We are now Center for Purposeful Leadership!

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Founded as Heartland in 1995, we are now Center for Purposeful Leadership, home to the Art of Convening! Though our name has changed, our values remain the same. At the heart of the matter in convening is purpose. We invite you to join us on this journey into new beginnings.

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How Are Internal Stakeholders and Team Performance Connected?

Photo credit: todd photography

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by Rachel Harris

In a periodic series, we share reports from the field about our work with clients. Recently, a client contacted us for strategy to retain top talent and enhance workplace dynamics. Here is the challenge our client was facing:

For the past few months, a group of senior managers, mostly women, have been meeting to re-organize an internal group of stakeholders. The quandary they were facing was retention of top female talent in a male-dominated workplace. By re-energizing the workforce through a special interest group (SIG) they hoped to curb the exit of female staff. 

This SIG hired Center for Purposeful Leadership (formerly Heartland) to re-focus the mission and vision, design a kick-off meeting and provide convening training. Over a period of five months, the design team met monthly. The SIG leadership team, along with key HR staff, took the Art of Convening workshop to learn effective communications and staff engagement techniques.

After the training, the SIG leadership team applied the meeting design principles to the re-launch kick-off with great effect. The SIG relaunched in March with over 70 people in attendance - double the expected turnout! With the SIG firmly in place and staff reengaged - both men and women - employees are seeing one another in a new light, taking time to collaborate and supporting one another professionally.

The internal stakeholders in the SIG have acted as champions for the organization and teams have transformed.

Looking back on these past months with the client, they benefited from executive coaching and training on more effective meetings, and exceeded their goals and expectations. Now that the SIG is up and running, they have requested a quarterly tune-up. 

You may think of tuning up cars on a periodic basis, but how about teams? Consider tuning up your team or a special interest group. Quarterly trainings and monthly coaching enable staff to embody positive business practice adaptations - for the long term. 

If you would like more information, we are happy to talk with you. Call Center for Purposeful Leadership at 612-920-3039 or email

Rachel Harris

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Reexamine Purpose and Organizational Culture

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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By Rachel Harris

Periodically, we publish articles and case studies on importance of organizational culture in strategy conversations. Read on for another installment.

Reflecting on your strategic initiative, can you recall a time you were at a cross-roads? You are not alone!

Whether the new strategic initiative is hampered by lack of clarity on company purpose or not, gaining insight into a company's culture has lasting benefits. This is true for any sort of change management initiative - and is often the difference between success and failure. 

Time and time again we've experienced clients frequently mistaking strategy as the underlying problem, when in fact, matching a company's culture to any change initiative is the key to success. We're often called in when there is a pain point, such as when a new program launch is in trouble or a strategic initiative has lost steam. 

When you cannot take the pain of the status quo anymore, give us a jingle at 612-920-3039. Until then, please read these testimonials from our clients for inspiration.

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Art of Convening Ch.1: Lessons for Leadership

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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By Sarah Flores, Marketing Intern

In a world of ever-changing times, it is important for leaders to adapt but stay true to who they are. In CPL's book The Art of Convening, chapter 1 focuses on the importance of the Heart of the Matter for leadership: Genuineness and Authenticity. The first chapter explores this central aspect of CPL's convening wheel highlighting being genuine, staying connected to oneself and others, and the practices that help us to attain these goals. 

As genuineness creates authenticity, and vice versa, this becomes a key aspect of knowing oneself. In leadership, "knowing oneself is the foundational premise of leadership". Not only does this contribute to strong leadership and connectivity, but it is the stabilizer and calibrator through the journey of convening practice. 

The purpose of the heart of the convening wheel is to provide clarity, confidence and a sense of belonging so that we are able to support and hold others safe. A challenge that many come across during their journey is staying connected within and among others. In order to overcome these challenges, remember practices include but are not limited to mindfulness, journal keeping and immersing yourself in nature. Practices of remembering, help us find who we are and what we have forgotten we hold true. 

