The warning signs are rarely loud.

Not showing up on time. A little more tension in meetings. A shift in tone that’s hard to name, but easy to feel.

This week, one of my virtual coffee chats left a lasting impression. She said:

I didn’t realize how much I loved my team until my supervisor left. When she was gone, everything changed. Suddenly I had no buffer from a toxic executive. I thought the environment I loved was company-wide, but it was just one person shielding me.

It was a reminder I return to often:
Your team’s experience isn’t shaped by the mission statement.
It’s shaped by the people leading day to day, including your managers.

The most successful organizations don’t just talk about values. They build systems and habits that reinforce them. They train leaders at every level to pay attention, model the behavior they want repeated, and acknowledge and reward their team members for doing the same.

And when those leaders leave?

What’s underneath becomes visible—fast.

So what are you missing?

By the time performance drops or your top people are already looking elsewhere, the damage has often been building for weeks or months.

That’s why I created the Weekly Pulse Checklist. It’s a simple 3-part reflection tool to help you catch those subtle shifts early, and course-correct before things unravel.

It reminds leaders to ask themselves:

Energy – Are people engaged or just showing up?
Friction – What’s slowing progress or blocking collaboration?
Alignment – Are decisions matching what we say matters?

It’s not a diagnostic. It’s a leadership habit.

Download it here
Then block 5 minutes on your calendar to use it this week.

Want to go deeper?

In this week’s episode of Collaborative Culture, Monica and I ask a big question:

What is culture, really?

Because before you can shape it or fix it—you have to understand what it is (and what it isn’t).
Hint: it’s not about office perks, slogans, or forced fun.

We dig into where shared behavior actually comes from, and how leaders unknowingly reinforce the very dynamics they’re trying to change.

🎙️ Listen to Episode 2: "Defining Culture—Beyond Perks, Posters, and Vibes" available here or wherever you listen to podcasts.

☕ Final Call: 30 Coffees in July

If you’ve been meaning to reach out—now’s the time.

I’ve got a few open spots left in my 30 Coffees in July challenge. These are casual conversations with founders, managers, and change makers. No agenda. No pitch. Just real talk about what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.

📩 Book your coffee chat here 
Let’s connect before the month ends.

P.S. I'm putting the final touches on a free session for business owners and team leads who want to build environments that actually stick—not just sound good. More on that next week…