Hey, it's Rachel Cook, your modern mentor. I'm the founder of Lead Above Noise, a firm

specializing in retaining, engaging, and developing talent. You know, the past few years have

done a number on the world of employees in the workplace. One day, we're resigning, we're reckoning,

and the next we're climbing through a recession.

Feels like no one really knows which way is up anymore. And my work gives me visibility into both the employee and the leadership perspective. Funny thing is, we all want the same thing. Employees

and companies both want to create spaces for great work, for connectivity and belonging, for health, for wellness,

for innovation. We all just need to get on the same page. Today I'd love to share the four

principles that have most influenced my work over the past couple years, my recommendations,

my programs, and my coaching with clients. And whether you're in a leadership

role or just a citizen trying to do amazing work, I hope one or more of these resonate with you.

First, just start with simplicity, always. Simplicity lies at the root of so much of what I teach

and preach, but that's only because it works.

I feel like I'm still watching too many organizations overplan, over-engineer, and over-spend on shiny,

splashy things, when really all their teams want is some more efficiency, more connection.

Last year, one client came to me saying, we don't get it.

We know our people are hungry for more coaching.

We heard it loud and clear in our engagement survey.

So we launched this amazing new virtual coaching platform.

And then they went on to explain to me how an employee could just sign up,

and they'd be matched with a virtual coach. They could chat online with that coach and

on and on. But the problem was very few people were using it. So I asked them, have you considered

testing out some peer coaching circles? You know, giving your teams the basic tools they need

...