Leadership Q&A: Dr. Cindy Copich, President & CEO of Confidante

In this Leadership Q&A, we are thrilled to speak with Dr. Cindy Copich, President & CEO of Confidante. Dr. Copich’s career has taken her from a kindergarten classroom to the boardroom, with key roles as a nonprofit director, union representative, and now entrepreneur. What ties these experiences together is her unwavering commitment to supporting and guiding others. Through Confidante, she is helping leaders address employee retention challenges with a compassionate yet results-driven approach.

Join us as Dr. Copich shares the key lessons from her leadership journey and how her diverse experiences have shaped her philosophy.

Can you provide an overview of your career journey and highlight key transitions?

I have an interesting professional journey from Kindergarten Teacher, Nonprofit Director, Union Rep, to Entrepreneur; however, all of these positions at their core were about supporting, guiding, and helping people which is what I love to do.

How would you describe your current leadership style, and how has it developed over time?

As a former educator, I understand how important it is to take care of your employees so that they are at their best to do their best. I trust people to do their job and provide them with support to grow. Most of all, I am a strong believer in being clear about my expectations. So many leaders avoid telling their employees when they are failing, until it's too late. I believe that if you truly care about people, you tell them the truth and give them the opportunity to improve.

Who or what has inspired your career path and leadership approach?

Like most people, I believe we probably learn more from bad difficult experiences than we do the easy ones. Let's just say I have seen more than my share of bad leadership and weird employment challenges, especially in regard to education. My company can help leaders that truly want to keep their best employees. Most workplaces are dealing with high rates of employee attrition, those that will be successful in the long-run will be those businesses that treat their customers and their employees with equal respect and value. Fortunately, I have had some incredible colleagues I have met along the way that have modeled compassionate leadership paired with accountability. I love working with these innovative leaders that have progressive HR practices.

How do you integrate lessons from your role models into your leadership philosophy at Confidante?

I am naturally curious and open to new ideas. I anticipate that the philosophy and practices regarding leadership that I have today will be different 10 years from now. My role models have taught me the importance of reflection, vulnerability, and personal accountability. I meet with my role models on a regular basis to test and retest ideas, to listen, and learn.

Could you share a pivotal experience that shaped your perspective as a leader?

When I graduated from college with my teaching degree, it was hard to get a job. There were a surplus of educators in a competitive job market and leaders essentially held "all the cards" and they used them. That is not the reality of today. So many educators (and employees in general) are looking for a place where they are valued, respected, and trusted to do their job. While I am deeply concerned about the teacher crisis in our public schools, I also recognize what an opportunity it is for educators to reshape the current workplace by the sheer power of their collective voice and experience. I loved my job as a teachers' union rep because while I couldn't "fix" someone's boss to be fair or even kind, I could show the employee that they had the power to decide who they worked for a how they wanted to be treated. The only reason this old manner of leadership has prevailed in any industry is because many employees are operating under an old mindset and lack the understanding of how to cooperate to achieve results. They have been taught that competition breeds success- which only ends up serving the leader.

What major challenges have you faced in leadership, and how did you overcome them?

I turned one of the current major challenges in leadership into a business. So many teachers were contacting me about wanting to leave the profession. At first, I thought about helping them transition out of their role by serving as a career coach, but then I decided I could be part of the problem or part of the solution. These were incredible teachers leaving their jobs and no one was asking them "why" and "what could be done to encourage them to stay." I want to help support the profession I love, not only because I am a strong advocate for teachers but also because we are facing a serious crisis in education. In many communities across the country, the school is the heart of the community. This was a leadership opportunity where all my past experience can help turn these challenges around.

How do the company's vision and values resonate with your personal beliefs and leadership style?

We work toward a vision of transforming the work environment through growth, integrity, authenticity, empowerment, and trust. Confidante is a trusted partner in employee retention. I can help leaders confidentially identify the challenges their employees are facing that are driving attrition and reducing recruitment efforts. As an entrepreneur and CEO, it is incredible that I can align my personal beliefs, values, and leadership style into a business that serves others.

What role do the company's values play in shaping its culture, and how do you reinforce them?

I am fortunate that I now get to make the decisions around who I do business with based on my values. I remind myself that I want to do business with good leaders (even when business is slow). Several of my trusted mentors and colleagues remind me that doing business just anyone, can result in revenue but often at the cost of more time. Meaning, the money just isn't worth doing business with difficult people. While this may have made our growth slower than I'd like at times, I believe the results will speak for themselves in the future.

How do you invest in growth, and what advice do you have for aspiring leaders?

As an educator, it's all about growth and improvement. My advice would be to form a "master mind group" and meet with them on a regular basis. These can be people from different industries but with similar responsibilities. Support one another, ask questions, vent, do all the things. Being a leader isn't easy so don't try to do it all.

Can you describe initiatives or programs that support leadership development within your company?

Yes, high-quality professional development and performance reviews. Most companies typically make a mess of both. Performance reviews should be ongoing and regular and not once or twice/year. If you are waiting until then to discuss challenges and expectations, than you don't truly care about your employee's success. Invest in the growth and development of people and it will benefit your business, even if they grow out of your business and work for someone else or themselves.

Looking ahead, what excites you about the future of the industry and the company?

The research I have done so far about the massive number of teachers leaving the profession is beginning to make national news. I am excited about working with school leaders and others outside the industry to help them create workplaces that attract high-quality employees.

As our conversation with Dr. Cindy Copich comes to a close, her deep commitment to empowering others and fostering leadership growth shines through. Her thoughtful approach to employee retention and leadership development at Confidante is truly inspiring. Dr. Copich is not only helping leaders navigate today's challenges but is also shaping the future of workplace culture with her values of integrity, authenticity, and empowerment. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of her work in building better workplaces and supporting leaders in their quest to retain top talent.