Impact60 And Your Future Leaders

It’s no secret that cultivating a talented pool of future leaders is essential for an organization’s success. Yet, most struggle with the training and development of current leaders, much less planning for who’s next in the leadership chain. Add to it the challenge of training the younger generations, Millennials and Gen Z, who are used to learning in an entirely different way than traditional methods.

But don’t be fooled: Millennials and Gen Z value training and upskilling. In fact, it’s essential for their job satisfaction and willingness to stick around. One recent study found that 79% of Gen Z employees and 75% of Millennials said they’d actively look for a new job if their current employer didn’t offer upskilling opportunities.

That doesn’t mean that traditional, lengthy training sessions filled with PowerPoint presentations are going to cut it. These traits that define the younger generations are what they expect when it comes to learning:

  • Digital Natives: Millennials and Gen Z grew up with technology and expect digital experiences in their learning.
  • Purpose-Driven: They needs to understand the “why” behind training initiatives.
  • Work-Life Balance: Millennials and Gen Z prioritize flexibility in when and how they learn.
  • Feedback-Oriented: Regular performance feedback and recognition are crucial.

And the big one: time and efficiency. Millennials and Gen Z don’t want to spend hours in a classroom sitting and listening to a trainer. They do much better with shorter “bursts” of learning that fit training into their schedules without being overwhelming. That’s why Leah M Joppy and Associates has created Impact60, a series of 1-hour, highly focused, skills-based courses covering a variety of leadership topics. It’s an ideal way to start building your future pool of leaders while meeting them on their terms and expectations. Call us at 301-351-9523 or leah@lmja.com to receive course descriptions and pricing information.

Helping Leaders Lead In A Fraction Of The Time

Place someone in a leadership position and they may survive, but teach them how to lead, and they’ll thrive. In other words, effective leadership doesn’t just happen. It takes training and focused development.

Too often, organizations promote team members to leadership roles without making an investment in building their leadership skill set. And it can cause all kinds of problems: frustration on the part of the leader, poor morale from team members and an overall breakdown in communication.

To succeed, leaders need to build these 7 key leadership skills:

  • Build relationships: Create partnerships, build trust and share ideas.
  • Develop people: Help others become more effective through strength development and coaching.
  • Drive change: Embrace change and set goals that align with a well-communicated vision.
  • Inspire others: Encourage others through positivity, confidence and recognition.
  • Think critically: Gather and evaluate information that leads to smart decisions.
  • Communicate clearly: Share information regularly and concisely.
  • Create accountability: Hold yourself and your team responsible for performance.

As you can see, the list is made up of soft skills (personal traits and abilities that determine how well you work, collaborate and communicate with others). They aren’t something a leader is necessarily born with, but fortunately they can be developed through strategic and focused training.

The good news is that leadership training doesn’t have to mean hours (or days) sitting in a class, missing work and having to play catch up. ‘Short courses’ are an increasingly popular way to develop and enhance leadership skills in a fraction of the time. Designed to upskill leaders rapidly, these focused training programs are flexible, practical and targeted. And leaders can start implementing what they’ve learned right away.

Sound interesting? Leah M Joppy and Associates has created Impact60, a series of 1-hour, highly focused, skills-based courses covering a variety of leadership topics. More learning, more impact and less time away from the day-to-day!  Call us at 301-351-9523 or leah@lmja.com to receive course descriptions and pricing information.

Impact60: One-Hour Leadership Series

Welcome to Impact60—a virtual, focused, 60-minute leadership series designed to help managers and employees make a meaningful impact where it matters most: in your work, your team, and your organization.

Leadership isn’t defined by a title. It shows up in how we communicate, how we make decisions, how we respond to challenges, and how we support one another. Whether you manage people, projects, or simply your own responsibilities, your actions influence outcomes every day.

Each Impact60 session is intentionally short, practical, and actionable. In just one hour, we’ll explore a single leadership concept, break it down into real-world behaviors, and identify clear steps you can apply immediately. No theory overload—just insights that translate into impact.

This series is built for managers and employees alike because strong leadership cultures are created when everyone is engaged, accountable, and aligned. Managers will gain tools to lead with clarity and confidence, while employees will strengthen their ability to influence, collaborate, and take ownership.

Our goal is simple:
60 minutes. One powerful idea. Real impact.

The following Impact60 sessions are offered in condensed 60-minute sessions.  These  instructor-led sessions will focus on creating awareness of the topic and provide key skills and tools. It will also provide interactive activities to foster connection and opportunities for reflection and Q&A.  Sessions are virtual.  We are currently offering the following titles.

