Melissa A. Leick

I recently had the opportunity to join the OrgDesign Podcast live from the Organization Design Forum - Org Design Festival to what turned out to be the final recording of the event and one of my favorite professional conversations. If you know me, you know I love a good Podcast. And better yet, would welcome the opportunity to host my very own. Stay tuned on that. No matter what profession you are in or what industry you might find yourself working within, this 15-minute listen is worth your time. In our conversation, we took the time to go deep on key topics: ✅ My non-linear journey into organizational design. ✅ What it takes to lead change at scale ✅ Importance of employee listening - it shouldn't be optional, AND it's a strategic enabler. ✅ How rethinking structure can help any organization, big or small, achieve success. Organizational design is far more than just boxes and lines on a chart; it's about enabling leaders, engagement and collaboration. When design lags, transformation and engagement can stall. When design leads, it can accelerate almost anything. 🎧 If you are navigating simple or complex, scale or transformation, and wondering how to make org design a piece of your puzzle, take a listen. This episode is for you. 🎧 #orgdesign #orgdesignforum #HRleadership

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Anne Sample - so many excellent points that we can all learn from - those looking for their next chapter later in their career or current working professionals - generationally agnostic. I love how you've boiled it down to: - actionable steps (develop a plan, updated linkedin profile, etc) - sharing that networking is a way to "pay it forward", prevent loneliness, and alleviate stress - and frankly, the benefits when our overthinking brains prevent us from fostering connections. Benefits such as - giving back, discovering new opportunities to learn, and demonstrating leadership and expertise To your point... the previous six years have been disruptive and created disconnectedness in many ways. As the next few months unfold, we should be thinking about the types of people we want to be networking with and start taking steps to make it happen!

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Glad to hear similar stories! I've shifted all my workflows to run through organized context folders in Claude Code. Now the actual work is mostly... thinking about the story? Reading content and figuring out how to connect the dots. Isn't that exactly what thinkers are supposed to do? :) Turns out we've spent years doing strange tasks that didn't actually add value. And the frameworks become shareable and adjustable on the fly. Your point about relational commons is exactly spot-on - once the execution cost drops, the differentiator really does shift to building better stories around shared artifacts.

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HR is often underestimated. That’s a leadership problem. In Episode 38 of the Unfiltered HR Series, Jeffrey & Emily get real about how HR in startups and smaller companies is seen as either compliance police or order takers. The truth is that HR gets ignored when it doesn’t demonstrate strategic clarity and operational backbone. https://lnkd.in/gGcfiTkR But when HR steps up and aligns people systems with business needs, it becomes the engine that prevents costly drift and builds real capability. What can internal OrgDev & OrgDesign do? 1. Build HR into the architecture of decision-making: How to: - Redesign meeting structures and strategy cycles so HR is not an afterthought but a co-creator of future capacity, risk mitigation, and team strength. 2. Make the value of HR visible, not assumed: How to: - Co-create a shared service agreement with functional leaders, outlining what HR does, how it supports business goals, and what to expect. Then deliver on it. 3. Equip HR to act, not just advise: How to: - Provide learning loops, data dashboards, and coaching that help HR professionals develop muscle for influence, systems thinking, and strategic execution. This isn’t about fixing HR. It’s about using OrgDesign to clarify its role in how the business grows and adapts. #OrganizationDesign #OrganizationDevelopment #StrategicHR #PeopleAndCulture #InternalConsulting #HR

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Culture isn’t built in workshops. It’s built in the everyday. This week I’m prepping for our Town Hall. Slides. Calendars. Milestones. The big stuff. But culture doesn’t shift in big moments. It shifts in the small ones. * How we respond to mistakes. * How safe people feel to speak up. * Whether we keep our promises. * How consistently we show up. Not the posters. Not the speeches. Not the strategy deck. Consistency beats intensity. Every time. The culture playbook isn’t a document. It’s what we do — daily.

