Success Leaves Clues: Ep 299 What Gets Recognized Gets Repeated | Kristian Gaetano, COO at Achievers

What if one of the most effective ways to improve employee engagement, workplace culture, and business performance costs nothing more than a thoughtful thank you?In this episode of Success Leaves Clues, Robin Bailey and Al McDonald sit down with Kristian Gaetano, Chief Operating Officer at Achievers, to explore why employee recognition is far more powerful than an annual award or expensive incentive.Since joining Achievers nearly 15 years ago, Kristian has progressed from customer success into the C-suite by volunteering to solve the complex problems others avoided. He shares how leaning into his strengths, embracing challenges before he felt fully qualified, and becoming known as a dependable problem-solver shaped his leadership journey.The conversation also explores how leaders can balance data with instinct, why information requires human context, and how Kristian uses a “worry list” and trusted truth tellers to manage high-stakes decisions. As AI reshapes the workplace, he offers an important reminder that technology remains a tool. Critical thinking, community, empathy, and human connection are still what move organizations forward.Whether you are a CEO, founder, people leader, customer success professional, or executive navigating the future of work, this episode offers a human-centred approach to building stronger teams, customer relationships, and organizations.You’ll hear about:How Kristian grew from customer success into the COO role Why tackling difficult problems can accelerate leadership growth How customer success has become a strategic partnership Balancing data, instinct, empathy, and human context Why senior leaders need trusted truth tellers How to stop late-night worries from controlling your thinking The biggest misconception about employee recognition Why everyday recognition can influence workplace behaviour The connection between employee engagement and customer experience Why AI must support people, not replace critical thinking How organizations can remain human during workplace transformation Helping other people recognize and reach their potentialWe talk about:00:00 Welcome and introduction to Kristian Gaetano 03:02 Growing from customer success into the COO role 04:00 Solving the problems nobody else wants 06:13 Leaning into your strengths as a leader 12:00 Why the customer is not always right, but is never wrong 13:19 Using empathy and constructive tension with customers 15:17 Balancing data with instinct and experience 18:09 The weight of making high-stakes leadership decisions 19:19 Kristian’s late-night “worry list” strategy 20:14 Why leaders need trusted truth tellers 22:15 Adding human context to data and AI 25:53 The biggest misconceptions about employee recognition 27:20 Recognizing everyday behaviours, not only major achievements 29:00 How employee engagement affects business performance 30:53 When AI transformation makes employees feel disposable 32:52 Attracting, engaging, and retaining talent in the future 34:20 Why the future of work requires community and humanity 36:24 Planting trees by helping people reach their potentialConnect with KristianLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiangaetano/ Website: https://www.achievers.com/  Connect with UsLinkedIn: Robin Bailey and Al McDonald  Website: Aria Benefits and Life & Legacy Advisory Group