When we seek out our interviewees for the back cover of our RecogNation publication, we’re looking for people who can elevate our stories with their own professional experience and their own personal twist. I discovered Roberta Matuson while researching the broad topic of onboarding, and, although she was a complete stranger to me, I took a risk and reached out to her. What luck! She was so willing, gracious, and enthusiastic—and ended up being the ideal contributor to this issue’s topic.

If you’re following the chatter about workplace dynamics, you’ve probably noticed a lot of analysis and speculation about Boomers vs. Millennials. Is it better to be tech savvy or a team player? Adaptable or accomplished? Creative or conventional? How do you engage and retain Millennials? How do you help Boomers stay relevant and comfortable in a changing professional landscape?

If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, you’ve probably had at least a few different jobs and you’ve likely had a diversity of experiences—with co-workers, bosses, cultures, environments. Of these, what stood out to you? Or stands out to you now? For me, it has been the times when I’ve had a confidant. Not a friend necessarily, but someone I admired and trusted. Someone who didn’t just challenge me to be better, but also helped me get there. Someone whose example I could emulate, even it was as simple as how to dress or carry myself in a meeting. And, most importantly, someone who was benefitting from me, too—and I knew it and it helped build my confidence even more.

Last month, I started a new series to share with you all the fun ways our Baudvillians use their hi5 Imagine the Possibilities™ Award Cards for their service anniversary gifts. If you missed that post, it features me! and you can find it here. At Baudville, we celebrate all anniversaries, not just the milestone ones like 5- and 10-years. That means everyone gets a chance to be rewarded for their loyal service, not just the veterans!

You can have a careful hiring process and feel confident that you’ve chosen the right candidate, but sometimes things still don’t go as planned. This truth is why many companies have a 90-day trial period during which a new hire is evaluated for aptness and aptitude. Do you have one? Have you ever considered that it’s not only the employee’s time to shine, but also yours? In a job market where top talent has options, the last thing you want to do is give them a reason to explore other ones. Just sayin’.