Transformational Highlights from the 6/10 Transformational Leaders Circle (TLC)

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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Inclusive Leadership: Why Company Culture and Men Matter with Results of the 2015 Minnesota Census of Women in Corporate Leadership

by Patricia Neal

At our conference we were able to speak with transformational leaders Dr. Sylvia Bartley, Medtronic Inc.• Dr. Rebecca Hawthorne, St. Catherine University and co-author of The Minnesota Census of Women in Corporate Leadership • Dr. Deborah Koland, EdD, MBA • Doug Baker of True North Groups Institute.

Each conversation starter briefed attendees on inclusion, equity, innovation and impact. Deborah and Rebecca offered research data and case studies, and a preview of what is possible in bringing women to the leadership table.

Key questions highlighted at the session included: 

• What is the value add of having diverse voices in your company's leadership?
• What role does company culture play in shaping women’s leadership opportunities and trajectories? 
• Why are we still having this conversation in 2016?
• During the "Big Q" question time, some compelling questions came forward [partial list]:
• What is the one thing we can all do in our individual roles to impart this issue?
• What are the practical proven best practices of changing corporate cultures so women and people of color are retained and thus represented more equitably at the leadership level in the next 5 years- not 100!
• Do women really want the C Suite positions?
• The are so many values they seem to have to give up to hold these spots. What can we do as individuals to change our company’s corporate culture? More here

As the session progressed our large group split up into small group "Conversation Cafés" in which thought leaders from around the area expressed and discussed the importance of company culture, the integration of more female leadership and how men can support and enable the process. 

Conversation Café Thought Leaders: • Eric Ahlness, Cargill Inc. • Heather Faulkner, Kris Petersen, think2perform • Lynn Nelson, LIN PR • Sam Paske, Metropolitan Council Environmental Services • Don Thomas, Nan Langevin, Stephanie Reem, BWBR Architects, Inc. • Lisa Walker, Logic PD • Lori Crever, Wells Fargo International Group

Concluding remarks:

"Women leaning in is not the ultimate solution for more leadership diversity. According to many studies, there is evidence that gender diversity in executive teams is connected to company earnings."

Heartland would like to extend a huge Thank you to all of our speakers, attendees and wonderful convening conversations we had at this TLC. If you may have missed our June TLC, check out our updated LinkedIn page full of helpful tips to master the Art of Convening Check out photos from the event here.

! Are you wanting to collaborate with more productivity within your organization and enable more diversity amongst your leaders? Call us at 612.920.3029 to schedule your next consult. Were you unable to attend the June Transformational Leaders Circle? Here are some highlights from our session!

Session Archives

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A Leader Looks to Retain Top Talent: A Client Success Story

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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by Rachel Harris

In a periodic series, Heartland Group shares illuminating case studies of change management successes. The current installment focuses on a client who had come to a cross-roads and knew the status quo was no longer an option. Our client is a Human Resources Vice President who sought to resolve an employee retention problem, but found roadblocks in navigating a much more complex situation in the company culture. She hired Heartland Group to apply Convening methodology and map a path forward.

Coming to the realization that her smartest, most talented staff were underperforming or leaving, a Vice President of Human Resources knew a change was needed. After assessing employee needs and emphasizing talent retention, she discovered that company culture was impacting performance.  

She contacted Conversational Intelligence-trained coach Patricia Neal and initiated a plan of action. Together they focused on retaining top female talent in the male-dominated engineering company and re-energizing the workforce through a special interest group (SIG). What began as a staffing retention issue had morphed into a culture change initiative.  This is where the project got exciting!

This SIG met to re-focus the mission and vision, design a kick-off meeting and receive Art of Convening training.  The group relaunched successfully in March with over 70 people in attendance - double the expected turnout!  Their success evolved from executive coaching and training on more effective meetings.  Now that the SIG is up and running, they have requested a quarterly tune-up on designing effective meetings for inclusion. The quarterly trainings and monthly coaching have enabled middle managers to create a culture of inclusion, develop staff buy-in and transform their leadership. Excellent outcomes!

