Hi Reader,

Every year, Indra Nooyi - when she was CEO of PepsiCo - wrote 400 personal letters.

To the parents of her senior executives.

She'd write about their child's impact, what they'd built and what they meant to the organisation. She says it gets very emotional.

This wasn't some clever retention programme, or a PR stunt (you wouldn't do that year after year).

This was just one person deciding to see her leaders as whole human beings, not just the role they showed up in on Monday morning.

Someone's child, carrying years of hopes and family sacrifices, sitting in a board meeting trying to hold it all together.

We talk a lot about psychological safety and recognition culture. But Nooyi just... did it.

It made me wonder: when did I last do something that said I see you as a person, not just a performer?

I don't think it has to be 400 letters. But it probably has to be something.

One of the exercises I use in team coaching is acknowledgement and people hate it in the setup. Squirming, eye-rolling, the works.

The rule is simple: you acknowledge the quality, not the output.

Not "great job on the report" but "Reader, I want to acknowledge your courage in that meeting - you said the thing no one else would."

Afterwards, they're glowing. Being seen as the human and not as a number on a spreadsheet is all most of us want.

→ What's your version of the letter?

Your wing woman,

Catherine

P.S. I found a short clip of Nooyi talking about this — worth three minutes of your time. Watch it here.​