Most companies invest heavily in employee development—and still see little to no change in performance. Workshops get attended, courses get completed, but behavior stays the same. After two decades in corporate leadership, including senior roles at Google, I learned why most skills development fails and what actually leads to real growth. This post challenges common training myths and introduces a practical, results-focused approach to developing employees in ways that improve retention, productivity, and engagement—without wasting time or budget on programs that don’t stick.

For twenty years, I swam. I planned every stroke, color-coded every calendar slot, and controlled every outcome. My reviews said "exceeds expectations," but I was drowning. Here is the paradox nobody tells you: The higher you climb, the harder you swim, but the less you actually lead. Discover the 5 critical shifts to move from the exhaustion of management to the sustainable impact of "floating."

Every holiday, people post gratitude lists while quietly drowning in expectations, exhaustion, and the pressure to “hold it all together.” Last year, a client called me from the frozen aisle at Whole Foods—crying between the turkeys and ice cream—because she was hosting a Thanksgiving she didn’t want. She’s not alone. Whether at home or at work, we perform gratitude instead of honoring what we actually need. This season, remember: you’re allowed to choose rest over performance.