We love to work with leaders who are ready to move beyond the status quo.Center for Purposeful Leadership: Connect. Engage. Collaborate. Give us a jingle. #612-920-3039.

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Using Convening to Transform Company Culture: June TLC

Photo Credit: Daniel Scotton

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by Rachel Harris

With Mother’s Day recently passed, I arrived at work yesterday thinking about how to create a positive future for all people, whether their path takes them into the business world or not.  An equitable workplace is on my mind.  I worry that it might not be possible to spark shifts in company cultures that dissolve the glass ceiling for women and minorities.  And, I hope that such corporate transformations are already happening.  

At the upcoming TLC-Twin Cities, Heartland will convene a conversation inspired by news of the 5th Annual Minnesota Census of Women in Corporate Leadership.  

In this important annual conversation - relevant for anyone who is making forward-thinking business decisions, has a daughter or knows a woman rising through the ranks, Heartland and St. Catherine University will relay how company culture impacts women’s advancement in Minnesota.

There are several ways to participate:

• Come for the morning session “Inclusive Leadership: Why Company Culture and Men Matter” ($99) and stay for lunch ($19) to extend the conversation.
• Bring a colleague to continue the conversation afterward at the office!  2+ participants per company reduces the morning rate to $89/person.
• Invite colleagues to attend the afternoon “Getting Your Life into Balance” Workshop ($75). People can participate in the Workshop separately from the morning.

June 10th will be a day of rich learning and action-oriented outcomes. We’d love to see you there. Regiser here.

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A Special Offer

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A Special Offer.

Are you looking for a way to create breakthroughs in your ability to communicate effectively in any engagement? If so, pick up a copy of our book, The Art of Convening, at a special rate of 40% off through Feb. 21st.

Click on this link to get your copy today: http://bit.ly/1kXlYQf

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Gratitude: How to quiet your brain

Photo Credit: Daniel Scotton

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http://www.mprnews.org/story/2013/12/23/daily-circuit-holiday-stress?from=dc

I loved this interview. Dr. Sood speaks to the power of gratitude.

Mayo Clinic stress expert Dr. Amit Sood joins The Daily Circuit to discuss the steps he recommends to lower stress and enjoy the holidays. Sood's upcoming book is "The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living."

• "The main challenge we are facing in the 21st century is a very busy brain. We're all overextended. I'm sure you have more than 20 passwords. You have perhaps a dozen or more bills to pay. Our ancestors didn't have that."

• "The three most important things in holidays are relationships, relationships and relationships. Binge on quality time with your loved ones.... Don't fall off the wellness and budget bandwagon. And do something to honor the tradition. This is a time of hope. This is a time of forgiveness. This is a time of gratitude. Be extra kind to yourself."

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2014: Crunch Time!

Photo credit: Daniel Scotton

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an interesting thought piece:  http://futureexploration.net/2014-crunch-time

For many years we have all observed massive change, driven not only by extraordinary developments in information, medical, and material technologies, but also by accompanying social shifts that have been as dramatic as technological change.

These shifts have been incremental over years, so while we are all aware of these shifts, many still do not realize quite how dramatic the impact will be.

We are now reaching “Crunch Time”, when cumulative change is reaching the point of fundamental disruption in many aspects of society. Now is when the extent of change truly hits home, leaving many dazed, yet others seizing the extraordinary opportunities that emerge from rapid change.

In this brief report we highlight 14 domains in which we are reaching crunch time, and how we need to respond.

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10 Things Employees Want More Than a Raise

Photo Credit: Daniel Scotton

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http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/10-things-employees-want-more-than-a-raise.html?cid=readmore

Making big money is often less important to employees than satisfying these basic needs.

Contrary to popular belief, employees value many things more than the amount of money they're being paid.  If they're treated right, employees will not only work for less, they'll be happier and more productive as they do so.

