Pumpkins, Pies, and a Lesson in Leadership

Last week’s FireStarter,  The Death of the Desk, clearly struck a chord.
The messages that poured in from leaders, employees, and former colleagues were deeply telling.

People didn’t just agree with what I wrote, they felt it.
They felt the loss of something that used to matter.
The energy, the belonging, the sense that work wasn’t just where you sat, it was where you belonged.

And that got me thinking…

The Nights We Remember

Years ago, early in my career, long before the crises and cultural shifts that reshaped the corporate world…, something powerful happened.

It was the holiday season, and my company at the time transformed its office floors into a Christmas wonderland for one day.
And I mean transformed.

🎅 Santa was there taking gift requests from kids.
🎨 Face painting stations lined the halls.
🧸 A “Build-a-Bear” room where kids made their own stuffed animals.
🍪 Food everywhere…, laughter everywhere.

It wasn’t just an employee event, it was a family event.
Spouses. Kids. Parents.
Everyone was welcome in the place where we spent most of our waking hours.

For that one day, work didn’t feel like an office.
It felt like a community.

The Fall Festival

Then came another tradition…, a Fall Festival held at the company’s suburban New York campus.
Pumpkins and pies. Carnival games. A dunk tank where even senior leaders got soaked to raise money for charity.

That night, driving home, my wife at the time looked over at me and said:

“I know you work hard and long hours... but you really do work for a great company.”

That hit me.
Because in that moment, it wasn’t just me who felt proud to be there.
It was us.

My family could see and feel why all that time and effort meant something.
They understood the world I was part of.
And I understood the world I wanted to help build.

What It Really Meant

Those events weren’t about parties.
They were about pride.
They were about reminding us, and our families, that our work mattered.

When people’s families believe in where they work,
when a spouse or child says, “That’s such a great company,”
something bigger happens at home, and at the office.

It reinforces belonging.
It fuels loyalty.
It creates alignment between who we are, where we work, and who we love.

That’s not nostalgia…, that’s culture.

What We’ve Lost

Today, most organizations don’t do things like that anymore.
We’ve traded warmth for efficiency.
Community for compliance.
Connection for convenience.

We’ve gotten so focused on perks and policies that we’ve forgotten the moments that make people proud to belong.
The ones that make families say,

“That’s where I hope my son or daughter works someday.”

That’s what builds legacy.
That’s what builds pride that lasts far beyond an annual review or a bonus.

The Courage to Go Back

Somewhere along the way, we convinced ourselves that “moving forward” meant leaving those things behind.
But maybe it’s the opposite.

Maybe moving forward means remembering what made people feel seen, valued, and connected…, not just as employees, but as human beings.

It doesn’t take a massive budget or an HR initiative.
It takes courage…, to bring heart back into the halls of leadership.
To build companies that include families, celebrate people, and remind them that they’re part of something worth caring about.

The Real Lesson

That’s what my first book, Leadership at the Dinner Table is all about…, the idea that leadership doesn’t stop when you leave the office.
It extends to the people waiting for you at home.
It shapes how they see your work, and how you see yourself.

When we build companies that inspire that kind of pride,
we don’t just retain employees.
We raise believers.

So here’s the question I’ll leave you with this week:

Have we moved so far forward that we’ve forgotten how to go back?

Because maybe the path ahead
isn’t about reinvention…
it’s about remembrance.

🔥 FireStarter takeaway:
My opinion…and frankly my hope…is that the companies that will win the next decade are the ones brave enough to bring heart back.
Not because it’s nostalgic…
but because it’s necessary.

P.S. I’m putting the finishing touches on my new book, Leadership at the Dinner Table.
If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to lead with heart, at work and at home, you’ll want in early. Join the waitlist

With Absolute Sincerity,

Ed Clementi
Founder & CEO of Inspired Fire, LLC

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