Ground Truth Solutions’ Post

ATTENTION BOUNDARY SPANNERS! Join us tomorrow—Tuesday, August 22, noon Eastern—for our monthly gathering! Register here: https://lnkd.in/grEi5Avy ♾️ We are boundary spanners. We are blurring lines between—and creating connections across—higher education and community, economic, and workforce transformation. Each month, on the fourth Tuesday at noon Eastern, we get together on Zoom for some peer learning. Our participants get an opportunity to learn from and network with other professionals working in different spaces (higher education, economic development, community development, workforce development) on shared interests in improving communities and the economy. We call our gathering the 🧪 Tuesday Impact Leaders Lab 🧪, and we'd love to have you join us. Our next session is on Tuesday, August 22 (TOMORROW!) at noon Eastern. Registration link is included below. Here's how the one-hour session goes: 💥 Impact of the Month—We discuss a current topic in workforce, economic, or community transformation. (about 15 minutes) 👥 Breakouts—Participants hear about a colleague’s impact efforts, learn new strategies, offer suggestions for advancing transformation work. (about 30 minutes) 🧠 Lessons—We share key takeaways from the breakouts. (about 10 minutes) 🎯 Goals—Participants share what they are trying to move the needle on over the coming month. (about 5 minutes) Register here: https://lnkd.in/grEi5Avy

One of our favorite reflection questions, regardless of when we work with clients 1:1, in groups, or at workshops is this: "Who are you BECOMING?" 👉 Knowing who you want to grow into allows us build connection with ourselves, set intentions, and INSPIRE ACTION to get closer to that person. We love hearing that our programs and services have helped The Restoration Project clients realize this BECOMING process: ✨ "My year in review will be known as the year I said ‘yes.’ I took chances. I honored my commitments. I made new connections, and I was unapologetically myself. The Restoration Project helped me honor the spaces in me that I often try to hide from others out of fear." ✨ "You have been nothing short of amazing to work with! Thanks for believing in us and making sure everyone has a platform to speak up." ✨ "We are seeing and feeling the changes in just these few months we’ve been working together and know that it can take years to shift a culture. So the fact that we are seeing results already is encouraging! Being able to share openly is certainly a gift." If you desire time and space to make a plan and inspire action individually or as a team, consider joining us at one of our upcoming events in November! Get the details and reserve your spot at the link on the comments!

🚀 Charting Unseen Paths: Discovering Tomorrow at Hidden Grounds Coffee In the diverse world of the coffee industry, where our team is as varied as our coffee blends, embracing change is the most optimal state to be in. We’re introducing a new way to honor the journeys of our team members as they evolve, perhaps even beyond our walls. Why? Because once upon a time, I took a leap of faith, leaving my role at Johnson & Johnson not out of disdain but driven by a desire for a path less traveled. That decision led me to where I am today, and I believe everyone deserves to chase their unique path with support, not stigma. That’s why I’m thrilled to share a policy close to my heart, designed to honor our team’s growth and transitions: Two-Week Notice: A heartfelt thank you for helping us keep the brew and business smooth. Three-Week Notice: A $250 bonus as a token of our appreciation, helping us transition with grace. Six-Week Notice: A $300 bonus to thank you for giving us the gift of time, ensuring quality and continuity for our customers. But here's the real talk - we get that the dance between employee and manager won’t always be in perfect harmony. We’re in the trenches together, and while we haven’t hit a utopian state of work dynamics (and might never), we’re committed to a culture that outright rejects any form of disrespect or assholish behavior. It’s about respect, understanding, and a mutual commitment to growth. Implementing this policy is more than just about bonuses; it's a step towards fostering a supportive environment instead of living in the constant state of dread. We recognize that our journey together might not last forever, but while it does, we aim to make it as enriching and respectful as possible. At Hidden Grounds, we're not just about coffee. We're creating a place where everyone feels like they belong, where you're valued, respected, and free to chase your dreams—right here and out in the world. If you think you can show me a different perspective, I'm all ears—drop me a message.

