Episode #69: What Holds Teams Together When Things Don’t Go as Planned

What shows up when you show up, especially when things don’t go as planned? When you walk into the room, do your teams experience steadiness, appreciation, a sense that something more is still possible?

In this final episode of 2025, Altus executive coaches Heather Neely, Dan Winter, Don DeVito, and Amy Vodarek gather to reflect on these questions through the lens of abundance as a lived leadership practice. They explore how gratitude steadied a CEO during organizational chaos, why appreciation expands what teams can see in the midst of challenge, and how leaders learn to hold two realities at once: a sense of abundance and an honest acknowledgment of what is genuinely hard.

As you close out the year, this conversation highlights the moments that matter most and offers grounded practices for leading with presence and possibility. 🎧Listen now.

Key Moments You’ll Want to Hear

02:05: How leaders respond when plans fall apart.
03:43: Why leaders can’t “think” abundance. They must embody it.
04:24: How to be in abundance while not bypassing reality.
05:58: Redefining abundance as care, contribution, and relational capacity.
07:44: How comparison leads to an unhealthy perspective of abundance.
09:07: How leaders create possibility in relationships.
11:07: A mom’s wisdom for appreciating the unexpected, “Look what grace planted.”
12:54: What appreciation actually does to team dynamics.
15:14: How gratitude steadied one CEO during organizational chaos.
17:01: How to be with what's really hard and also grateful at the same time.
18:30: Why breakdowns show us we’re doing meaningful work.
20:17: How appreciation restores meaning for teams under pressure.
24:08: Leading change while holding opposite truths.
27:02: A simple meeting practice that strengthens team culture.
28:10: How executive teams surface untapped ideas.
32:41: A powerful practice of gratitude that shows your real impact.

By the end of this conversation, you’ll hear answers to:

How can leaders cultivate abundance and gratitude on their teams?

Leaders cultivate abundance and gratitude by how they show up in moments of pressure—not by what they say when things are easy. In this episode, the Altus team describes abundance as a practice, not a mindset. It shows up when leaders acknowledge what’s working while staying honest about what’s broken, and when they slow down enough to notice contributions that often get lost in the rush to fix problems. One CEO steadied their team during organizational chaos by consistently naming what the team had already built together, which helped restore clarity and forward movement. Timestamps: 03:43, 05:58, 15:14, 20:17

How can leaders express appreciation to their teams in a way that actually matters?

Appreciation lands when it connects people to meaning, not just effort. The coaches highlight that teams under pressure often lose sight of how their work matters, especially when leaders hold more context than those doing the work. Effective leaders make appreciation specific, relational, and visible—naming how someone’s actions supported the broader mission or helped the team navigate a difficult moment. Simple practices, like closing meetings with shared appreciations or naming contributions across silos, help teams feel seen and grounded during chaos. Timestamps: 12:54, 20:17, 27:02, 32:41

How can leaders hold abundance while facing real challenges and breakdowns?

Strong leaders learn to hold two realities at once: acknowledging what is genuinely hard while staying connected to possibility. The conversation shows that gratitude doesn’t bypass breakdowns—it helps leaders think more clearly inside them. One insight shared is that large breakdowns often signal meaningful work and bold commitments. Leaders who can name the difficulty and express appreciation for their people create space for better decisions, deeper trust, and sustained resilience. Timestamps: 17:01, 18:30, 24:08

Once you have clarity about what's enough to take care of the cares that you have, then you're always in abundance. ~ Dan Winter

About Altus Growth Partners

At Altus, we partner with CEOs and leadership teams who are serious about growth and willing to engage in new kinds of conversations to produce better results.

We care deeply about helping leaders and teams collaborate more effectively, navigate complexity with confidence, and foster a culture where people thrive. It’s in these environments that challenges are met with curiosity, people bring out the best in one another, and progress is anchored in shared purpose.

Because when leaders and teams are truly working together, they expand what’s possible and the meaningful impact they can make in their lives, their organizations, and the world around them.

You can find Altus Growth Partners on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altus-growth-partners/ 

About the Book 

Growing Groups Into Teams: How do you turn a group of individuals into a highly effective, productive team? Growing Groups Into Teams is an unusually useful book written by a team of generative consultants and coaches who have helped thousands of groups become effective teams.

Through real-life stories combined with pragmatic advice, this book strengthens your ability to see what’s needed and take effective action:

• What two promises turn a group into a team.

• How to engage people to make those promises.

• How to invite responsibility and accountability.

• How to include and inspire people across differences.

• How to build and rebuild trust, and more!

Regardless of how productive your teams are today, the insights in this book will help you grow to the next level to drive your business or organization forward. Order your copy today!

Order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Groups-into-Teams-Real-life-ebook/dp/B0CJLC23VS  

Order directly:
https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?l8SxF4Aexn9gq08iz7jFBbwutleujrftoZ2wAOFzCVH  

If you're looking to expand your leadership influence, shift your results, and develop a highly engaged, accountable team, we’d love to talk to you. Schedule a conversation with an Altus Team Member here: https://calendly.com/prollin-altusgrowth/zoom-video-30-min.

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Keywords: 

#Leadership #Abundance #Gratitude