March 4, 2026 New Why Checking In is Meaningful
Throughout the years on this blog, I have often talked about heart-led leadership. This type of leadership is rooted in empathy and genuine care for others. It is not weak and does not involve being a pushover. Rather, it centers around building others up, engaging and empowering your team, and creating positive motion and change. This week, I want to address one specific aspect of heart-led leadership: checking in.
Far too often, we dive straight into business without taking the time to ask how the other person or people are doing. And I’m not talking about surface-level pleasantries that typically go, “How are you?” “Fine.” I’m talking about creating the space to let people be a little honest and vulnerable if they choose. No one should feel obligated to share anything they don’t want to share, but all people should feel invited to share it they’d like.
How might this look in practice? If you’re leading a meeting, you could take a few minutes at the beginning to let people open up. If something big has happened at work or in the local community (either good or bad), you could also acknowledge that. For example: “I know it’s been a tough week for everyone since we lost Client ABC, so I wanted to check in to see how everyone’s feeling and if you have any brief thoughts related to that.”
Another example: “I know the city has been chaotic lately with recent events, so I want to check in to gauge everyone’s headspace and see if I can offer extra support in some way.”
Keep in mind, this approach may not be appropriate for all groups at all times. You probably wouldn’t have this type of check-in with teams you barely know or when you only have a quick meeting scheduled. Use your judgement.
Alternatively, it can often be best to check in with others individually. In fact, you should probably do this anyway, regardless of whether you decide to check in with an entire group. An individual check-in is more personal, and if the other person really feels the need to open up about something, they can do so in private. But you have to build trust first! Demonstrate that you are respectful, a good listener, discrete with sensitive information, and that you genuinely care.
Checking in with team members helps create a safe and supportive space where people are free to be, well…people. Imperfect, stressed, frustrated, sad—we all feel these types of emotions sometimes, and it’s nearly impossible to stop their effects from trickling into the workplace. So why attempt to stop them? It’s better to get an idea of what the people in your office are going through and feeling so you can offer whatever resources, support, or allowances they need.
In short: a human workplace is a welcoming workplace.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
Tags: checking in meaningful, checking in with work team, Margaret Smith business coach, margaret smith career coach, meaningful check in at work, why check in work team
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- Posted under Better Business, Communication
February 18, 2026 Small Actions Matter
It is easy to feel small—a little fish in the big, wide ocean. It is easy to feel like your work, your actions, and your words don’t matter. But they do. In fact, small actions are the foundation of major change.
Minor, everyday actions are important in all aspects of life—in work, personal life, and society. We never know how a kind word or meaningful gesture might land. We don’t know how a donation or volunteer stint might improve someone else’s life. These things have ripple effects. The compliment you give someone at the grocery store could brighten that person’s day, which might lead them to give a server an extra tip, which could make it easier for that person to pay rent that month. The point is to try—to intentionally and continually make choices that could potentially have a positive impact.
If we think on a broad scale too often, we might feel overwhelmed or helpless. It can be difficult to see how your actions and words make a difference when you’re up against a large or complex problem, but if you shrink your thinking just a little, it can be easier to fathom how you’re moving the needle. And when many people work together, that needle can be moved even faster and more assertively. There is power in numbers—we see it in mass protests, boycotts, and other actions of solidarity. One example: thirty years ago, smoking was widely accepted, and many establishments catered to smokers. The number of smokers plummeted, however, due to many factors (anti-smoking campaigns, informed consumers, smoking bans, etc.). But the plummeting number of smokers was made possible by individual decisions—one person choosing to quit here, another person choosing to quit there. Together, these individual decisions created meaningful change. They created a movement.
Another example that comes to mind when I think of meaningful change has to do with the workplace. When I was a manager at 3M, I used to compose handwritten thank you cards to my team members when they did outstanding or “above and beyond” work. One time, I was riding along with a sales rep when I noticed my thank you card tucked into his visor. When I asked him about it, he told me he would glance at it whenever he needed a reminder that he was skilled at this work and could make the sale, even when his confidence was lacking. I had no idea my message to him would resonate so deeply, and this was an excellent reminder of the power of small gestures.
Next time you’re feeling small, helpless, or overwhelmed, I suggest reminding yourself that you can only do what is within your power. You can affect your personal, professional, or societal sphere in small, but meaningful, ways. It’s difficult to know what your actions might achieve, but I encourage you to try anyway. Positive change is only possible when we choose to act—to do whatever we can. Your small actions matter, and they can add up to something great.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
Tags: create positive change, Margaret Smith life coach, Margaret Smith Twin Cities, small actions matter, small gestures to make a difference, thinking small
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Current Events
February 4, 2026 Empathy As a Superpower
Empathy is a term that is used frequently and not always in a positive manner. It is sometimes viewed as weak or wishy-washy. And some people even see it as political. In truth, empathy is not a sign of weakness but of strength. And it isn’t political, or religious, or only meant for a certain segment of the population. Rather, it is deeply human and more necessary than ever.
It’s important to note that empathy is not the same as sympathy. Sympathy relates to feeling sorry for another, or even pitying them. Empathy is more about understanding. It’s about expanding your horizons to see another’s perspective. It’s about being curious and open enough to want to understand. This innate curiosity helps people of all backgrounds and beliefs work together, live side by side, and cooperate.
Because no two people are alike, empathy can, indeed, be a superpower. It’s a way to reach others, negotiate, and have productive dialogues. When there’s a need for creativity or brainstorming solutions, it’s a way of gathering different ideas and making sense of them. That’s because empathy goes hand-in-hand with solution seeking. It is essentially the opposite of combativeness or stubbornness.
In my experience, empathetic leaders are often skilled at bringing out the best in their teams. These individuals understand the importance of truly listening—soaking in both what someone is saying and the context or subtext related to what is being said. For example, if a team member is adamant about gearing a product toward working parents, an empathetic leader might think about what they know about that team member. Maybe they are a single mother who faces numerous everyday challenges. As such, their passion makes sense, and the empathetic leader will know they are speaking from experience. Likely, this person is not the only one who is facing similar struggles, and it is probably smart to consider their perspective when developing products or solutions.
Empathy is useful in all different contexts, both within and outside of the workplace. It’s a simple fact that everyone wants to be understood and listened to. Because of this, an empathetic person makes a good conversation partner by giving others the space to express themselves and explain their perspective. That doesn’t mean being a pushover, and it doesn’t mean an empathetic person doesn’t have their own opinions and beliefs. It simply means that they are open to listening and understanding.
In a world where things are often portrayed as black and white, empathy is a courageous but necessary choice. Without it, we would constantly be at loggerheads with others, stuck in a single perspective. That’s not productive, and it only creates animosity and hard feelings. Rather, let’s make an effort to choose empathy and start really listening to what others have to say. That can make all the difference.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
Tags: active empathy, empathy as superpower, empathy at work, Margaret Smith life coach, Margaret Smith minneapolis, need for empathy
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Communication, Current Events
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