In an article talking about leading in an era of change, author Tanmay Vora recommends these top 5 pieces of leading sustainable change:

1. Inspire through purpose
2. Go all in
3. Enable capabilities to succeed during transformation
4. Instill a culture of continuous learning
5. Inclusive leadership

CPL believes The Art of Convening begins with authenticity. We invite you and your organization to explore and begin your journey to mastering The Art of Convening. If you are interested in furthering a discussion on authentic leadership and convening, call us at 612.920.3039. For weekly updates and tips, follow CPL on our LinkedIn page. 

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Embracing Change: A Client Success Story

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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by Rachel Harris

While the times around us are changing, business models are changing with them. Many organizations big and small are transitioning to a focus on the long-term visions and goals of their business. Though short-term visions are extremely important, CPL has seen and researched this trend. As short-term visions provide faster results, long-term visions provide the longevity for your business in this competitive world. Many of these long- and short-term visions begin with one of the most important aspects: setting goals. Have you ever looked toward an end goal and wondered how to reach it? CPL recently had a client reaching toward a new beginning.

The culmination of a two-month training, convening, and development project resulted in a tremendous transformation for this client heavily engaged in public input on hotly contested topics. In late January, our clients rolled out a new public engagement format, based on the Art of Convening methodology. They had taken an introductory Art of Convening training in Fall 2016 and considered how best to incorporate purpose, invitation and hearing all the voices within their business culture. Their intent was to be mindful of the organizational culture, with a new CEO onboard, while boldly taking a leap in a new direction.

With the consultation between Heartland and our client, they began renaming the evening meetings from "Public Input" to "Listening Session". Stakeholders then took notice that the meetings would be delivered anew. Great care was put into each element of the structured conversation in the 90-minute meeting.By courageously adapting Art of Convening methodologies, our client reached a dramatically different outcome with increased attendance and engagement.

Previously, stakeholders had noted they didn't feel heard. At the retooled Listening Session people openly observed staff was compassionate and residents felt listened to. The client's excellent outcome indicates a profound shift in how they relate - to and are received by - their customers and stakeholders.

If your organization's goals include breakthrough relations with your stakeholders and customers or conducting effective meetings to reach those goals, give CPL a jingle at 612-281-1192. In the meantime, be sure to check out other CPL blogs and our LinkedIn page for weekly updates and tips on The Art of Convening. 

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Just-in-Time-Convening: A Client Success Story

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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by Rachel Harris

There are many key aspects in convening with purpose and productivity. To ensure your organization's meetings are highly effective for attendees, Heartland presents a list of 10 key Principles of Convening. Many of our clients use these 10 Principles to further their convening skills. One of our recent clients - a team leader in a regional engineering agency - often finds himself in interdepartmental team meetings led by people of varying abilities.

He has taken the Art of Convening training and understands there are always opportunities to take advantage of employing the Principles of Convening in meetings. In his role, he travels from building to building meeting with different teams. He also understands the Principles of Convening are great equalizers in meetings within his role.

Wanting to ensure his time is effective, he envisioned an opportunity for convening principles to be posted and referred to in meetings. Upon hearing his request, Heartland collaborated with the Organizational Development department to install the Principles of Convening Poster in conference rooms. Once added, the interdepartmental teams' ability to collaborate increased. Here at Heartland, we have created a list of 10 key principles to advance and improve the practice and art of convening.

Listen: Respect everyone’s voice; hear their contribution and refrain from fixing, problem-solving, advice-giving.

Speak from your own experience: Speak from the “I”, your personal experience creates trust.

Slow down the conversation: Allow pauses between speakers to create space for collective genius and innovation to emerge.

Speak with sincerity and brevity: Speak your truth and make each word count.

Suspend certainty: Ask yourself, “What don’t you know?” Look for the surprises.

Allow space for difference: Seek to understand, welcome the divergent and convergent views.

Explore new ways of thinking and being: Look for and expect surprises.

Presume positive intent: Be aware of your judgments.