For All Employees

  • Reestablishing Routine and Expectations
  • Overcoming Compassion Fatigue
  • Effective Communication Foundation
  • Adapting to Change
  • Leading From Where You Are

For Managers/Supervisors

  • Creating an Inclusive Environment
  • Change Management Fundamentals
  • Conflict Management: Managing Expectations.  Pre-requisite required: completion of TKI workshop.

The Three Drivers of Motivation: A Leadership Series (3 × 60-Minute Workshops)

Motivation doesn’t happen by accident, and it isn’t driven by incentives alone. Research shows that employee motivation and engagement are shaped by three core psychological drivers: psychological safety, psychological meaningfulness, and psychological availability. Together, these drivers determine whether individuals feel safe to engage, motivated to engage, and capable of engaging at work.

For course objectives and pricing, contact us at lmjainc@gmail.com or call 301-351-9523.

Impactful Training Capsulized

Another Netflix binge. Another hour shopping online. Another hour lost scrolling. After a challenging 2025 for so many of us, we’re looking for ways to use our time in a more constructive and fulfilling way. And what better way than taking classes to build new skills?

But who has the time to sit through weeks of coursework? Fortunately, there’s a highly effective – and proven – way to increase your knowledge and skill base without a huge time investment. Focused training broken down into micro series of capsulized learning is the answer.

Focused courses are an increasingly popular way to foster growth in a fraction of the time. Designed to upskill team members rapidly, these attentive training programs are flexible, practical and targeted. And they yield measurable outcomes, making them a worthy investment for organizations.

In a 2019 study, Gallup discovered that one of the most important factors in creating a high-performance workplace is cultivating a culture that values the growth of individuals. Gallup found organizations that made a strategic investment in employee development report 11% greater profitability and are twice as likely to retain their employees.

These manageable courses are not just an investment in your teams’ professional growth — they’re a commitment to your organization’s success. By fostering a culture of learning, you ensure everyone is ready to tackle future challenges. And if 2025 taught us anything, it’s that challenges can come at us quickly and fiercely!

Sound interesting? Leah M Joppy and Associates has created Impact60, a micro series of highly focused, skills-based courses covering a variety of leadership topics, such as Managing Compassion Fatigue, Foundation of Effective Communication, and Adapting to Change, to name a few. More impact in less time!

Learn more by calling us at 301-351-9523 or email us at leah@lmja.com.

Focused Training For Greater Retention

While the idea of skills-based development and training sounds so appealing and a worthy investment, what’s the one thing that holds us back? Time. We’re already being pulled in a thousand different directions and the prospect of adding something else, even though we know it could be incredibly beneficial, just doesn’t seem possible. So, we put it on the backburner or forget about it all together.

Fortunately, there is a solution and it comes in the form of short courses. And the benefits are numerous. This month, we’ll break down some of the biggest ones:

Teaches in less time, but with lots of impact

As we all know, time is a precious commodity, and capsulized courses meet the need for skills-based learning in a fraction of the time. Students often report higher levels of retention when courses are offered in smaller, focused ‘chunks’, rather than longer, drawn-out lessons.

Offers rapid skill acquisition

Short courses are designed to meet the needs of fast-moving organizations. They allow team members to acquire new skills quickly and start putting that knowledge to work right away.

Addresses skill gaps

Every organization has areas where skills are lacking. Every leader, both new and seasoned, has areas where they could use some support. Capsulized learning provides a practical solution to bridge these gaps in a format that doesn’t require a huge commitment of time and resources.

Boosts confidence

Learning new skills and knowledge can boost team members’ confidence and self-esteem, particularly those new to leadership roles. And it can have a positive impact on all aspects of a person’s life, not just work performance.

Ready to start putting the power of short courses to work for your organization? Leah M Joppy and Associates has created Impact60, a series of highly focused, skills-based courses covering a variety of leadership topics such as Leading From Where You Are, The 3 Drivers of Motivation, and many more. More impact in less time!

Call us at 301 -351-9523 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn what we’re offering and how we can help your organization.

Reconnect With What Matters!

If you’ve felt like the past year has been an emotional roller coaster of uncertainty and anxiety, you’re not alone. As we get ready to flip the calendar, now’s an ideal time to reflect and reset with purpose. Setting goals for 2026 isn’t about reinventing yourself. It’s about reconnecting with what matters and building a plan that you will actually follow through on.

Set aside some time and really think about your habits, attitudes and well-being routine over the past months. Write down (or make a note in your phone) some points that you can continuously refer to when inspiration strikes.

First, let’s start by reflecting on where you are today. Here’s a few questions to get you started:

  • What patterns do you notice in your current life?
  • Which areas feel fulfilling?
  • Which areas feel out of alignment?

Once you’ve taken a clear look at your life today, the next step is vision. Not just what you want to achieve, but how you want to feel and live. Here are some more questions to consider:

  • What habits/routines/attitudes will you stop?
  • What will you start?
  • What will you continue to do?

