SWIM Notes — See What I Mean

Virtual Onboarding Made Easy

Virtual Onboarding Made Easy

As a fully remote employee and as the newest member of the SWIM team, I have experienced virtual interviews, onboarding and the strange feeling of starting a job without ever having stepped foot in the office or shaking my bosses hand. In March of 2020, companies were forced to adapt and for the last year and a half millions of people have gone through virtual orientations and onboarding sessions. As we all continue to adjust to new realities and as the workforce experiences a great resignation, now is the time for your organization to evaluate and improve your virtual onboarding.

Trust, Leadership, MeetingsMeghan WaltersAugust 25, 2021Remote Work, Culture, Onboarding, OrientationComment

I Don’t like Icebreakers and Neither Should You

I Don’t like Icebreakers and Neither Should You

I don’t like Icebreakers. You know, the “fun” activity at the beginning of a meeting when someone throws me a beach ball and I answer a random question about myself. No thank you. While I appreciate the energy and creativity that often go into these well-intentioned activities, I hope the meeting’s purpose is strong and important enough that spending 30 minutes hearing what animal people think is most like them is not really worth the time. If the meeting’s purpose is not that important, maybe it could have been an email.

However, and this is a big however, I do believe in the importance of a relational opener to a meeting. A relational opener is something to place us in the room, or the zoom, that centers us on our work together….

Meetings, Design, SWIM ContentStacy Van GorpJuly 29, 2021Icebreaker, Effective Meetings, Meeting DesignComment

Reflections on "Getting a Grip" on an Urgently Hectic Life

Reflections on "Getting a Grip" on an Urgently Hectic Life

As we adjust to a “new normal” of hybrid work - and even before the COVID-19 pandemic made this the reality - it is far too easy to fall into a hyper-packed schedule. Before putting your foot on the accelerator, use this tool to more efficiently and productively use your time.

Stacy Van GorpJuly 12, 2021Comment

Climbing the Curve of Complexity

Climbing the Curve of Complexity

The planning process rarely begins with a clear path. We aim for simplicity, and yet the complexity builds as we consider the culture and context of our organizations and stakeholder needs. It’s helpful to have a consultant team as a guide on this journey, to bring you to the other side of complexity.

Stacy Van GorpMay 26, 2021Comment

Five common pitfalls of ‘Helping Hubs’

Five common pitfalls of ‘Helping Hubs’

National and state nonprofits and associations strive to serve their members. Yet we see many of our ‘helping hub’ clients struggle with common concerns. Here’s how our approach can help shift organizational cultures and meet the true needs of their networks.

LeadershipStacy Van GorpMay 20, 2021networks, associations, membership organizationsComment

Should we survey them? Gathering great group feedback

Should we survey them? Gathering great group feedback

Taking time to understand how the dimensions of time and relationships factor into the feedback phase of a project will help leaders generate the strongest insights.

Design, TrustStacy Van GorpMay 12, 2021feedback, strategic planning, inputComment

The Inadequacy of Social Sector Problem-Solving

The Inadequacy of Social Sector Problem-Solving

Thanks to a recent client I’ve spent a couple of months reading and thinking about a slim 2020 publication: “The Flat Org Chart” by Dan Pallotta. I have found this publication to be fascinating and provocative and it turns upside-down the social sector’s assumptions about “doing good” and achieving equity!

Co-Creation, Equity, Leadership, TrustStacy Van GorpMarch 30, 2021Comment

Take a Break: Tips to Improve your Work-Life Balance

Take a Break: Tips to Improve your Work-Life Balance

In 2021, my goal is to improve my personal wellness, which begins with prioritizing my work-life balance. Here are four tips I’ve implemented in my workday as I work to achieve my 2021 goal.

SWIM ContentStacy Van GorpMarch 11, 2021Comment

"With Me, Not to Me" - A Map to Better Partnerships

"With Me, Not to Me" - A Map to Better Partnerships

It is revealing that in every network assessment we have completed at See What I Mean, we hear the same sentiment from members - with me, not to me. In other words, be my partner not my boss. However, it shouldn’t be all that surprising.