Each person has a role to play: Know that everyone is needed and each person has come to contribute the outcome.

Any engagement can be transformed through essential conversations: Intention to speak and act authentically from a common vision can transform any meeting Heartland's 10 Principles of Convening.

Following Heartland's 10 Principles of Convening will allow for your organization to conduct proactive meetings more successfully and thoroughly. These principles will encourage clarification, engagement, and open-mindedness within your convening. If you have meetings with people of varying skill level who seek to collaborate effectively and are occasionally challenged in doing so, consider adding the Principles of Convening your conference room. Contact Heartland today to maximize your collaboration, leadership or convening capacities. Follow us on our LinkedIn page to receive weekly updates on our blog and convening skills! Contact us at 612.920.3029 for your next consultation on the Art of Convening.

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Transformational highlights from the 12/2 Transformational Leaders Circle (TLC)

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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by Patricia Neal

Innovation and Transformation to be on the Right Side of History: Purpose, Profit, Planet

Session Archives

Did you miss the TLC in December? Here are some highlights:

Minnesota’s largest energy co-op, Great River Energy, brought a story of courage and transformation to the December TLC. The story involved a rough patch in 2013 regarding the movement from dependence on coal to a more renewable energy approach in electricity. GRE executives took a potentially huge risk to include their stakeholders - customers and regulators - by reaching out and asking for their engagement and advice on the next steps to come out stronger and more successful in the future.

Hearing all the voices* to gather a variety of perspectives allowed Great River Energy (GRE) to take initiative in crafting a strategy to grow their leadership and their business.

Conversation Starters Kandace Olsen - Vice President and Chief Culture Officer of GRE, Michael Noble - Executive Director of Fresh Energy, and Mike Thorson - Board Chairman of GRE Energy brought and modeled vulnerability, wisdom, courage and excitement for a positive future to benefit all GRE stakeholders.

The Big Q*:  We were impressed with the quality and depth of the questions asked by each participant. Conversation Cafe Thought Leaders and Reports from the Field from area leaders added further perspective to the morning. Some of our highlighted questions included:

“How do you encourage and embrace differences – of opinion, practice, foundation?”

“How do we build trust in relationships? …When we feel like it has broken down?”

“How can we leverage our leaders to be at the cusp of change so we shape it to serve many, rather than a few?”

Closing remarks:

Kandace: this is not my story; it’s our story. No individual hero; many people who created this transformation. Press the SEND button.

Michael: I learned from Kandace to use vulnerability as power. It is more important to have vulnerability than to have power.

Mike: Remembering that basically we all have much more in common than we realize, is important. The power of bringing people together and doing something simple like sharing a meal, helps me remember that.

 * a strategy core to all Heartland programs

A special thank you to all of our speakers and those who have spoken with us in the past. Thank you as well to all who were in attendance and who have graced us with their presence at our past TLC’s. It has been a joy to convene with you all. Though we may no longer be hosting TLC’s we are always a phone call away at 612.920.3029 to schedule your next consultation. Follow our LinkedIn page for updates and tips on the Art of Convening.

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Leadership is Convening

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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Leadership is Convening

Excerpt from Community: The Structure of Belonging, by Peter Block

Berrett-Koehler Publishers, May 2008

In communal transformation, leadership is about intention, convening, valuing relatedness, and presenting choices. It is not a personality characteristic or a matter of style, and therefore it requires nothing more than what all of us already have. 

This means we can stop looking for leadership as though it were scarce or lost, or it had to be trained into us by experts. If our traditional form of leadership has been studied for so long, written about with such admiration, defined by so many, worshipped by so few, and the cause of so much disappointment, maybe doing more of all that is not productive. The search for great leadership is a prime example of how we too often take something that does not work and try harder at it. I have written elsewhere about reconstructing leader as social architect.