Based upon hundreds of conversations I've had about bosses and jobs, here's what employees really want:

1. To feel proud.

When asked what they do for a living, employees want to boast rather than apologize. They want the people they meet to be at least a little impressed, even if it's only because the employee has taken on a job that's generally thankless.

2. To be treated fairly.

While almost everyone realizes that life isn't fair, employees don't want the boss to make life more unfair than it already is.  Employees hate favoritism.  They expect the perks and promotions to go to the people who work hard, not the people who kiss butt.

3. To respect the boss.

Employees want respect from the boss, of course, but just as strong is the need to feel respectfor the boss!  Employees want to believe in that their boss is a leader who is worthy of their loyalty.

4. To be heard out.

Employees hate it when the boss doesn't have the time or the interest to listen to what they have to say. Employees don't expect the boss to always take their advice, but if the boss won't hear them out they (rightly) assume the boss doesn't care about them.

5. To have a personal life.

Photo credit: pexels.com

For many bosses (especially entrepreneurs) work is a way of life.  Employees, however, usually think of friends and family as their "real" life.  Even when they're committed to their job, they get twitchy when work keeps them away too much.

6. To be coached not micromanaged.

Employees want the boss's help when 1) they ask for it, or 2) they're floundering so badly they're afraid to ask for it.  What employees don't want is to have the boss looking over their shoulder all the time.

7. To see the assh*les get fired.

In almost every workplace there are one or two jerks who make life miserable for everybody.  Almost more than anything else, employees want the boss to fire those jerks. If the boss doesn't, employees know he's either a weakling, a fool, or a jerk himself.

8. To feel less stress.

People hate the sense that they've got too much to do and not enough time to do it. Bosses must plan carefully, anticipate problems and set realistic goals, so that they don't accidentally and unnecessarily add stress to employees' lives.

9. To have a little security.

No sane employee expects lifetime employment.  Even so, it's hard to concentrate when you feel as if a sword is hanging over your head. Employees want to know that they're not wasting their time when they're giving your their best.

10. To beat the competition.

Finally, never underestimate the power of teamwork, especially when teamwork means grinding the other team into the dust.  Employees don't want to be team players; they want to play on the winning team.

Why isn't money on the list of desires? Well, as it happens, I've seldom heard anybody complain about their salary per se, except in the context of the above desires (i.e. "they don't pay me enough to put up with this.")

Satisfy the ten desires above and your employees will remain loyal and hardworking, even if you're paying them less (and maybe even far less) than they might earn elsewhere.

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Craig in the news today: Transformation 1963 to 2013

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"I knew my life would be forever changed. I hadn't bargained on transformation in its very essence."

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Letter of the Day (Aug. 28): March on Washington

I was a 17-year-old self-proclaimed “jock” from suburban New Jersey when a friend asked me to join her synagogue on a civil-rights march in Washington. With parental support, I ventured forth.

Our bus arrived early, so I walked the reflecting pool to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I witnessed the preparations and eventually the speakers and singers, and ultimately saw the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver the “I have a Dream” speech.

Separated from my group and hemmed into place by the crowd on the steps, I knew my life would be forever changed. I hadn’t bargained for transformation in its very essence.

As King spoke, I turned away to the watch the sea of people spreading across the mall and beyond, and I fixated on a man in a black suit, black tie and hat with a sign that I believe said “We Shall Overcome.”

My lasting impression was that this man and others dressed in their elegant best, with tears streaming down their faces, smiling and saying “amen” after each phrase. I knew at that moment that my life’s work would be for the sake of service to a dream of a better world.

CRAIG NEAL, Minneapolis

The writer is cofounder of Heartland Inc., a social enterprise organization, and is a former publisher of Utne Reader magazine.

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This was passed on to Patricia by a friend on her 60th

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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Prophets of a Future Not Our Own

It helps now and then to step back and take a long view...

We all plant the seed that one day will grow.

We water the seeds already planted, knowing that they hold promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.

