Episode 9: Cultivate Growth: Enhancing Team Culture and Internship Success with Kathi Lipp

In the season finale of “Cultivate Your Team,” I delve into the transformative world of internship programs with my guest Kathi Lipp, a seasoned leader who has developed a robust internship system that significantly expands her capabilities in authorship, speaking, and podcasting. Over 8-9 years, Kathi’s internship program has grown to include 30 individuals, each contributing uniquely to her projects. Our conversation covered everything from creating a nurturing team culture to the specific challenges and triumphs of leading a diverse group of interns. Here are three key takeaways from our discussion:

• Integrity and Accountability in Team Culture: Kathi and I shared experiences dealing with difficult situations that tested our integrity and accountability as leaders. We talked about how confronting issues directly and empathetically with interns not only resolved potential conflicts but also strengthened our team’s culture and the interns’ commitment to our values.
• Importance of Teamwork Skills Over Work Hours: Kathi prioritizes the interpersonal and teamwork abilities of her interns above their available work hours. This approach fosters a collaborative environment where interns are motivated to contribute meaningfully, enhancing both their growth and the overall productivity of the program.
• Leveraging Group Training for Efficiency and Engagement: We discussed the benefits of The Red House writers collective, an initiative that trains multiple interns simultaneously, reducing the need for one-on-one coaching sessions. This not only saves costs but also builds a shared learning experience that enhances team cohesion and individual development.

Our conversation illuminated the nuanced aspects of nurturing an effective internship program that goes beyond mere task completion to cultivating a healthy, dynamic team culture. Whether you’re looking to start an internship program or enhance an existing one, this episode offers valuable insights into making the most of your team’s potential.

About Our Guest

Kathi Lipp is the Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of 20 books, including The Accidental Homesteader, An Abundant Place: Daily Retreats for the Woman Who Can’t Get Away, Overwhelmed, and Clutter Free. Along with being a part of the InCourage at Dayspring writing team, she is the host of Clutter Free Academy Podcast, Facebook Group and Clutter Free for Life. As a writing and marketing coach, she is also the host of the Writing at the Red House Podcast, and runs both The Writing at the Red House Retreats and The Red House Writers Collective – a writing program that helps authors develop their writing, their platform and their business. Kathi lives on her Red House mini-homestead with her husband Roger, a dog, and eight chickens and holds cozy writer retreats for content creators. Find more on www.kathilipp.com