values fit: I’m aligned with and respect the way the team operates)

  • Support fit: I’m properly resourced and backed)

• I have a dream team around me (that are both demanding and supportive)

• I’m focused on impact (time + energy + focus) and therefore, experience that blissful “flow state” more often than not.

Let’s double click on “dream team”. I’m here to tell you, your dream team is not just your exec team or direct reports. It’s the internal champion, it’s the friend you call for a good laugh, the coach who holds you accountable, the advisor who shows you the way when you couldn’t see one. Think beyond W2 when identifying your dream team. And invest in them. It’ll be the greatest ROI of all time.

Our job as leaders is to build sustainable high performing teams. And it starts with you building the dream team around you to support YOUR peak performance. Focus on those connections this week as a call to action!

If you’d like the slides & workbook from the retreat workshop, send me an email and it’s yours!

And of course, connect with me IRL! Here’s where I’ll be over the next few weeks:

May: NYC, Nashville & DC

June: NYC & Detroit (first time, send tips!)

Help me expand my inner circle

My company, ScaleJOY, has delivered quality experiences to hundreds of clients and has grown solely by word of mouth referrals. Spread the joy by sharing this newsletter, or connect them directly to me for leadership development, coaching, or offsite facilitation. Thank you for your continued support!