We provide yeast that produces efforts far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything.

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Knowing this enables us to do something, and to do it well.

Our work may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way.

Our actions present an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.

We are the workers, not master builders.

We are ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future not our own.

Amen.

—Attributed to Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador (1917-1980), possibly original to Bishop Ken Untener

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AoC Reviews

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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8/23/13: The Spiritual Collective Daily: Taste of Convening: scroll down to "Education"

8/6/13: Yorkshire Post: Business Diary: August 6
Have you ever been stuck in a meeting that went on for hours and achieved nothing? Well, Yorkshire-based leadership coach Tilla Brook says she is on a mission to banish unproductive, boring meetings.
She claims she is the “first certified convenor in the UK” – convening, as defined by Brook, is “the art and science of gathering and holding people for the sake of the best possible outcome”.

7/29/13 Kelly Castor @Velldr #FF Fantastic #Leadership resources from this week:@kevinjdean @mikemyatt @leadfearlessly @heartlandcircle

March 2013, CRISI E SVILUPPO MANAGERITALIA: The Art of Convening, or the art of managing meetings

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Last minute discount! One more spot available...

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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Last minute discount! One more spot available >  

We are looking for one more father & son duo to join us on the next Fathers & Sons Wilderness Journey departing on September 1st.

We are willing to offer registration for this "Journey of a Lifetime" at "cost plus".

 Call or email us now to secure this incredible last minute deal:

Phone: 612.920.3039 (office)

Email: craig@heartlandcircle.com

 _________________________________________________________

 This is the perfect opportunity to join 3 other father & son duos who are on a lifelong journey of cultivating powerful, fulfilling and nurturing relationships with each other.

 http://heartlandcircle.com/MWJ-main.htm 

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What has changed the course of your life?...

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Craig was interviewed yesterday by Minnesota Public Radio for an upcoming program on the 50th anniversary of the "March on Washington, Aug. 28, 1963, which he attended as a 17-year-old, and was profoundly impacted by.

The interview prompted these questions for Craig to offer to you:

Conversation 1: Speak to a seminal event in your life that transformed you and/or changed the course of your life.
Conversation 2: Is that shift alive in you today and, if so, speak to how it is taking form in your life.
Conversation 3: How are you bringing your aliveness into the world at this time? What is the vehicle for your offering?

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And the sun rose...

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An offering from Craig: A Minneapolis/ Lake Calhoun sunrise ...

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Heading North: Father/Son/Grandson Trip

PHoto credit: craig neal

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Craig, Alec, and grandsons Henri and Charlie preparing for a long weekend in the BWCA. We will leave from Sawbill Outfitter, heading north on some of the same lakes and portages we will cover on September 1 for the 1st-ever Father/Son Journey.

6 fathers and sons are ready to journey September 1-7 (Craig/Alec, Jim/Jules, Joe/Justin). We invite one more Father/Son duo to join us.

The next group Community Call is Mon. 8/26, 12-1pm Central.

If you are interested in knowing more or registering, Click here to email Craig or call Patricia at 612-889-5812!

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Taste of Convening: your participation wanted

Click here to register

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Dear Friends,

Join Craig and Patricia on any of the upcoming AoC Taste of Convening Maestro calls.

WHAT IS THE TASTE OF CONVENING? Each 1-hour informational Maestro conference call is a blend of interaction and engagement with Craig, originator of The Art of Convening Trainings. You will learn about how the 9 Aspects of the Convening Wheel can transform your engagements and relationships. Plus, learn new developments and opportunities in The Art of Convening Trainings and Graduate Community.

Aug 7 - Aug 12 - Aug 14 - Aug 20 - Aug 22

7-8am PT, 9-10am CT, 10-11am ET, 15-16 GMT

Click here to register and join us: http://heartlandcircle.com/AOC/aoc-taste-of-convening.htm

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Patricia speaks at Business Book meeting

Photo credit: Daniel Scotton

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Minneapolis Book Events: A Business Book Bonanza of Minnesota Based Authors

In January, we started something called the Business Book Breakfast — and groups of 25-50 exciting, high energy, curious and fun people have gathered at 6:45 AM the 4th Wednesday of every month, to share thoughts and ideas about five very amazing books.