The Art of Convening

The shift is to believe that the task of leadership is to provide context and produce engagement, to tend to our social fabric. It is to see the leader as one whose function is to engage groups of people in a way that creates accountability and commitment. In this way of thinking we hold leadership to three tasks: 

• Create a context that nurtures an alternative future, one based on gifts, generosity, accountability, and commitment.
• Initiate and convene conversations that shift people’s experience, which occurs through the way people are brought together and the nature of the questions used to engage them.
• Listen and pay attention. 

Convening leaders create and manage the social space within which citizens get deeply engaged. Through this engagement, citizens discover that it is in their power to resolve something or at least move the action forward. 

Engagement, and the accountability that grows out of it, occurs when we ask people to be in charge of their own experience and act on the well-being of the whole. Leaders do this by naming a new context and convening people into new conversations through questions that demand personal investment. This is what triggers the choice to be accountable for those things over which we can have power, even though we may have no control.

In addition to convening and naming the question, we add listening to the critical role of leadership. Listening may be the single most powerful action the leader can take. Leaders will always be under pressure to speak, but if building social fabric is important, and sustained transformation is the goal, then listening becomes the greater service. 

This kind of leadership––convening, naming the question, and listening––is restorative and produces energy rather than consumes it. It is leadership that creates accountability as it confronts people with their freedom. In this way, engagement-centered leaders bring kitchen table and street corner democracy into being.

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Uber Master Coach Richard Leider

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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by Rachel Harris

Heartland Group was founded twenty years ago in service to organizational transformation and the people who make that possible. Long­time colleague, master coach, and bestselling author Richard Leider, recently recognized Heartland's milestone. Richard, founder of Inventure - The Purpose Company, is ranked is ranked by Forbes as "one of the Top 5 most respected executive coaches." He notes Heartland's 20-year business anniversary:

"Purpose. A hard word to define, perhaps. It may not have a name or a face. We may not immediately see it as purpose, but it is there. And, Patricia and Craig saw it, named, and have worked it with grace and integrity for the past 20 years! They have held the center on the art and science of "convening with purpose". And, that has helped many of us to be confidently connected with something larger than our own lives."

~ Richard Leider, Bestselling author of The Power of Purpose

Richard has worked with over 100,000 leaders from over 100 organizations speaking on the power of purpose. Heartland has been honored to have Richard write the Foreword to Heartland's book The Art of Convening. In the foreword Richard writes:

"Many, many books come across my reading table each year, but it has been a long time since one of them affected me as much as this one has. It has struck some deep chords within me. It has reminded me that each gathering is a sacred adventure where even our struggles can lead us to what mythologist Joseph Campbell called “the rapture of being alive.” You hold in your hands a wise book."

If you are wanting to convene with purpose in your own life, you can learn and lead with grace by reading and reflecting on the 9 chapters of The Art of Convening book. 

Learn How to Convene with Purpose:

Convene with purpose in your next meeting. Move beyond facilitation to profound connection. Using the Art of Convening, transform your meetings, boost ROI, and retain your best people. Give us a jingle at 612.920.3039 to get started. Follow us on our LinkedIn page to receive helpful tips on the art of convening. 

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Does Culture Trump Strategy?

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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by Rachel Harris

A quick search revealed dozens of articles from around the world declaring that culture trumps strategy. Legendary systems thinker Peter Drucker has written extensively on the topic.

Organizations, like people, are complex entities with competing priorities. We live with the paradox of needing to relieve immediate problems while engaging in slow-moving culture change one interaction at a time. Drucker writes, "Results are gained by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems.” In order to overcome this slow-moving culture change, and wanting to solve problems, one must set their priorities. It is needed to put culture before strategy in order to see the change that is desired. 

According to a Harvard Business Review article written by Nilofer Merchant, "Culture is the domain that enables or obstructs a velocity of function. By addressing where an organization is limiting its velocity, you can accelerate the engine that fuels innovation and growth, and, ultimately, financial numbers." With a combination of culture and strategy, it allows an organization to perform at its' strongest ability. 

The ultimate question is how does one incorporate the importance of both culture and strategy to get the most results and how does one measure those results. 