Trust, Leadership, Co-CreationStacy Van GorpFebruary 25, 2021Comment

Going Deep To Cope With The Everyday Realities Of Seeking Equity

Going Deep To Cope With The Everyday Realities Of Seeking Equity

2020 was a year that challenged our assumptions about almost everything...our health, safety, how we work, how we communicate! And it revealed many new nooks and crannies about how we work for and achieve equity in our society where the equity chasm seems to grow by the day.

EquityStacy Van GorpFebruary 19, 2021Equity, leadership, change, trustComment

Earn trust in 2021. Do this. Not that.

Earn trust in 2021. Do this. Not that.

Headline after headline of 2020 focuses on the collapse of trust - in elections, in news, in healthcare, in data, in experts, and in one another. It’s heartbreaking. It’s also a cause for change. Over the last 10 years we’ve been researching trust and helping people put it into action.

Trust, LeadershipStacy Van GorpFebruary 4, 2021trustComment

Leaning in to Visual Learning

Leaning in to Visual Learning

We live in a visual world and we are designed to learn visually, but we keep teaching in ways where information is overloaded and visuals are disregarded. By using visuals to deepen our learning we form stronger connections with our ideas. Visually learning helps us understand the relationship between concepts and helps us stay connected. If you are looking to enhance how you use visuals in your meetings and work, I encourage you to set a similar goal by focusing on your visual thinking.

Stacy Van GorpJanuary 28, 2021Comment

This is Life’s Work

This is Life’s Work

In the past few weeks, all of us at SWIM have been wavering between emotions. Emotions ranging the gamut from fear and sadness to hope and excitement for the future. In this week where we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Inauguration of the 46th president of the United State of America, Joe Biden, hope and excitement are rising to the top. However, there is a lot of work ahead.

SWIM Content, EquityStacy Van GorpJanuary 21, 2021Comment

The Subtle - Yet Crucial - Power of Good Accountability Culture

The Subtle - Yet Crucial - Power of Good Accountability Culture

One of the things that has continued to fascinate me is how the concept of accountability both challenged and transformed that work on democracy and how public/political democracy intertwines with democratic processes in everyday activities and in community/social change organizations.

TrustStacy Van GorpJanuary 14, 2021Comment

Inviting Diverse Voices to the Table

Inviting Diverse Voices to the Table

Many organizations are looking for ways to diversify the voices around the table at meetings, on boards, or on their staff. However, it goes against practices of diversity, equity and inclusion to simply invite without a clear purpose, role, or attempting to cultivate a relationship.

Stacy Van GorpDecember 17, 2020Diversity, Equity, leadershipComment

The Staff Executive and the Volunteer Board Chair--Smooth Sailing or Rough Sea?

The Staff Executive and the Volunteer Board Chair--Smooth Sailing or Rough Sea?

One of the most important--if not sacred--bonds in organizations is the partnership between the staff Executive (e.g. President, CEO, Executive Director) and the Board Chair, usually a volunteer who has a history of service to the organization. Most organizations handle board leadership transitions as a “taking turns” experience. Thought goes into it but more often than not the decision is more about circumstances than strategic process or planning.

Stacy Van GorpDecember 11, 2020Decisions, planning, strategic planning, board chair, executive, leadership, transition, partnership, volunteer, assessment, transparencyComment

2020 Gratitude

2020 Gratitude

We are grateful to the change makers who have persisted and adapted and persisted and adapted through each twist of 2020.

We are grateful to the change makers lying awake at night not counting sheep but counting the ever rising number of people who need help.

Stacy Van GorpNovember 25, 2020Comment

Getting More Out of Your Surveys

Getting More Out of Your Surveys

In times of decision-fatigue, surveys are powerful and are used to help focus on specific choices while developing a plan. We all know what it feels like to get an email asking you to fill out another survey for an organization.

Stacy Van GorpNovember 19, 2020Comment

Changemakers Need Time for Reflection

Changemakers Need Time for Reflection

Slow down and take a few soothing breaths.

Stacy Van GorpNovember 11, 2020Comment

3 Ways I’ve Changed My Meetings

3 Ways I’ve Changed My Meetings

I struggle with meetings. Keeping people on topic and accomplishing meeting goals is tough. However, after taking the See What I Mean workshop, I have seen dramatic improvement! Here are the top 3 ways I’ve changed my meetings.

Stacy Van GorpNovember 2, 2020Comment