I worked with a healthcare client who understood the power of real communication.

Every month the CEO and leadership team hosted an all-employee meeting at a local hotel ballroom with a sea of round tables. Just outside the room was a long table set up with an appealing display of ice cream and toppings -- not just a snack, but a symbol of happiness, comfort, and joy.

The music paused for a few presentations on progress for key projects or noteworthy changes in the marketplace. New hires, recent promotions, and milestones were celebrated. Nobody used notes, some used a couple of slides with visuals and very few words. No squinting necessary.

At the end, they always made time for employee input. The CEO asked questions like "Is there something you heard today that you'd like more information or clarification on?" or "What else is on your mind?"

Colleagues at each table discussed these and a representative from each table shared their questions with the entire room. The CEO walked the room with a handheld mic and answered everything-- regardless of whether the message was good, bad or ugly. Sometimes another leader would add to the comments if they had additional information or perspective. Sometimes they didn't have an answer and committed to get back to everyone with more insight on the topic. You could physically observe what it meant to have leaders who cared THAT much.

I was reminded of how impactful this was when another client recently shared his frustration around a lack of employee engagement. It's not rocket science, but it does take time to plan moments like these and model leadership, imperfections and all. It’s clear that employees value leaders who are REAL, not perfect. Think about what is possible in your organization when everyone is on the same page and fully engaged.