Cultivate Monthly | October 2025

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Cultivate Purpose:

Cultivate Sponsorship: Activating visibility, advocacy, and advancement for underrepresented and high-potential talent to empower organisations to retain and promote leaders from within.


From the Desk of Katriina Tähkä, Founder & CEO

October is one of my favourite times of year. Spring is delivering sprouts of new growth, we can see and smell a new season coming to life; we can also feel the festive season and a holiday period approaching. But it can also be a time of exhaustion that feels hard. Will we make it to the end? We really need a rest, but also need to do so much.

In our Cultivate programs we talk about the importance of owning your time and saying no strategically. When you feel out of control, that’s exactly when you need to pause and do some deep listening, rest and reset, not run harder.


Feature Topic/This Month’s Focus

The Final Quarter: Leadership that Finishes Strong

October is the best time to start to planning for 2026 so that you begin feeling ready to take on another year. It’s the perfect time to think about your own career, your teams’ capabilities and plan ahead.

If you’d like to work on your career plan for next year or your organisation’s talent pipeline development, talk to us in the next two months and let us support you to be set up for success in the new year.


This Month’s Podcast Highlight: 

Empowering Women in the Workplace: Katriina Tähkä’s Strategies

In this month’s feature podcast I was invited to talk with Anthony Hartcher from Me&mywellness about happiness at work. I talked about the importance of not feeling invisible and having clarity on a progression pathway.

Career satisfaction has a significant impact on long term fulfilment and holistic happiness.  

Why listen?
Because closing out the year strong isn’t just about hitting numbers, it’s about sustaining people. Empowering people at work builds resilience and momentum, especially when Q4 pressure is high.

Key takeaways:

  • Systemic barriers women face in career progression and how organisations can break these barriers.
  • Cultivates approach to unlocking potential through strategic sponsorship and mentorship.
  • The ripple effect of career alignment on confidence, relationships, and overall well-being.
  • Why investing in women now strengthens long-term performance and team trust heading into 2026.

Listen to the podcast here


Organisational Training, Workshops & Coaching

Leadership in the Final Stretch: Q4 Coaching Intensives

Perfect for: Executive leaders, people managers, and performance teams

What’s covered:

  • Lead with clarity and humanity while meeting final-quarter targets
  • Spot potential flight risks early and re-ignite commitment
  • Sustain team momentum when uncertainty peaks

Follow-up: Optional 1:1 coaching or tailored performance reviews

To learn more, book your Pinpoint Strategy Session here


Quick Reads: Articles You’ll Want to Share


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