Finally, choose one clear priority and write a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound) goal around it.

  • What progress could you make in the next 90 days that would feel meaningful?
  • Which areas of life need the most attention right now?

Setting goals and making meaningful change can seem like an impossible feat when we feel like we can barely keep our heads above water. But you don’t have to do it alone. In our next article, we’ll look at why an accountability partner is an invaluable part of the process and sets you up for success. And that’s where working with a coach, like Leah M Joppy and Associates, can help.

Ready to shake off 2025 and walk into 2026 with a fresh perspective and strong action plan? Learn more by calling us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com.

Starting Off 2026 With An Accountability Partner

December can be a very busy month, but it’s also an ideal time to look back on the past year and think about what worked, what didn’t and some areas you’d like to change in 2026. After reading our last article, maybe you’ve identified one key goal you’d like to focus on and you’re motivated to get started!

But if you’re like most of us, you start a goal with the best of intentions and then life gets in the way and your efforts fizzle out. It can be difficult to hold ourselves accountable for our own goals. That’s where an accountability partner can make all the difference.

So, what exactly is an accountability partner?

Simply put, it’s someone who acts as a coach, a cheerleader and a confidant to help you achieve a goal. And the benefits of having an accountability partner are numerous:

  • Provides support and encouragement
  • Breaks you out of your comfort zone
  • Stops the cycle of procrastination
  • Keeps you motivated when the going gets tough

But not all accountability partners are created equal. You want to look for someone who has some specific characteristics:

  • Encouraging
  • Sees great potential in you
  • Challenging
  • Compassionate (but not TOO compassionate!)
  • Willing to give constructive feedback
  • Gives you a break when setbacks happen and gets you back on track

Maybe you can think of someone who fits the bill. Or maybe you have no idea who can fill such large shoes. Working with a coach, like Leah M Joppy and Associates, provides a source of motivation and encouragement, while also helping you create a realistic action plan and keeping you accountable.

Ready to say goodbye to 2025 and start the New Year with renewed purpose and enthusiasm? Call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com to learn more!

The Uncertainty Of The Shutdown

As humans, we are wired to seek predictability, control and clarity. But with the current government shutdown, we are dealing with the exact opposite: questions, fears and high levels of uncertainty. It can have a big impact on your life, particularly on your physical and mental health. We’ve looked at how uncertainty and negativity can impact our lives in some of our past articles, but given our current situation, let’s revisit its impact and what we can do to help ourselves work through it.

Negative thoughts and emotions are a natural response to challenges in our life, but extended periods can result in physical and mental health issues. Negativity sends our body into ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. We deal with stressful situations by releasing cortisol into the bloodstream, making us more alert and focused. And although some stress is good for us, extended periods of negativity can cause a number of side effects, including:

  • Slower digestion and upset stomach
  • Irritability
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Decrease in the immune system’s ability to fight inflammation
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep problems or insomnia
  • Changes in metabolism (i.e. overeating or under-eating)

You’re probably wondering if there is any way to break the cycle, particularly right now. Negativity is a habit and, luckily, most habits can be broken with awareness, motivation to change and putting in the work. Here are 3 ways to get started:

  • Manage your expectations: When we expect things to work out one way and they don’t, we set ourselves up for disappointment. That’s why we don’t want to place a lot of specific expectations on an outcome we can’t predict. By managing our expectations, we’re able to be more resilient when change inevitably happens. 
  • Monitor your social media time: Be mindful of the time you spend on social media and how it makes you feel. You can even set a timer on your phone to set limits for scrolling. Think about replacing “doom scrolling” with something that brings you happiness and fulfillment. We’ll look at some ways to use our newfound “free time” in our next article.
  • Let negative thoughts come and go – and question their accuracy: First of all, allow yourself to have negative thoughts. It’s natural when you’re dealing with stress and upheaval. Acknowledge the thoughts and then let them go. Also, question whether your thoughts and concerns are even true. So often, we allow our emotions to become truth and let them dictate how we react to situations.

The stressors of the past month have caused many of us to feel like we’re in ‘fight or flight’ mode. It can be challenging dealing with the day-to-day, much less feel like you can plan for the future. Sometimes you need some extra support to feel like you’re moving forward. That’s where working with a coach, like Leah M Joppy and Associates can help. You can’t change what’s happening in the workplace, but you can find ways to feel less ‘stuck’ and move towards your goals.

Learn more by calling us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com.

