Time to Rest and Time to Act

As we move into what we know as the summer break, I wanted to reach out to you with a few thoughts and resources as well as a wish for some true relaxing moments and unplugging from our incredibly “always on” virtual worlds.

Take Anti-Racist Action

I was on an amazing free webinar on “Whiteness at Work.” There was so much great information on this webinar but one big piece the presenters emphasized was what needs to come after the first step (awareness) of anti-racism work. For many of us, even if you didn’t have much awareness of the need for anti-racism work before May 2020, you likely have significantly more awareness now.
The stage after Awareness is Analysis. After Analysis comes Action. What the presenters emphasized is that a lot of people move from Awareness to Action but then it’s more reactive versus well thought-out and considered action. They emphasized the need for analysis and learning BEFORE action. I have taken this learning on for myself. I’m committed to spending at least a small amount of time everyday on educating myself on being an Anti-Racist. If you’re interested, one of the most generous shares I’ve received is this document on what you can do if you’re willing to devote 10 min/ 25 minutes or 45 minutes a day for 4 weeks. I can’t take any credit for this but it’s incredibly well-organized and easy to follow no matter where you are in the journey.

Take Breaks

Are you leading online meetings (or trainings)? For most of us the answer is yes these days. My Sonoma State University MBA students just did a great study about online learning. One of their findings that really surprised me is that an overwhelming majority of students said they need hourly breaks. This is a lesson for me both as a professor but also as someone who convenes meetings. You need to allow more breaks and stretch time. Brain research shows us that people can’t sustain their focus longer than 90 minutes and for most people – they can’t even go that long. If you’re doing longer strategic meetings or off-sites, please put in frequent breaks. I guarantee it will lead to fewer distracted participants who are checking their email on the side or have “spaced out” and are no longer tracking the conversation.

Talk to your Teens

A good friend of mine, Beth Samuelson, who has a business providing tutoring to students is hosting a webinar series this summer covering topics for Tweens to Teens on gap years and college counseling. If these topics resonate with you, I encourage you to check it out! You can email [email protected] for questions and more details.

Take a Safe Hike

So I have to admit, I’m one of those people who get frustrated when I’m hiking and I see all the people around me not wearing masks. I don’t say anything but I often wonder why they’re not concerned with protecting others around them. So I loved this article from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley on how to encourage safer pandemic behavior in others. Now please wear a mask when you hike!

Take a Bite

Since the shelter in place began, I’ve been recording short little learning snacks (~2 min each) and posting them on LinkedIn and YouTube. If you’ve seen any – first of all thank you for watching – second, any feedback for me? Any new topics you’d like to see me cover? Please please send any and all requests/ideas my way!