The Ripple Effect
Field notes on building better teams.
Writing, podcasts, research. From the Give River team and friends.
Recognition7 min read
Why 'Employee of the Month' is the worst recognition program you can run
Singleton awards create losers by default. Here's what the research says — and what to do instead.
Meghan CalhounRead →
Employee Engagement9 min read
The Month 3 Cliff: why most engagement platforms fail by week 12
A forensic look at the adoption curve that kills most engagement tools. And how seasonal design sidesteps it.
Carter CalhounRead →
Industry Trends11 min read
Fulfillment is the new engagement (engagement is a dead metric)
Smart CHROs are retiring engagement surveys. Here's why — and what they're measuring instead.
Meghan CalhounRead →
Leadership8 min read
Your managers spend 210 hours a year on performance admin. Here's where it's going.
A time audit of traditional performance management, plus a modern alternative that gives those hours back.
Carter CalhounRead →
Recognition6 min read
Why peer-to-peer recognition outperforms top-down every time
The neuroscience of appreciation — why your manager isn't the best source of meaningful recognition.
Meghan CalhounRead →
Culture42 min read
The Ripple Effect · Ep 01: Meghan Calhoun on building championship culture
Our co-founder on sports psychology, the 5G Method, and why engagement is dead.
Carter CalhounRead →
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