Reweaving What Matters

Meet the Author

Kathy Coffey Solberg works at the intersection of systems thinking, workplace culture, and human sustainability. Drawing on 25+ years of experience with nonprofits, government, and mission-driven institutions, she developed the Unweaving-Reweaving framework to help organizations navigate complex and necessary change. She lives in the Pacific Northwest. Reweaving What Matters is her first book.

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Photo credit: Kevin Clark, KDCiMages

About the Book

Something isn’t working. You know it, even if you can’t name it yet. You’ve tried the initiatives, the trainings, the new systems—and you’re done with oversimplified answers. You want to understand how you got here and consciously choose what’s next. With Reweaving What Matters, Kathy Coffey Solberg meets you there—and gives you tools you can start using Monday morning.

Most change efforts fail not because people didn’t care, but because they built on foundations no one had examined. In a moment when institutions are fraying and leaders are questioning whether change is even possible, this book offers neither false hope nor permission to give up. It offers a loom—and teaches you to use it.

Drawing on the ancient art of weaving as both metaphor and method, Solberg’s framework moves through two complementary phases: Unweaving (Notice–Clarify–Act) to examine the patterns already at play, and Reweaving (Envision–Structure–Weave) to consciously build what comes next. Unlike approaches that skip straight to solutions, this one insists on seeing clearly before acting—because that’s where most change efforts quietly collapse.

You’ll come away with tools to:

• See your workplace systems clearly—before jumping to solutions
• Name what isn’t working and understand why, not just what
• Design change that builds from real foundations, not just good intentions
• Apply the framework immediately to team meetings, strategic planning, and culture initiatives
• Lead transformation through relationship and understanding, not mandate

This is for people who are already doing the work and need something more honest than a quick fix—a usable process that starts with seeing clearly rather than doing more.

Solberg doesn’t promise transformation will be easy. But Reweaving What Matters is that rare book that respects both the complexity of systems change and the courage of the people attempting it. It offers what most books in this space don’t: a place to start that holds the tension.

DEBUTS SEPTEMBER 10, 2026.

Advanced Praise

“Kathy Coffey Solberg has produced a thoughtful, compassionate, and remarkably practical guide that will remain relevant long after today’s leadership trends have faded.

Suzie Housley, Midwest Book Review (read complete critique below)

“Mattering is the practice this book teaches, even when it appears to be about workplaces. It is the daily craft of treating yourself and the people around you as if your presence and theirs change what is possible—because it does. It is rehearsal for the future we are already inside.”

Bob Stilger, author of AfterNow, from the Foreword

“This astonishing and illuminating work is a truly remarkable offering, the most practical and wise guidance for transformation I’ve yet to encounter. It emerges from years of experience, made clear from continuous reflection, offered with a generous and respectful heart. Using a detailed lens of weaving, Kathy describes, consoles, clarifies, and encourages us. She provides a richness of practices to discover what’s possible when we identify as weaver-practitioners who are dedicated, experimental, and reflective. Let’s commit to a year of unweaving and reweaving! If we do, we will experience real transformation in ourselves, our communities, and our workplaces.”

Margaret Wheatley, author of 13 books from Leadership and the New Science (1992) to Who Do We Choose to Be? (2023) and Restoring Sanity (2024)

“It’s one thing to tear down what appears to be broken, apply a quick fix, and call it done. The more life-giving approach takes courage: to renew what we know is frayed or torn within ourselves, before we try to rebuild the world around us. Kathy Coffey Solberg understands this. Reweaving What Matters begins where most change efforts refuse to begin: with honest self-examination. It is kind, direct, and full of dignity, a rare and necessary book for anyone ready to do the inner work that makes outer change possible.”

Parker J. Palmer, author of Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, and On the Brink of Everything

From Midwest Book Reviews, the shelf of Suzie Housley

There is no shortage of books promising to revolutionize leadership or reinvent workplace culture. Kathy Coffey Solberg wisely resists that temptation. Rather than offering another collection of motivational slogans or management trends, she delivers something considerably more enduring—a reflective guide that asks readers to slow down, question assumptions, and examine the invisible structures that quietly shape every organization.

The weaving metaphor could easily have become repetitive in less capable hands. Instead, it serves as the book’s defining strength. Solberg returns to it with consistency and purpose, allowing readers to visualize organizational systems in ways that are surprisingly accessible. The concepts of warp and weft become memorable illustrations of the relationship between institutional structure and daily workplace behavior, transforming what could have been abstract organizational theory into tangible, practical understanding.

One of the book’s greatest accomplishments lies in its balance between philosophy and application. Solberg adequately explores why organizations become trapped in unhealthy patterns before introducing practical methods for moving beyond them. The “Notice, Clarify, Act” and “Envision, Structure, Weave” frameworks unfold naturally, allowing readers to absorb each concept without feeling overwhelmed. The author’s own message, that meaningful change cannot be rushed, is reflected in this deliberate pacing.

Equally impressive is Solberg’s authentic voice. She writes less like a corporate consultant delivering a seminar and more like an experienced mentor inviting readers into an ongoing conversation. The author seamlessly weaves personal stories into the narrative, providing credibility without overshadowing the larger message. Her reflections on discovering weaving, organizational fatigue, and the importance of examining foundations before pursuing solutions lend emotional depth that a good deal of leadership books cannot achieve.

The workbook elements and downloadable resources deserve particular recognition. Rather than simply presenting concepts for readers to admire, Solberg repeatedly encourages active engagement through structured reflection and practical exercises. These tools transform the book from a passive reading experience into a resource that organizational leaders, executive coaches, nonprofit directors, and business owners can revisit long after the final chapter has been completed.

Literarily, the manuscript shows thoughtful organization and excellent continuity. Each chapter builds logically upon the previous one, allowing readers to deepen their understanding gradually without repetition. The prose is polished and inviting, balancing professional expertise with approachable language that welcomes readers regardless of their leadership background.

Perhaps the book’s most refreshing quality is its refusal to promise instant transformation. Solberg openly acknowledges that organizational change is demanding, often uncomfortable work requiring patience, humility, and sustained commitment. That honesty gives the book uncommon credibility. Readers seeking simplistic formulas may find themselves challenged, but those willing to engage thoughtfully with the material will discover a framework capable of influencing both workplace culture and personal leadership philosophy.

Reweaving What Matters stands apart from many contemporary business titles because it addresses the human dimension of organizational life rather than focusing solely on productivity metrics or strategic planning. Solberg reminds readers they build healthy systems one relationship, one conversation, and one intentional decision at a time. In an era when workplace exhaustion has become commonplace, her emphasis on restoring meaning alongside performance feels both timely and necessary.

Highly recommended for executives, organizational leaders, nonprofit professionals, leadership coaches, human resource specialists, and anyone committed to building workplaces where people contribute with purpose instead of merely enduring the workday.

Kathy Coffey Solberg has produced a thoughtful, compassionate, and remarkably practical guide that will remain relevant long after today’s leadership trends have faded.