Slingshot25

09/03/2026

Leadership development is like ice cream. 🍦

There’s always room for more.

No matter how experienced you are, there's always another skill to sharpen, a perspective to challenge, or a better way to lead.

The best leaders don't graduate from learning. They keep growing.

And honestly? We think that's pretty sweet.

Visit Slingshot25.com to explore our products and services.

09/01/2026

Is empathy the essential 21st-century leadership skill, or have we taken it too far?

In this episode of Slingshot25's Shotcast, leadership experts and certified coaches Courtney Smock and Jackie Pelland discuss the core definition of empathy, the dangers of coddling, and the fading skill of empathy in a tech-obsessed world.

https://youtu.be/2Vf4wfPqNX4

Want more? Visit our website for more information and tons of free resources at Slingshot25.com.

Is empathy the essential 21st-century leadership skill, or have we ...

08/31/2026

In our recent webinar, we talked about the importance of setting expectations for team and individual success.

In this clip, Slingshot25’s Jackie Pelland discusses the importance of stating the ultimate outcome and ensuring people understand what comes next.

Want to learn more about Slingshot25 and how we're working with leaders in every industry? Check out our website and contact us at Slingshot25.com/contact-slingshot

08/27/2026

Are you looking for ways to reduce the blame game at work?

Here are three ways to do it no matter where you sit in the organization.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/three-ways-reduce-blame-culture-matter-your-role-slingshot25-sdi7c

Contact us at Slingshot25.com/contact-slingshot to learn more about how Slingshot25 can help build a culture of accountability that doesn't feel like finger-pointing.

By now, we've named the problem. We've talked about how blame culture shows up, how it hurts collaboration and performance, and why accountability has started to feel more like a threat than support.

08/24/2026

Accountability shouldn’t feel like a threat.

You want people to take ownership, not spend their energy protecting themselves, pointing fingers, or hiding mistakes.

So how do you build accountability without creating a blame culture?

That’s the question we’re tackling in this Serious Work Can Be Fun newsletter.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whos-blame-culture-slingshot25-uawcc

Want to learn more about working on building accountability without blame? Contact us at Slingshot25.com/contact-slingshot

Let's start with a truth most leaders won't say out loud: Blame culture rarely shows up because people are careless or lazy. It shows up because something feels unsafe.

08/21/2026

Have you ever thought, “I’m a leader… so why does it feel like I’m carrying everything?”

Leadership can be rewarding, but it can also be exhausting. The constant decisions, competing priorities, difficult conversations, and pressure to support everyone else can leave even the strongest leaders running on empty.

The truth is, leaders need support, too.

Coaching creates space to step back, gain perspective, challenge assumptions, and build the skills needed to lead with more confidence and less exhaustion.
If you’re a leader who feels stretched thin, maybe coaching is the support you’ve been looking for.

Learn more about coaching with Slingshot25 here: https://slingshot25.com/what-we-do/leader-coaching/

08/19/2026

When did accountability start feeling like a threat?

Too often, accountability gets associated with blame, correction, or consequences. But at its best, accountability is about clarity, trust, and helping people succeed.

The question isn’t whether we need accountability. It’s how we create it in a way that strengthens our teams.

Read more:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-did-accountability-start-feeling-like-threat-slingshot25-ffikc

Let's start with what the data already tells us. Research from Google's Project Aristotle found that the single biggest predictor of high-performing teams wasn't talent, experience, or structure—it was psychological safety.

08/18/2026

In our last Shotcast episode, Slingshot25's Jackie Pelland and Courtney Smock challenged leaders to stop worrying about being right and start focusing on getting it right. But that raises an important question...

How do you actually get it right?

In Part 2 of this conversation, Jackie and Courtney explore one of the most overlooked leadership skills: influence.

Getting it right isn't about having all the answers. It's about bringing people with you. Whether you're leading change, making a difficult decision, or asking your team to embrace something new, your ability to influence—not just direct—will determine your success.

If you enjoyed our previous episode, Being Right vs. Getting It Right, this conversation takes the next step and gives you practical ways to put that mindset into action.

For more leadership insights, visit Slingshot25.com and subscribe for more Shotcast episodes.

08/17/2026

What happens when expectations are unclear, conversations are avoided and accountability becomes someone else’s problem?

Usually, frustration grows. Performance slips. And leaders end up spending more time putting out fires than helping people succeed.

Accountability isn’t about blame—it’s about clarity, ownership, and having the conversations that move people forward.

At Slingshot25, our accountability workshops help leaders build the skills to set clear expectations, address challenges early, and create a culture where people take ownership.

Because great teams don’t happen by accident. They happen when leaders know how to create clarity and follow through.

Learn how we can help your leaders strengthen accountability: https://slingshot25.com/courses/creating-accountability/

08/13/2026

The reorg isn't the hard part.

The new technology isn't the hard part.

The strategy shift isn't the hard part.

It's what happens next.
-The questions.
-The resistance.
-The uncertainty.
-The “but what does this mean for me?”
-The team that's tired of hearing about another change.

That's where leadership matters.

You can't always control the change.

But you can get better at helping people navigate it.

And honestly? That's a skill worth practicing before you're standing in the middle of the mess.

Slingshot25's next Navigating Change Masterclass cohort starts Sept. 23.

https://slingshot25.com/courses/navigating-change-masterclass/