February 2026
The Accidental Leader
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A story that we hear far too often… A client, who we’ll call Maria, was the kind of individual contributor every organization wants more of. She was technically sharp, detail-oriented, and reliable... the kind of “A” player we all want on our teams. When something needed to get done, she got it done; and done well!
When her manager left, the promotion felt obvious. She was the team’s strongest and most experienced performer.
A few months later, Maria felt overwhelmed and her team was struggling. Instead of solving problems herself, she now had to rely on her team to solve problems. Instead of being evaluated on output, she was being evaluated on influence.
No one had questioned her performance, but no one really assessed her readiness for this leadership position.
And Maria isn’t alone.
| | President, Turknett Leadership Group | | |
To Retain Employees, Promote Them
Chase Thiel, Anthony C. Klotz, Jay H. Hardy III, Carter Gibson, and Andrew Barsa | Harvard Business Review
Labor markets regularly swing from firm-friendly to job seeker–friendly, causing organizations to fluctuate greatly in terms of the number of employees at hand to meet customers’ needs. But is there a way employers can future-proof their workforce, encouraging talent to stay when jobs are plentiful? Drawing on turnover data for over 11,000 managers from 2018 to 2023 (including pre-pandemic, pandemic, and “Great Resignation” labor shifts), researchers found that promoting employees during employer-friendly labor markets reduces the likelihood that these employees will quit later when the job market shifts in their favor. They offer suggestions for companies looking to increase talent retention rates and make their workforce more resilient to market changes.
| | | PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CHANGE TO MARCH 13TH | | |
We are thrilled to announce our next live in-person event!
Come hear Serena Sacks-Mandel discuss her journey from a challenging childhood to becoming a high-level tech executive, how she navigated through personal struggles, making them into learning opportunities, leading to empowerment and tremendous success. She turned the lessons into a guide for others, titled “Empowered: Frame Your Narrative, Own Your Power.” Meet Serena in person at the Commerce Club for what promises to be another inspiring and informative event.
Listen in as our speaker shares their unique experiences and insights.
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Facilitated by Anne Quiello, M.S., PCC
Senior Consultant & Host of Women in Leadership
| | It's Not Too Late to Join! | |
Tim Huff Named Titan 100 for the Second Year in a Row
We are proud to announce that our President, Tim Huff, has been announced as a Georgia TITAN 100 for the second year in a row!
The Titan 100 recognizes Georgia’s Top 100 CEOs and C-level executives, the region’s most accomplished leaders who have not only built extraordinary companies but have redefined what it means to lead. These Titans exemplify excellence through their vision, passion, and integrity, creating lasting impact across industries and communities.
“Georgia’s Titan 100 are raising the bar for leadership across the state and beyond. With bold vision and unwavering purpose, these trailblazers are driving growth, inspiring innovation, and creating lasting impact in their industries and communities. We are proud to celebrate their leadership and the momentum they are generating for the future,” said Jaime Zawmon, President of Titan CEO.
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From Day One Conference
We are grateful to have attended the From Day One conference hosted at the Georgia Aquarium.
Conversations explored the role of AI and humans in HR functions, why clear and empathetic communication is essential during change, and how employee experience strategies must evolve to support a multigenerational workforce grounded in purpose and well-being.
Just as impactful were the connections made — meeting people across a variety of roles and industries, all navigating similar challenges through different lenses.
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Empowered: Frame Your Narrative, Own Your Power
Through our challenges, we all need a reminder that our stories can empower our journeys!
Serena Sacks-Mandel built a successful tech career on the foundation of a tough childhood. Brick by brick, she laid a new foundation for herself, one where she saw each of her successes as evidence that she could do more.
A huge part of her self-empowerment came from framing her own narrative-her personal story-in a way that each roadblock became a lesson, something she overcame.
If Serena's story teaches us anything, it's that we can change how we view our personal challenges to lead us to bigger and better things than we ever dreamed of!
If you've always been an outlier, a trail-blazer, a mover and shaker-or want to be-then you'll love the inspiration you get from Serena's story. From unwanted child to solo woman in a board room full of men to cancer survivor, Serena has stretched for the next level every step of the way and routinely reached it through perseverance, education, resilience, and an eagle eye on her purpose.
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BUILT TO OUTLAST: The Hidden Psychological Drivers of Leadership, Legacy, and Succession
Most leaders assume succession is a future problem.
In reality, it is the single greatest risk to everything they’ve built.
Across industries and continents, organizations with strong balance sheets, respected brands, and sophisticated advisors still fail at leadership transition—not because of flawed strategy or inadequate capital, but because the human side of leadership was never prepared.
In Built to Outlast, executive coach and psychologist Dr. Tommy Chan addresses the most overlooked risk in leadership and succession: human capital. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience coaching founders, boards, executives, and next-generation leaders across North America and Greater China, this book offers a rare, psychologically grounded roadmap for building legacies that endure beyond the founder.
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100 Crescent Center Pkwy
Suite 600
Atlanta, GA 30084
(770) 270-1723
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