Leading With Gratitude This Season

As we approach Thanksgiving, I find myself reflecting on the progress we’ve made at Innovationedge and everyone who has shaped our year so far. While the pace of business rarely permits us to pause, this season reminds me how important it is to look up from the work and acknowledge the people who make it all possible. 

This year, I’ve been thinking a great deal about the role relationships play in resilience, at an organizational and personal level. No matter how long we’ve been leading, none of us moves through complexity alone. Resilience is built in community, and we lead better because of the people we choose to surround ourselves with.

Organizations often talk about resilience as if it’s a process or a system — and yes, those pieces matter. But in practice, it’s shaped by the conversations we have when the path forward seems murky. It’s found in the insights other professionals share freely. It’s supported by the teams and partners that help us stay focused when everything around us feels uncertain.

This year forced leaders to adapt quickly. We navigated shifting markets, rapid advances in AI, and evolving expectations at nearly every level of the organizations we serve. No one overcame these challenges alone. Instead, progress came from partnerships built on trust, thoughtful debate, and steady collaboration. I know our decisions at Innovationedge were stronger because of the clients, partners, and team members who were willing to ask questions, share concerns, and lend their expertise. That collective wisdom made all the difference.

The holiday season always reminds me to pause and acknowledge this, but gratitude can’t be seasonal. It’s a practice that needs to become a natural part of how we lead every day. When leaders express appreciation, teams feel trusted. Partners feel seen. And collaboration becomes easier, faster, and more honest.

So in that spirit, I want to take a moment to thank the people who make Innovationedge and this incredible community what it is.

• To our clients: Thank you for the trust you place in us. Innovation asks you to stretch, experiment, and sometimes rethink assumptions that have served you for years. That takes courage. It also takes partnership. I’m grateful for every leader who invites us into that work and allows us to help them shape what’s next.
• To our partners and extended network: Thank you for sharing your insights, candor, and experiences. I believe innovation thrives when diverse thinking comes together, and your perspectives help us deliver more value to the leaders we serve.
• And to our team: Thank you for your dedication and willingness to lean into challenges with curiosity. You bring heart and discipline to every project that simply cannot be matched. You steady the work when change is swirling outside of it. It’s a privilege to lead alongside you.

In moments of uncertainty — and we’ve had many in recent years — it becomes clear how much our relationships carry us through. We may have different roles, responsibilities, and areas of expertise, but we share a belief in what’s possible. That belief shapes how we lead and how we support one another. It creates the conditions for progress, no matter what the world throws at us.

I’m grateful for each of you and your willingness to lead together. Thank you for making the work meaningful. Wishing you and your loved ones a warm, restorative, and joyful Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,
Cheryl Perkins
CEO & Founder of Innovationedge