Lead Culture with Jenni Catron

In this episode of Lead Culture, Jenni Catron shares what she learned during an extended summer break and why stepping back can be essential for sustainable leadership. She reflects on the tension between doing and being, the challenge of slowing down, and how time away revealed deeper questions about purpose, significance, and identity.Jenni opens with a reminder that culture does not take care of itself and that leaders must lead with intention. She then shares how her sabbatical included time with friends and family, reading, rest, and intentional disconnection from social media, email, and Slack. Even though the break was restful, it also surfaced a struggle many overachievers face: feeling significant only when they are productive.A major takeaway from the episode is that nothing magical happened on sabbatical — and that was the point. Instead of chasing big ideas or a new vision, Jenni focused on stillness, presence, and making space for what matters most. She describes how this time helped her recognize the importance of creative space, mental rest, and the right-brain work of meaning-making and reflection.Jenni also connects her personal experience to a broader cultural insight, referencing Arthur Brooks’ research on how modern life often overvalues efficiency and problem-solving while undernourishing meaning, creativity, and human connection. She shares how this tension was made even more vivid in the wake of an EF3 tornado in her community, where people rallied together and reminded her that people are the point.
Key Takeaways
Healthy leaders need rhythms that sustain them.
Rest is productive when it creates space for meaning and clarity.
Leaders often confuse being with doing.
Creativity, stillness, and reflection are essential leadership practices.
People should remain the priority, even in busy or crisis-filled seasons.
Questions Jenni Asks Leaders
What can you do that disrupts your rhythms and lowers your heart rate?
How can you disconnect your doing from your being?
Are you making space for quiet, creativity, and presence?
What rhythms do you need to lead in a healthy, sustainable way?
Resources Mentioned
Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
The Sabbatical Journey by Alan Briggs
The Meaning of Life by Arthur Brooks
Jenni’s book Clout: Discover and Unleash Your God-given Influence
Closing Encouragement
Jenni ends by encouraging leaders to protect the rhythms that keep them healthy, purposeful, and present — not only for their own well-being, but for the health of their teams and cultures. To connect with Jenni, email jennicatron@get4sight.com.
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As the 4Sight Group celebrates its 10th anniversary and Jenni Catron marks a personal milestone year, she shares why she is stepping away for a four-week sabbatical for the first time in her career.
In this honest conversation, Jenni reflects on nearly three decades of nonstop work, the lessons she has learned about burnout, and the importance of creating margin before exhaustion forces it. She discusses what led her to make this decision, what she hopes to gain from the experience, and how intentional rest can help leaders gain perspective, renew their energy, and lead well for the long haul.
Whether a month-long sabbatical feels possible or not, this episode offers a challenge for every leader: What would intentional rest look like for you this summer? From disconnecting on vacation to stepping away from social media or simply creating space to slow down, Jenni encourages listeners to prioritize rhythms of rest that support healthy leadership and thriving organizations.
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In this episode, Jenni sits down with Dr. William Attaway, CEO of Appreciation at Work, for a conversation about what it really means to help people feel seen, known, and valued at work.
Drawing from decades of leadership coaching and his work with organizations across a wide range of industries, William shares why appreciation is different from recognition—and why that distinction matters more than most leaders realize. Together, Jenni and William explore how appreciation impacts employee engagement, retention, productivity, and trust, while offering practical ways leaders can build cultures where people thrive.
You'll hear insights on:
 Why recognition rewards performance, but appreciation values the person 
 How leaders can maintain both high accountability and genuine encouragement 
 The connection between clarity, trust, and employee engagement 
 Why self-awareness is one of the most important leadership disciplines 
 What healthy leaders do consistently that struggling leaders often neglect 
 How to navigate workplace uncertainty and technological change without losing the human element of leadership 
Throughout the conversation, Jenni and William reinforce a core leadership truth: culture is built one interaction at a time. When people feel seen, heard, and valued, they engage more deeply, contribute more fully, and help create the kind of culture everyone wants to be part of.
Dr. William Attaway is the CEO of Appreciation at Work, founder of Catalytic Leadership, author of Catalytic Leadership: 12 Keys to Becoming an Intentional Leader Who Makes a Difference, and host of the Catalytic Leadership Podcast. Learn more about his work at appreciationatwork.com and catalyticleadership.net.
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What happens to workplace culture during the summer? 
In this episode, Jenni Catron explores how leaders can work with the rhythms of summer instead of fighting against them. 
Learn practical ways to improve employee engagement, prevent team disengagement, and strengthen organizational culture through intentional leadership. 
Jenni shares five simple but powerful strategies including flexible schedules, smarter meetings, summer team activities, and prioritizing high-impact work that can help leaders boost morale and maintain momentum during the busiest vacation season of the year.
Download the Summer Engagement Conversation Guide

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What does it actually take to build a remarkable team?
In this episode, Jenni Catron talks with Slingshot Group CEO Tim Foot about the patterns they’ve both seen across hundreds of teams including what works, what doesn’t, and where things tend to break down.
Tim shares the seven key signatures of remarkable teams, along with the common traps that quietly stall progress. From misalignment and unclear messaging to avoiding healthy conflict, this conversation helps you see where your team may be getting stuck and what to do about it.
At the center of it all is a simple idea: if your mission matters, your team matters more.
The Biggest Takeaways:
 The 7 key signatures that shape healthy, high-performing teams 
 Why team awareness matters just as much as self-awareness 
 Where most teams drift out of alignment (and how to catch it early) 
 The difference between functional teams and teams that produce real impact 
 How to approach conflict in a way that strengthens—not fractures—your team 
Next Steps
 Take the team assessment: reachingforremarkable.com
 Get the book: Reaching for Remarkable by Tim Foot 
 Share this episode with your team and use it to start a conversation 
About Our Guest
Tim Foot is CEO and President of Slingshot Group, where he works with organizations to build strong, healthy teams through staffing and coaching. His work focuses on helping leaders move teams from simply getting by to doing meaningful, aligned work together. You can learn more about Tim here. 
We need your help to get the LeadCulture podcasts in front of more leaders! There are three simple things you can do that truly help us:
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