Todd Richardson is the CEO of EDGE Mentoring, a non-profit organization connecting generations in meaningful mentoring relationships.

In this episode, Todd and Nikki discuss the importance of developing the whole person–the professional, personal, and spiritual self–and the tremendous impact it has on engagement.

Truth You Can Act On

1. Spend half your one-on-one meetings having real conversations about the person's well-being.

[00:07:43]I had a colleague, dear, dear friend, um, Les Gleaves, who was a lifelong professional development guru. And whenever. We would meet, he would take a deep breath before saying his first word and ask, how are you? And he asked it in a way required more than a one word answer. You know, I asked my kids every day when they come home from school, how was school? And the reality is. It's more out of repetition and more out of kind of requirement and routine where I say, you know, have a school, I am expecting a good answer.[00:08:42]

2. Personally check in with your people frequently–at least every other day.

[17:37] I try to make it a point to reach out to each of my employees, at least every other day in daily. I can. And it doesn't have to be anything more than a Hey, checking in on you. Hope all is well today. Let me know if I can be of assistance, but I think what happens is we all escape too. You know, the dark corners of our houses and apartments and condos, and it's easy to get isolated into like your on an Island. [18:09]

3. Create space for employees to connect with each other.

[19:39] as leaders, one thing that we can really push on is create the space and the opportunity for employees to devise and come up with affinity groups that are important to them, and then allow them to play leadership roles. It allows them to. Show up to the office show up to the, you know, whether it's live or, and to be able to ring others in the workplace together around topics that are important to them. [20:08]

Book Recommendations:

• Worthless Elimination of Hurry by John Komar

• Halftime by Bob Buford and Jim Collins

• The Second Mountain by David Brooks

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