Dear Reader, Recognizing Uniqueness I was 21. It was my first summer working with Visions Service Adventures, and we were making the 6-hour drive from Anchorage, Alaska, to Tok, a tiny town where we were spending the summer living with 30 high school students from around the country. I was hired as the outdoor specialist and knew Iād be teaching students to kayak and backpack. Weād spend much of our time doing cultural learning and community service, like building a bridge over a river, not...
about 1 month agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Dear Reader, Having conversations about the realities of life and work while not talking about politics can be complex to navigate. Over the last 13 years, my team has been brought in to facilitate meaningful discussions with roomfuls of work teammates, taking special care that there is no trash-talking, polarization, or personal political views discussed. Itās challenging but possible. This was Week 1, Session 1: Creating a Culture of Feedback for our STEP Academy for Government Leaders...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read
Dear Reader, The other day, I stopped by a hotel to drop off a book. The Flagstaff Leadership Program asked if I would give one of the new resilience stories books to their annual fundraiser, and I was happy to. The hotel was the workplace of Ellen Jimenez, someone I know just a little bit but like a whole lot who has amazing energy, and I feel a kinship with her. Upon seeing each other, we embraced in a big hug. All was well in the world. As we separated our bodies, somehow and in slow...
4 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Dear Reader, I recently heard a statistic that if we have a culture of high inclusion, burnout decreases by 93%. This helps me to understand myself and my motivations for my work. I have a passion for authentic connection & helping others to connect. This month, Triumphs of Transformation launched. Putting together a book with 29 other people was a fun-chaos kind of adventure. Through the process, I had a double-sided fear; that no one would read it, or that everyone would. The experience...
5 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
Dear Reader, 2 things happened at once. I was in the midst selecting the editor for a book Iāve been writing through Amplify Publishing about how people can increase their leadership impact through short-form story telling. Itās my hardest won leadership skill. In my family, we were often onto the next thing & were moving quickly. Itās filled with tons of my own stories & teaches a method for people to bring their stories to life when communicating about leadership. At the same time,...
6 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Dear Reader, The Best Intentions I found out that it would be Chrisās 38th birthday. For the last four weeks, we had been meeting at this new hip dance studio off 4th Street, replete with a spray-painted sign and sparse dĆ©cor. We were a motley crew of dance students spending three hours on Saturdays and another two hours on Tuesdays to advance our salsa and bachata skills. Chris could seamlessly teach us, switching from following to leading, and working on technique and sequence. One evening...
7 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Dear Reader, Over the last few months, I have had a chance to collaborate with some incredible individuals in the diversity & inclusion space (D&I). I am always hungry to learn more here, and I have a real fear of āmessing upā that I actively try to overcome. We made a training video; most of what Iāve seen out there has role playing or models or vague concepts. We wanted to change this. We had a watch party with all of the contributors at my house, and as we were watching someone whispered...
8 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hi Reader, It's open! Are you ready to take a deep dive into Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging with us? Join us for Lancaster Leadershipās Group Coaching Intensive for Leaders (Only Offered Twice Per Year) Register for Group Coaching Intensive Here Training Series Topic for Fall 2024: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging: A Deep Dive When: August 2024 - December 2024 5 Sessions will Include These Topics: Building Honest Communication & Conversations Around Differences, Pronouns &...
10 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Dear Reader, The Intentional Pursuit of Inspiration.I often hear people say they are thankful just to wake up in the morning. Although that is true for me too, I expect way more out of each day than just waking up. So, every day, when I wake up, I ask myself, āWhat or who will inspire me today?" It's a daily ritual, a commitment to finding rays of hope in all directions. Every interaction, every conversation, and every encounter is an opportunity to glean wisdom, empathy, and insight from the...
10 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read