Most organizations believe they have an onboarding process. And technically, they do. There is a checklist that includes access to a folder containing the handbook, mission/vision, the org chart, benefits overview, and, if applicable, links to mandated training. The direct supervisor or HR may send a welcome email, arrange a team lunch, and schedule a round of introductory meetings for the first week. The boxes get checked, and the process is declared complete. And then, qu

The month of May signals change and growth. Flowers begin to bloom, the weather grows warmer (though that may be debatable in the Midwest), and people start spending more time outdoors. For many organizations, May signals something else entirely: the close of a fiscal year, the end of a program cycle, or, most critically, a leadership transition. When a leadership departure is confirmed, a common reaction is to move quickly to fill the role. That is understandable, as there i

By March, many organizations have moved from planning (setting goals, defining strategy, and establishing priorities) to execution. This testing and implementation phase can be exciting, and also expose where additional alignment is needed to achieve those goals, especially through shifting workloads, evolving expectations, and refining cultural norms. It’s common to interpret this process as an operations challenge. However, it’s usually something more fundamental: the strat

As organizations refine priorities, restructure teams, build capacity, or prepare for growth, hiring often follows. But before drafting a job description, there’s a more strategic question to answer: What is this role truly meant to accomplish? Too often, we see organizations begin with a template. Meaning, a familiar title is selected, responsibilities are listed, qualifications are added, and the position goes live. However, if the role isn’t fully defined (its priority,

One of the simplest leadership metaphors I’ve come back to recently is this: Having the right people on the boat only matters if everyone is rowing in the same direction. Which raises an important question: Are we clear on where we’re going and how we expect people to get there together? Too often, organizations focus exclusively on who is on the team (the individual, title, or role being filled) without enough clarity about what they’re collectively optimizing for . Getting

The first few weeks of a new hire often determine everything that follows. Yet for many organizations, onboarding still follows an unspoken rule: If you’re smart enough, you’ll figure it out . Too often, new hires are expected to navigate complexity, build trust, dive into the work, and deliver results without enough clarity, context, or structured support. This “rites of passage” approach is sometimes mistaken for resilience-building. In reality, it can slow a person’s abi

As organizations navigate shifting priorities, budget constraints, and evolving demands, many are turning to a creative solution that feels both practical and efficient: consolidating two leadership roles and departments into one. This approach is becoming increasingly common to expand capacity without compromising mission and impact. We’ve seen positions that merge operations with human resources, development with communications, or strategy with people performance. On pap

When markets shift, many organizations respond with the same reflex: pause hiring, freeze spending, and wait for clarity. On paper, it’s logical to move cautiously. In practice, it can quietly stifle progress, performance, institutional knowledge, and team alignment, which are essential for sustainability and growth. The real risk of playing it safe is that short-term caution can create long-term fragility when operating from a reactive and scarcity mindset. If investing i

You’ve interviewed top candidates for a leadership role, extended an offer, and they’ve accepted. You and your team are excited for them to start and move the organization closer to shared goals. One week before their start date, you receive an email saying they are rescinding their acceptance letter. You’re devastated and frustrated, and now you have to rehire for this position. Does this sound familiar? According to a Gartner survey shared by SHRM , over 50% of candidates w

Imagine this: You’re preparing to interview a promising candidate. As part of your routine prep, you conduct a quick Google search and discover something concerning in their past work history. Do you bring it up? Or do you proceed without addressing it? This moment presents a critical decision point—not just for the interview but also for how your organization approaches leadership, transparency, and building trust. How you navigate the conversation can either disengage a s

Have new opportunities emerged, allowing you to reimagine your processes or infrastructure? Or are you finding that gaps in your team's skillsets are pushing your capacity, making it difficult to hit your targeted goals? Whether your organization is scaling up or striving for greater efficiency, a thoughtful approach to organizational design is essential. At the heart of this process is keeping your end goal—and most importantly, your team—front and center of the decision-mak

In a constantly evolving world where career trajectories intertwine with organizations' pivots and revitalizations, navigating uncharted territories can feel like taking agility to another level. However, amidst this unpredictability, a competency design can serve as a guiding principle that not only anchors direction but also unites people and provides clarity - for both the candidate and the hiring organization. Quick survey: Have you ever been part of a hiring process whe

Scenario: You've hired a new employee to your team, and they resign within 30-90 days. Has this happened to you? The bigger question is: Why did this happen? There could be various reasons, ranging from ineffective hiring practices (i.e., not probing the right competencies around skill, culture, relationships, and mindset; ignoring red flags due to urgency to fill a role; the list can go on) to harmful culture behaviors. So how can you avoid this problem? Many organizatio

As champions of effective organizational transformation through people investment, understanding the nuances of change acceptance and integration is paramount for sustained success. From navigating leadership change and adopting new initiatives to fully integrating a new hire into an organization to "level up" the work, the approach for collective buy-in can make or break a plan. While methodologies and techniques are crucial, we believe that the heart of any meaningful chang

Organizations often approach us to support a leadership search or create equitable hiring practices to diversify staff. This is great for organizations to be a true reflection of society. However, hiring the right leader who is aligned with a role and vision is a fraction of an organization's success. The most critical component of an organization's sustainability is having a talent management plan invested in their team's success to support identified goals connected to the

As a child, I distinctly recall singing a double-dutch song with pride in playgrounds, stating, “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage”. I also remember watching ‘A Different World' to gain insight into the lives of college students at an HBCU, which I saw as a pathway to promising careers and social status. Interestingly enough, these songs and shows left an impression on what happiness and success looked like, and influenced a mental

2020 was one of a kind. We found ourselves navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, fighting systemic issues, and reprioritizing what seemed like every part of our lives (family, health, finances, and more). Specifically in the business realm, most companies had to pivot to a virtual environment and readjust to meet the various needs of their employees. While much has changed, one thing that has remained the same is the importance of successful onboarding for new employees. As we en

Merriam-Webster defines trust as an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. It is a noun that becomes a verb based on intentional investment in someone’s interests and well-being, which in return keeps them engaged, honest, and loyal. For me, My 5-year-old son trusts that I will be there to encourage him when he is unsure, and that I have a plethora of Welch’s fruit snacks, Honest or Capri Sun juice, and PB&J sandwiches on dec

That ‘B” is Bias, and a killer for changing learned habits.

One of the most important decisions you can make is starting the year off strong with a positive work culture.