FIND THE MISMATCH.
STRENGTHEN
THE CULTURE
CAIT DONOVAN
Underneath all of these common workplace issues exists a consistent pattern that has gone unnamed, unexplored, and left to fester.
In the research, this pattern is clear, named, and described.
“The greater the gap, or mismatch, between the person and the job, the greater the likelihood of burnout; conversely, the greater the match (or fit), the greater the likelihood of engagement with work.” Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001
In the workplace, this pattern is still hard to see. It is covered by finger pointing, blame, old habits and outdated ‘grin and bear it’ attitudes. I am here to remove the blame, cut through old and outdated systems, and find and repair the mismatch so your people can thrive.
You think the problem is loop
Mis/Match
Mismatch is interwoven at every level, from organizational systems and leadership practices to the daily realities of individual employees.
Mismatch is Organizational.
Organizational mismatch happens when growth is fast, priorities change, and the new mission hasn’t been fully onboarded. Mismatch happens when you’ve lost a shared, positive narrative around why you exist as an organization. It happens when the values that you wrote on the wall don’t match the values in the hall. Organizational mismatch feeds leadership and individual mismatch.
Mismatch is in Leadership.
Mismatch happens when high performers are promoted to leadership roles and have inadequate training. It happens when an organization doesn’t provide the structure for leadership autonomy. It happens when the values that are true to a leader don’t truly align with the values the organization desires.
Mismatch is Individual.
Mismatch individually is what happens when something in a person's role, environment, or life stops lining up with what they need, value, or have the capacity for. Left unaddressed, it compounds showing up as burnout, attrition, disengagement, conflict, and cultures that can't sustain growth no matter how good the strategy is.
I’ve spent over a decade researching why mismatch happens and where it comes from. My research shows that mismatch develops across six interconnected areas of life, only one of which is work. Organizations don't control all six areas - and they shouldn't try to.
But organizations do influence how much pressure work adds to an already full system. They influence whether people have the clarity, support, resources, and alignment they need to perform at their best. They influence whether existing mismatch compounds into burnout or is recognized and addressed before it becomes costly.
The Match Move helps leaders understand which challenges belong to the organization, which belong to the individual, and where responsibility must be shared. Because while mismatch may not begin at work, work is often where its consequences become impossible to ignore.
CAIT IN ACTION
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CAIT IN ACTION 🎤
WATCH
CAIT IN ACTION
Programs
The Match Move
Break down where misalignment is creating problems in your org and work together to create solutions.
Fuel, Not Flaw
A practical emotional intelligence keynote that transforms ‘negative emotions’ like frustration, resentment, and overwhelm into clarity and stronger leadership decisions.
The Biology of Belonging
A fun and intriguing brain science view of belonging that helps us understand why belonging is simple on paper but hard in reality - and then provides the fixes.
CLIENT FEEDBACK
“Cait was an absolute delight to work with! She was very organized every step of the way and made event planning with her easy. The day of the event - she delivered a wonderful talk that engaged our audience. She did a meet and greet and signed books and was gracious to the last minute. I would recommend Cait to any event planner looking for an amazing speaker who is also terrifically easy to work with.”
“Cait is an absolute pro! I hired her as a keynote speaker for 1,000+ conference attendees. She had people laughing, nodding along, and engaging through her entire talk. I highly recommend her to all conference designers and meeting planners. She will make your life easier and will wow your audience. ”
“Cait Donovan is one of a kind. Beyond her knowledge and ability to help others understand the reality of burnout, Cait was a true partner in helping the Wyoming Nonprofit Network host a meaningful learning and networking experience. From planning to hosting to after the conference, Cait was a collaborator sharing in the vision our team had. Do anything you can have Cait be a part of your next event! ”
HEAR IT FROM OTHERS
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HEAR IT FROM OTHERS 🩷