Given such qualitative evidence, is it possible to create lasting strategic results when a quick fix is wanted, yet a culture change is warranted? We believe the answer is yes. Call us at 612-920-3039 to set up a plan to change your culture with lasting strategic results. In the meantime, follow Center for Purposeful Leadership on our LinkedIn page for updates on how to master the Art of Convening. 

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Effective Meetings 101

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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by Rachel Harris

In many companies and organizations, leaders struggle to conduct effective meetings. There is sometimes not enough or too much time, other times employees zone out, unable to retain the important information at hand. This is not the leader or the employee's fault but rather, the structure and conduction of the meeting. In order to conduct an effective meeting to create more productivity within your area, review these 3 simple tips to help take a step in the right direction.

Here are our top 3 tried and true tips for creating effective meetings and being more productive:

1. Clarify Intent

Set aside 3 minutes to revisit the purpose before planning your next meeting agenda. Reflect on the company vision, department mission and project's purpose to ensure you on track.

2. Set Context

Increase chances of content absorption by incorporating 2 - ­3 minutes of context for the meeting. People learn and process information at different rates. Even if a meeting is held weekly, restating the overview will serve as a transition from whatever people were doing prior to joining the meeting.

3. Check-­In

Add a check­in at the start of the meeting to "Hear All the Voices." Based on brain science, when people have a chance to speak within the first 5 minutes of a meeting, they are more likely to pay attention throughout the duration of the meeting.

According to the Harvard Business Review on A Guide To Running Meetings, author Amy Gallo writes to keep your meetings short and not going over an hour long. Research has shown that time pressures can lead to a more effective conversation - seeing as there is a limited amount of time go over the subject. However, always leave enough time for what is needing to be addressed, never rush a session.  

Based on the Art of Convening, these 3 tips will transform your meetings, boost engagement, and retain talented people. If you or your company is needing guidance on taking your next steps in creating effective meetings, give us a jingle at CPL @ 612­-920-­3039 to get started on your improvements.

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Culture vs. Strategy Initiatives: What comes first?

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"Part of a company's strategy could be the formation of a certain culture they aspire to achieve."

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by Rachel Harris

"Strategy: A method or plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem.

Culture: Broadly, social heritage of a group, organized community or society. It is a pattern of responses discovered, developed, or invented during the group's history of handling problems which arise from interactions among its members, and between them and their environment." - The Business Dictionary

As an organization plans to make changes, leaders take into consideration both cultural and strategy initiatives. Some begin to question which initiative they should highlight the importance of, in order to see the most results. The answer is simple: neither. Cultural and strategical initiatives both have lasting benefits on any sort of change management initiative.

Time and time again we've experienced clients frequently mistaking strategy as the underlying problem, when in fact, matching a company's culture to any change initiative is the key to success. According to a Harvard Business Review article on Cultural Changes, the author writes "A strategy that is at odds with a company’s culture is doomed. Culture trumps strategy every time." A company's strategy must match the culture within to show the most productivity. 

Another view on Culture Vs. Strategy is the vision that your culture is a part of your strategy. This plays off of the original idea of leveling the two. This view does so, but in a different aspect. Part of a company's strategy could be the formation of a certain culture they aspire to achieve.

Heartland wants to help you ensure your initiatives go hand in hand to create success in achieving your goals. When you cannot take the pain of the status quo anymore, give us a jingle at 612-­920­-3039 to set up a coaching session. Follow us on our LinkedIn profile to stay updated on the Art of Convening! 

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Transformational Highlights from the 8/5 Transformational Leaders Circle (TLC)

Photo Credit: Todd Photography

Authentic Leadership: Leading through Paradox, Ambiguity & Vulnerability

by Patricia Neal

At the August Transformational Leaders Collaboratory, Heartland focused on discussing important questions such as "What is the magic of authentic leadership?, Why are capacities of ambiguity, paradox and vulnerability core to the conversation?, What gets in the way or stops us from being our authentic selves at work?"