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Why Workplace Culture Matters. We can’t afford to allow toxic or hard work environments to exist. What you permit today becomes the culture tomorrow. One day, our own daughters and sons will walk the halls of employment. They will step into workplaces shaped by the standards we set right now. Think about it: what you allowed the least of them to endure — the overlooked intern, the underpaid worker, the silenced employee — could one day be your daughter or son… and no one will be there to protect them. Creating a safe, respectful, and supportive workplace is not optional. It’s a responsibility. It’s stewardship. It’s love for the next generation. Let’s be leaders who build environments where dignity is the default and where no one has to suffer in silence. Because the legacy we leave behind will be the atmosphere our children inherit.

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I talk a lot about culture because I genuinely love helping companies build work environments where people feel valued, supported, and excited to show up each day. If we spend the majority of our time at work, why not make it a place we actually look forward to? A place where our contributions matter. Where voices are heard. Where people feel seen, not just managed. Work should not be only about productivity. It should also be about purpose, connection, and growth. Culture is not a perk or a poster. It is how people feel every single day when they walk through the door. And when culture is toxic, the cost is high: You lose great people. You lose trust. You lose momentum. Toxicity leads to turnover, disengagement, poor performance, and burnout. The good news is that culture is a choice. And it starts with leadership.

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Early in my career, I believed leadership was about availability, speed, and carrying more than my share. Being indispensable looked like impact. Over time, I learned that scale requires something else. Preparation over presence. Judgment over volume. Clarity over urgency. The most effective leaders don’t absorb everything. They decide what matters, what can wait, and what must move. They create capacity, in the business and in the people around them. This shift is quiet. It rarely shows up in org charts. But it’s the difference between working in the role and truly leading it. Where is your attention actually creating enterprise value right now?

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As I continue my journey with listening and reading Brené Brown’s newest book, Strong Ground, I’ve been struck by four things (well, honestly, I’ve been struck by way more than that, but these four keep resonating!) and thought I would share them: 1. Openness to learning is critical to developing as a leader. I keep reflecting on how I can create space for myself and those around me to lean into learning. 2. Practicing what I’m learning can be as simple as explaining a concept to someone else or connecting an idea to action or outcome I’ve experienced. And the best practice always includes feedback. 3. Sometimes relearning is more impactful than learning the first time. Being open to rethinking, considering other perspectives or just having different teachers can shift what and how we learn more deeply. 4. Learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The best learning comes through exploration and conversation with people who are curious and willing to challenge ideas. As I think about how much time I spend on action and reaction, versus how much time I spend on listening, thinking and practicing, I am quickly reminded that intention creates impact so how do I want to be more intentional? I’m grateful for leaders who lean in with me and for Sunday coaching conversations with Valarie Vest, who reminded me to prioritize the time to think and practice and also, to have some fun!

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Burnout is Real! As we approach the end of Q1, one word has quietly surfaced in many of my recent conversations with leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs—especially female leaders: ‘burnout’. Interestingly, some describe the feeling without even naming it. But let’s call it what it is. Burnout is that state where you feel mentally drained, emotionally exhausted, and physically depleted from prolonged stress—when even the things you once handled with ease start to feel overwhelming, and your energy tank stays on empty no matter how much you try to push through. It doesn’t always show up loudly. Sometimes, it’s subtle—reduced motivation, constant fatigue, irritability, or simply feeling “off.” As we wrap up Q1 and almost stepping into Q2, this is your reminder: 1. Prioritise your well-being. 2. Rest without guilt. 3. Move your body—exercise is not a luxury. 4. Make time for things that bring you joy. 5. Plan ahead to reduce last-minute pressure and unnecessary stress. 6. Delegate, delegate, and delegate some more. 7. And most importantly, learn to say ‘no’ when you need to. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Sustainable success requires a sustainable you. Let’s not just chase results this year—let’s protect the people delivering them. #BurnoutAwareness #Leadership #Wellbeing #Q1Reflection #Q2Focus #SelfCare #SustainableSuccess

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