Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ginger Duncan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ginger, appreciate you joining us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

When you are connecting, you are winning. The biggest trend I have been seeing lately, which isn’t healthy, is the lack of real connection in the workplace. Remote and hybrid work contribute to this, but in my opinion, it isn’t the foundational reason. Due to the increased expense to operate a company, lean staffing, and conflicting priorities, many leaders aren’t taking the time to truly connect with their team, which in turn is causing a lack of commitment to the organization that many call quiet quitting. When connection leaves, so does commitment.

I hear leaders discuss the lack of loyalty of the younger generation, and I wonder are they truly initiating a connection with these associates, a true connection that leads to loyalty and commitment. It seems unfair to ask so much out of an employee without taking the time to truly connect with them, understand what they value, affirm them for the value they bring the organization, and connect in a way that fosters feeling seen and heard.

Many leaders don’t prioritize this based on the current pressures of the work environment. Still, I feel it’s more important than ever if employee engagement and retention are something an organization and leader desire.
Many view this task with an either-or philosophy – “I either take time connecting with my team or run the business” and “We either focus on making money or building relationships.” This either-or thinking is called a sucker’s choice and limits growth and innovative thinking. Instead of either- or, try AND thinking – “How can I build strong relationships and grow the business?” and “How can we make money and have increased employee engagement and loyalty?” There are many ways to connect that breed loyalty, don’t take a lot of time, and the Return on Time Invested (ROTI) shows considerable gains in retention, loyalty, discretionary effort, performance, and work satisfaction.

Let’s look at ways this can be accomplished in an in-person or virtual workplace:

Schedule 15-minute check-ins periodically to connect and see what’s new with them, personally and professionally, what they are working on, do they have any roadblocks you can assist with, what projects they are working on that excites them, what about it excites them, and how would they like to grow in their career.

Schedule coffee with peers across the organization that you will be working on cross-departmental projects to see how you can better serve them in the relationship and what they would like more or less of to help them succeed on the initiative.

Block 20 minutes on your calendar on Friday afternoon and take that time to send personal emails to those in the organization that you see going above and beyond. Be behaviorally specific in your feedback to show you are aware of their hard work.

Once a quarter, send a handwritten thank you note to those you see excelling or demonstrating your company values to let them know you see and value them.

These are only a few ideas to help you connect and demonstrate value to your workforce. What other ideas can you think of?

This connection takes initiative and prioritization on the part of the leader. Remember, if you are not connecting, you aren’t winning.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Ginger specializes in developing leaders and teams to gain a competitive advantage and deliver sustainable business results. With over 20 years’ experience in leadership development, coaching, facilitation, and training, and an additional
11 years leading talent development for a corporation, Ginger has extensive experience partnering with throughout
organizations to guide strategic business alignment.
Ginger has experience working with startups, existing & merging leadership teams, and Fortune 500 companies to
integrate values and behaviors that lead to organizational success. She is highly experienced in working across all
divisions and levels of an enterprise to re-align leaders & teams to remain relevant, build momentum, and perform at
higher levels.
As a certified Executive Coach, Ginger protects your talent investment by focusing on the healthy integration of leaders
and their teams while walking side by side with them during high-level transitions into either a new organization,
expanded role, or a newly formed team. She guides the re-alignment or shift of new success strategies, whether the shift
is managing new teams, multiple teams, multiple business functions or navigating a new organizational culture. She
integrates individual executives and their teams to help unify behaviors and priorities as they lead a high performing
organization.
Ginger also works with top talent individuals as their scope of responsibility increases and the criteria for success
evolves. Her work in leadership advising consists of partnering with Sunstone Partners, Nexa, Progeny Health,
MedTech Solutions, 66degrees, Novi Connect, NetSPI, Avertium, TOA, Cook Medical, Biltmore Estates, Duke Health,
Envision, Tractor Supply, AnMED, naviHealth, Rent-A-Center, Toyota, Ingram Industries, Hunt Brothers Pizza,
Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Retrieving Independence, Healing Hands International, Hopkinsville, KY,
Board of Education and others. Prior to working 1:1 with clients, Ginger was Head of Talent for a privately owned
multi-billion-dollar logistics organization where she developed talent strategy and initiatives across the enterprise.
Ginger holds a B.S. degree in both Psychology and Education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and an
M.S. degree in both Guidance & Counseling and Human Services from Murray State University in Kentucky. She
serves on the executive board of Impact100 Nashville, a non-profit women’s giving circle that empowers women to
collectively invest in and develop non-profits that serve the community so that together they can create a greater Nashville.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I was a kindergarten teacher for 5 years. I was going through a divorce with two small children and needed to pivot professionally for income purposes. I was asked to lead a training and development department in a logistics company. I had worked as a training consultant for my mother’s company and in a higher educational institution in my 20’s so I had the experience. I met the leaders of the logistics company while working at the higher educational institution and they remembered me and asked if I wanted to shift back into this type of a career and I jumped.

Can you talk to us about your experience with buying businesses?

I started my own business 5 years ago. I had been working under the umbrella of another company as a contractor and during COVID I decided to bite the bullet, hire a marketing firm and go for it. It has been an incredible experience. I love what I do, and I get to learn from leaders at all levels every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gingerduncan.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gingerduncan/