Conquering Anxiety

As we move into November and the second month of the government shutdown, the stress and anxiety can feel incredibly difficult day-in and day-out. Our routines have been upended and our days can feel long. By the time you’re reading this, the government may be open again (here’s hoping!) and we can get back to work. But it’s always helpful to look at how we use our free time outside of the office and if we’re taking time to care for ourselves both mentally and physically. Here are a few ideas to consider if you’re struggling right now:

  • Build in some structure – Right now, it might be challenging to plan your time and you may feel disorganized and disjointed. This is where building more structure into your day can help create a sense of order and calm. It can also help with some of the decision fatigue you may be feeling. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day and set some daily goals to give yourself a feeling of accomplishment.
  • Check some home projects off your ‘to-do’ list: Is there a room in your house that you’ve been wanting to paint? Has your basement become a breeding ground for clutter and you’ve been meaning to clean it out? Keeping busy with projects that make you feel productive and give you a sense of accomplishment is a great way to take your mind off of current events and get things done!
  • Take advantage of continuing education opportunities: If you’ve been meaning to boost your skills in a certain area or become certified, right now is a good time to build your skill set.  
  • Look for free or reduced-price classes in your area: A quick internet search will probably find classes, like painting or pottery, that are available to government workers at a reduced cost. It’s also a bonus to enjoy a class with other people and get out of the house.
  • Look for ways to volunteer in your community: Helping others during difficult times is a proven way to get out of your own head and feel like you’re making a difference.
  • Tap into your creative side or other hobby you enjoy: If you’ve felt like you don’t have enough time to pursue a passion project, like painting, writing or anything else on your list, make time for it now. Working on something you enjoy provides an outlet for stress and anxiety and it sure beats doom scrolling on your phone. Some government workers are even using their talents as a side hustle to earn extra money.
  • Get outside: Go for a walk or find other ways to enjoy the fall colors and cooler temperatures. Getting out in nature is a proven way to boost mood and relieve stress.
  • Find ways to socialize: Taking a break from the stress of the shutdown and connecting in-person with friends, family or co-workers can be a real mood booster. Some restaurants are offering reduced price happy hour for federal workers. Others have food specials to get people in the door. There are other free ways to connect with people: for example, if you like to hike, you can organize an outing with friends to enjoy the fall weather.

So many of us are facing unprecedented challenges with the government shutdown and all of the stresses of past year, but feeling stuck and unable to plan for the future doesn’t have to feel like your ‘new normal’. Working with a coach, like Leah M Joppy and Associates, provides a fresh perspective, goal setting and strategies to move from merely surviving to thriving. To learn more, call us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com.

Effective Leadership During Crucial Times

Strong leadership within an organization is important under the best of circumstances, but in times of uncertainty, it’s absolutely essential. This year has really put leaders to the test, as they try to help team members navigate change while still attempting to get work done. But understanding the psychological and emotional impact of uncertainty on teams is crucial for effective leadership. It requires leaders to really sharpen their emotional intelligence skills and place a strong emphasis on support and communication.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest obstacles facing team members right now:

  • Stress and Anxiety: Uncertainty can lead to increased stress and anxiety among employees, affecting their mental well-being and productivity.
  • Resistance to Change: Fear of the unknown and loss of control can cause a major resistance to change and make it challenging for leaders to introduce new projects, meets deadlines, etc.
  • Decreased Morale and Engagement: Long periods of uncertainty can have a huge impact on morale and employee engagement, leading to reduced motivation and job satisfaction.
  • Trust and Confidence Issues: A lack of clear communication and direction can cause distrust in leadership and strain confidence in the organization’s future.
  • Adaptation Fatigue: A constant need to adjust can create burnout and fatigue.

This paints a bit of a dim picture, but every organization’s secret weapon during times of change is effective leadership. Leaders must act as pillars of support and rely on crucial traits like empathy, resilience and adaptability. Here are 4 top examples of how strong leadership can make all the difference when uncertainty is the norm:

  • Provides clarity and direction: Strong leaders have a clear vision and strategy to deal with unpredictability and they know how to set and communicate priorities.
  • Fosters Stability: We all know leaders who seem unflappable when the going gets tough. Those leaders create a sense of stability and security that trickles down throughout their team.
  • Builds trust: Transparent, consistent and honest communication builds trust and loyalty within a team.
  • Offers motivation and inspiration: When leaders show empathy and compassion, it builds team resilience and helps them persevere through challenging times.
  • Promotes problem solving: Times of uncertainty can force organizations to think more creatively. The leaders who embrace this tend to foster greater innovation in the long term.

Leading through times of change requires an inspiring vision, clear communication and the ability to provide support. Fortunately, there are some essential habits and mindsets that can help leaders and their teams operate more effectively during these periods of uncertainty. . Leah M Joppy and Associates can help leaders by providing teambuilding opportunities during times of uncertainty. Learn more by calling us at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com. For a catalog of our services, please send an email to lmjainc@gmail.com.