🎉✨ Embracing the dawn of a new year, it’s the time to reflect on aspirations and set our compass for the journey ahead. At Shirley Parsons, we view resolutions as waypoints, guiding us along our path to continual growth and achievement. 🗺💡 In 2024, our focus extends beyond mere resolutions; we aim for collective enrichment. Our aspirations revolve around fostering more smiles, fostering greater collaboration, and nurturing a stronger sense of camaraderie among our team—coupled with, perhaps, the intent to declutter our desks! 🗄🌟 Resolutions are not just markers; they symbolize our commitment to evolving and thriving. They represent a dedication to self-improvement, be it mastering new skills, prioritizing well-being, or investing quality time with loved ones. 🌱💪 As we embark on this new chapter, let's harness our determination, infuse it with laughter, and challenge ourselves to pursue these resolutions, even when the allure of the snooze button beckons! ⏰💼 What are your resolutions for this year? Share your goals and aspirations with us; let's inspire each other toward greater heights! 🌟✨ #NewYearResolutions #GoalSetting #ContinuousGrowth #TeamSynergy #EmbarkingOnAdventures 🎉🗺☕

What if we could sprinkle a bit of that spring magic into our workplaces? Imagine an environment that buzzes with energy, ideas blooming like the first flowers of the season, and a vibe so positive, it’s infectious. Guess what? That transformation starts with YOU. We’re not just part of the culture; we’re its architects. Sure, pointing fingers is easy, but embracing the power we hold to mold our experiences is where the real magic happens. It’s about expecting sunshine and acting like it's there even when you see the rain. Try this: Declare this upcoming Friday to be 'Fresh Start Friday". Invite your team members to each share one new idea or practice that could make your workplace brighter, more inclusive, or just plain fun and choose one to implement. Remember, we harvest exactly what we plant in the garden of our workplace. What seeds are you planting this spring?

Many of our branches have hosted monthly People First local conversations this year, inviting their teams to discuss how to enhance leadership skills and strengthen inclusion by putting people first—our first company value. They covered a variety of topics, such as belonging, community involvement, and unconscious bias. This month, our People First local conversations are centered around gratitude, which is an awareness and appreciation of the positive parts of our lives. Gratitude is something we can practice every day, whether that’s taking time to notice what’s going right or recognizing a coworker for something they’ve done that we’re thankful for. We know that building a habit of gratitude can make stronger and more connected teams and that being grateful is tied to many mental and physical health benefits, including better sleep and a decrease in anxiety and depression. As our last local conversation of the year, we want to take a moment to share that we have so much to be grateful for—our people, values, communities, customers, products, and more. We are thankful for the opportunities to enhance lives by delivering quality products, offering empowering and rewarding careers, and doing our part to bring about a better future.

Working as a change agent can all too often feel like you’re the one person on the dance floor, trying to get the party started 💃. Or sometimes like you’re all alone on an island 🏝️. I know firsthand that neither of those feelings is particularly sustainable. I also know that this doesn’t have to be our reality. Recently I’ve been really inspired by Adrienne Maree Brown's Emergent Strategy (thanks to a brilliant book rec from someone in the Girls Club Collective community!), and I'm inspired by her metaphor of a line of ants, working together, as the type of leadership and collaboration we need to address the challenges of our time. In the same vein, I'm inspired by the energy of a tree root system, communicating underground for the collective good and resilience of the forest (and not individual trees). On your journey of creating a better world, who are your cheerleaders? I'm not talking about fans or followers. I'm talking about a dedicated group of people who champion your vision, celebrate your wins, and lift you up when challenges arise. I’m talking about what someone recently described to me as your “backstage hype women” — the people who help you prep for the big C-suite meeting, offer you their negotiation tips, and show up in the (virtual or physical) front row to your next big thing to cheer you on. We created the Girls Club Collective to be your root system🌲, your line of ants 🐜, and your backstage hype women 📣. Because changing the world is hard work, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re ready to join a community of people who want to help you make your dreams a reality, join the Girls Club Collective — applications are due today: https://lnkd.in/g3t3aZvN And if there’s someone who you couldn’t do this whole impact thing without, tag them below 👇 .💕

How do you connect with those colleagues you disagree with? Sometimes it’s easy: you’re in a meeting and the team is easily sharing opinions and ideas. Some are great, some are garbage -- and everybody’s comfortable bouncing them all around until the group lands somewhere good. Sometimes it’s hard: you’re in a meeting and the leader says something that sends a shock of heat through your gut and you know you can’t risk saying anything - no words, no raised eyebrows, no sideways glances down the table, no shifting in your seat. How teams manage disagreement is a reliable signal of their feelings of safety and belonging. And most of us – raising my hand here! – can get better at navigating those disagreements. Even more – with the right tools we can even deepen our connections and create even strong bonds of belonging, even when we disagree with each other.  Want to learn how? Come listen to Amena 🦒 Chaudhry as she takes the stage with one of our keynotes at IMPACT 2024: Bridging the Belonging Gap. Amena will outline key obstacles and barriers that hinder our collective ability to cultivate cultures where equity is pursued and belonging is the prevailing norm. You’ll gain actionable insights and tools to initiate transformative, healing impacts in how you relate to themselves and to the world around them. Join us Tuesday, February 7 at 12:25 pm central.  You can grab an early-bird day pass for Tuesday for only $39. https://lnkd.in/gcAYUBpm