Last Sunday, I sat with my dad over coffee. He’s 80 now—retired, thoughtful, steady. A lifelong human resources professional who spent decades helping people grow inside companies. Not with big flashy initiatives. But through small, consistent conversations.

He taught classes on interview skills and helped young supervisors navigate tough employee issues. He coached people on how to stay human in systems that often weren’t. He touched transformation, even when that word wasn’t popular in the HR world.

And now, years later, I get to be what he was planting seeds for.

We talk shop. Always have. But these days, the conversations have changed. He’s watching me do the work he once wished had more space in his world—the work of deep, authentic leadership development. He smiles at the stories I tell. Not because they’re new, but because they sound familiar.

I told him about a leader I’m working with. “They’re exhausted,” I said. “Smart, capable, visionary—but their days are swallowed by putting out fires.”

He nodded. “Same story. Different desk.”

We talked about how fast business moves now. How complex the terrain has become. But also—how much more willing people are to have real conversations. About emotional intelligence. About values. About what matters beyond productivity. I even showed him this Harvard Business Review article on the 12 elements of emotional intelligence. He read it slowly and nodded again.

“There’s something shifting,” he said. “You’re doing what we only touched.”

That landed.

Before we finished our coffee, I asked him what he wants to be remembered for. He didn’t hesitate. “I want to be known as someone who stayed real. Who listened. Who knew how to help people—not just track their performance, but support their growth. And who could crack a well-timed joke even in the middle of a tough termination conversation. He always says, ‘If you can’t laugh a little, you’re probably taking yourself too seriously.’ HR used to be about humans. I never forgot that.”

He’s still the one people call when a hiring decision feels heavy or when a firing requires compassion. He’s a lifelong learner, clear on what’s in his control and what’s not. He listens more than he talks. And even at 80, he carries a quiet mastery of how people work. Not through tech. Through trust.

That got me thinking: what’s my legacy? And what’s yours?

Not the one on your LinkedIn profile. Not the one buried in your business plan.

The one your people will feel years from now.

Will they say you were consistent or reactive? Will they remember how you led—or how you made them feel?

What if your legacy isn’t something you build later? What if it’s being shaped right now—in the way you listen, decide, and lead today?

Leadership is still hard. It always will be. But we’re no longer pretending it’s just about performance reviews and org charts. There’s room now—for honesty. For alignment. For change that starts from within.

Not every leader is ready for it. But the ones who are? They’re asking better questions. They’re waking up.

So here’s what I want to ask you, Boulder: What legacy are you building through the way you lead? Where are you still stuck in systems that don’t reflect who you are? And what conversation—maybe even across generations—is waiting to change you?

Sometimes leadership is taught in boardrooms. Sometimes it’s passed between cups of coffee.

This week, take one step toward deeper clarity. Not because it’s urgent. But because it’s time.

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Kate Galt Primal Leadership Business Coaching

Kate Galt coaches and challenges leaders at all levels— from entrepreneurs to seasoned executives— to sharpen their vision, articulate key messages so they connect and inspire, and make decisive, strategic moves that drive real business growth. Based in Boulder, Colorado, she works with individuals and teams to strengthen leadership, improve team dynamics, and achieve measurable results.

Her coaching is rooted in Primal Leadership—because the strongest leaders move with instinct, command presence without force, and create unshakable trust through raw, real connection.

Like any driven person, Kate is always figuring out how to do it all—running a business, raising two kids with her equally involved husband, and still making time for the adventure that brought her to Colorado in 1998. Whether it’s snowboarding, mountain biking, or chasing an ultimate frisbee, she knows the best leadership isn’t just learned—it’s lived.

The bottom line? Kate makes good leaders great.

Curious about what makes her coaching style so impactful? Book a call and experience it for yourself at CoachTheLeaders.com.