Conversation as Culture: How Leaders Can Heal Teams Before the Holidays

Conversation as Culture: How Leaders Can Heal Teams Before the Holidays

As the holidays approach, many organizations focus on bonuses, celebrations, and end-of-year results — but few focus on something just as important: conversation.

Leadership expert and mediator Kendria Taylor, President of TG8 Solutions Insight, has built her career around helping leaders transform how they communicate, connect, and collaborate. For her, conversation isn’t just a workplace skill — it’s a cultural cornerstone.

In her Bold Journey interview, Taylor shared the story that shaped her mission:

“I didn’t just choose this work — it chose me. Every step of my career, from nonprofit leadership to the corporate world, prepared me for my mission: to eradicate psychological harm from workplaces, one leader at a time.

That mission was born out of experience. I’ve had incredible mentors, but I’ve also had some truly harmful managers — people whose leadership caused real workplace trauma, not just for me but for entire teams. I saw firsthand how poor leadership can break spirits, silence voices, and damage confidence. I decided then that I would dedicate my life to helping leaders do better.

As President of TG8 Solutions Insight, I help organizations build cultures rooted in empathy, trust, reflection and accountability. We design leadership development, coaching, and culture assessments that transform how people lead and connect. Watching leaders realize that empathy is strength — not weakness — is what excites me most.”

That commitment to eradicating psychological harm is what drives TG8’s approach to leadership development — and it starts with how we talk to each other.

The Power of Conversation in Leadership

According to Harvard Business Review’s landmark study “The Power of Talk,” teams that communicate openly experience 23% higher productivity and lower interpersonal conflict. Yet, as the year closes, many workplaces experience tension, miscommunication, and emotional fatigue — especially when teams are stretched thin.

Taylor believes the cure for those fractures begins with intentional conversation. “When people feel seen, heard, and valued,” she often reminds leaders, “they do their best work. Healthy cultures are built through healthy conversations.”

How Conversations Heal Teams

At TG8 Solutions, leadership trainings emphasize empathy-based communication — the ability to listen without judgment, ask reflective questions, and respond with curiosity instead of control. These conversations allow teams to repair trust, release tension, and reestablish connection.

Three strategies Taylor’s team teaches leaders to create conversational cultures include:

1. Start with Safety

   
   

   Begin meetings or feedback sessions by clarifying intent: “I want to understand, not to blame.” This immediately lowers defensiveness and sets a tone of trust.

2. Use Reflective Questions

   
   

   Instead of rushing to solve, ask: “What does support look like for you right now?” or “What would make this process feel smoother for you?” Reflection creates space for solutions that stick.

3. Repair in Real Time

   
   

   When tension arises, address it early. Avoiding conflict amplifies harm; leaning into it with empathy accelerates healing.

These micro-conversations, practiced consistently, lead to macro-level cultural change.

Empathy Is the New Strength

Taylor’s work with organizations like Lockheed Martin, Junior Leagues, and city and county governments demonstrates that psychological safety and empathy are not soft ideals — they are measurable drivers of performance.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics continues to report high voluntary turnover, often linked to toxic leadership behaviors. In contrast, research in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology shows that psychologically safe workplaces experience 27% lower stress levels and 40% greater retention.

Through TG8’s Communication and Conflict Navigation Training, leaders learn how empathy and conversation become the tools to prevent harm and sustain high-performing teams.

Takeaway

As the year closes, now is the perfect time for leaders to pause, listen, and repair. The holidays magnify emotions — both gratitude and grievance — and intentional conversations can help teams end the year stronger than they began.

Through TG8 Solutions Insight, Kendria Taylor helps organizations build cultures rooted in empathy, trust, reflection, and accountability — the very foundations of healing and growth.

Because leadership isn’t just about authority; it’s about humanity — and every conversation is an opportunity to help people breathe again.