I decided we needed something more relaxing for the last, hazy days of summer, so we’re now meeting from 4:30-6pm (with a cash bar, lovely passed hors d’ouevres, plus FREE parking). Up next:

Wednesday, July 24, 4:30 – 6pm

This month, Minneapolis Book Events will be featuring 5 local authors, each sharing short snippets of their books and allowing time for book signings (and buying). Included authors are:

Al Watts, 

Navigating Integrity

Ralph Jacobson, 

Leading for a Change

Gary Cohen, 

Just Ask Leadership

Manny Steil, 

Listening Leaders

Patricia Neal, 

The Art of Convening

• Location: The Minneapolis Club, Main Lounge on the 1st Floor
• 4:30-5:40pm  Facilitated session; 5:40-6pm  More time for informal conversations.
• Cost: $15-passed appetizers, cash bar, free parking. Prepayment required.
• Non-Club members welcomed!

RSVP: 

Online

 or Call the Club (612) 332-2292

Guests Encouraged.

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I have to Shine!

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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Yesterday I awoke to take this breathtaking image of the sun rising through our front door over Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. May it and poem below inspire your day today!

Solar

On a gray day, when the sun

has been abducted, and it’s chill

end-of-the-world weather,

I must be the sun.

I must be the one

to encourage the young

sidetracked physicist

working his father’s cash register

to come up with a law of nature

that says brain waves can change

the dismal sky.  I must be the one

to remind the ginger plant

not to rest on the reputation

of its pungent roots, but to unveil

those buttery tendrils from the other world.

When the sky is an iron lid

I must be the one to simmer

in the piquant juices of possibility,

though the ingredients are unknown

and the day begins with a yawn.

I must issue forth a warmth

without discrimination, and any guarantee

it will come back to me.

On a dark day I must be willing

to keep my disposition light,

I have to be at the very least

on stray intact ray

of local energy, one small

but critical fraction

of illumination.  Even on a day

that doesn’t look gray

but still lacks comfort or sense,

I have to be the sun,

I have to shine as if

sorry life itself depended on it.

I have to make all the difference.

~ Thomas Centolella ~

(Views from along the Middle Way)

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Good Morning! Being alive

photo credit: Daniel Scotton

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We had an 8 inch snowfall here on Lake Calhoun yesterday. The grace of the sunrise this morning is a gift we share with you.

Craig & Patricia

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Here comes the Sun! Gifts of the morning

photo credit: Craig Neal

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I've been shooting sunrise photos thiswinter from our home on Lake Calhoun in downtown Minneapolis. And what to my wondrous eyes should appear each morning, but this miraculous sphere of energy that brings us such joy and sustains life. Here is todays gift, as shot through our icy storm window, along with a poem by Mary Oliver.

Craig Neal

Hello, sun in my face.

Hello, you who make the morning

and spread it over the fields

and into the faces of the tulips

and the nodding morning glories,

and into the windows of, even, the

miserable and the crotchety—

best preacher that ever was,

dear star, that just happens

to be where you are in the universe

to keep us from ever darkness,

to ease us with warm touching,

to hold us in the great hands of light—

good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day

in happiness, in kindness.

Mary Oliver

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Wednesday Wisdom (or Wit) from Heartland: Your Life Catches Fire

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John Squadrea, from The Compass of the Rose

When you die to what

you thought was true

everything in your life catches fire.

You are the instrument

not the music

If you think you are the music

you will stop at

the final bar

If you become an instrument

for the music,

you will go on playing

no matter where you are

or who’s conducting

the gig is never over. 

The heart is always singing

Yes.

The mind is always shouting

No. 

Between the two

we come and go

safe on the solid shore of maybe. 

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