People want leaders who give back, care about others, and foster collaboration. They desire authentic leadership. Authentic leaders build trust and genuine connection and consider the complexities of ambiguity, paradox, and vulnerability as core to building relationships. Our Conversation Starters have stories of how they have shown up as authentic leaders to serve in the best way possible.

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"Authenticity is about establishing and showing honesty and integrity between your personality, your words, and your actions."

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Heartland hosted three amazing conversation starters...

Heartland hosted three conversation starters, Sherrie Kronforst - Senior Director of Employee Engagement, Comcast Corporation • Peter Bailey - President, The Prouty Project • Amy Ronneberg - Chief Financial Officer, Be the Match and National Marrow Donor Program. Each speaker spoke on their beliefs in leadership. Sherrie Kronforst spoke to the point of humans are the ones to make organizations successful, not vice versa: "The human spirit deserves to do worthy work aligned with each person's talents, gifts, points of view." Peter Bailey enlightened us with his passion for living practicing possibility-thinking. He always shows up authentically and creating opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Amy Ronneberg shared her favorite sayings, "Don't wait for the rain to pass, but learn to dance in the rain." Her qualities of compassion and resilience help her to lead within her position at Be The Match. 

After a whole group discussion with our conversation starters, the Conversation Café small group breakouts took the conversation deeper. This group of leaders included: • Yvette Trotman, Metropolitan Community & Technical College • Nausheena Hussain, Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood of Empowerment (RISE) • Mary Beth Lamb, ECCO International Associate; Adjunct Faculty, Carlson School of Management, St. Catherine University Masters of Arts in Organizational Leadership • Tom McSteen, Medtronic, Inc. Each thought leader ran an individual small group discussing their leadership approaches to leading through Paradox, Ambiguity & Vulnerability. 

Authenticity is about establishing and showing honesty and integrity between your personality, your words, and your actions. Every organization benefits greatly from innovation, ideas, truths expressed in an environment of possibility, positivity, and creativity.

Session Archives

During the "Big Q" question time, some compelling questions came forward [partial list]:

• What is your true spirit that inspires you to love what you do every day? Why?? (are you so passionate?) 
• How do you bring vulnerability and authenticity to yourself every day--even when you don’t want to? 
• Considering Paradox, Ambiguity & Vulnerability: what are your (or one of your) most challenging moments? What guided and sustained you? And from your experiences, what do you offer others as a point of light? 
• Is what you emphasize as a parent or a business leader changing right now as we are experiencing the pop of a couple of societal blisters of racism and political discord? (maybe throw in gender bias, too) More here

Thank you to all of our speakers, attendees and wonderful convening conversations we had at this TLC. Check out our photos from the August TLC here! If you may have missed our August TLC, check out our updated LinkedIn page full of helpful tips to master the Art of Convening. Are you wanting to collaborate with more productivity within your organization? Call us at 612.920.3029 to schedule your next consult. 

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Using Brain Science and the Art of Convening

Photo Credit: Daniel Scotton

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by Rachel Harris

Have you ever thought about how using the Art of Convening impacts your brain? Brain science now shows that your meeting performance and outcomes can be significantly different when you take the time to connect, even in the simplest of ways. Though taking the time to connect can spark the impatience among us, it has been proven that making a personal connection increases meeting performances and retention.

Building on brain science research, CPL applies Art of Convening methodology to incrementally shift the structure of

meetings within organizations, including time for engagement, alignment, and committed action. Neurons in the prefrontal cortex begin to attune between the two or more people present, even when meeting virtually. Oxytocin gets created, which activates not only the brain, but the entire nervous system, bloodstream, and heart, which leads to an elevated capacity to think, collaborate, and innovate.

Learn more about the brain science of convening with CPL. We would love to contribute to your organization resolving a problem or navigating culture change. Call us at 612-920-3039 to schedule your next consult. Follow us on our LinkedIn page to keep up on useful tips and tricks to convene within your organization.

Center for Purposeful Leadership: Connect. Engage. Collaborate.

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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.

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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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