Yesterday I had the privilege of marrying a young couple who had been through so much to get where they were, including a Stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis and raising two boys who are not their own.  They are a mixed race and mixed religion couple, and I was so honored to help them start their lives together as husband and wife. 

When I arrived home, I read a story about a black man being shot in the back 7 times by police officers as he attempted to enter his car where his young children were waiting. The article I read said that one of the officers was holding onto his shirt and that he had already been tasered. His family members say he had arrived at the residence to help break up a domestic fight between two women.  9-1-1 shows 5 minutes between calls that there was a domestic disturbance and when this man was shot at point blank range in the back. Yes, it was filmed by someone, and the investigation is ongoing. As of this writing, miraculously the man is still alive.

First let me say that I am from a law enforcement family and have worked in law for several years. I do not believe all the facts have been released yet, and we certainly haven't heard the side of the officers and I hope we do. I'm trying not to pass judgment, as I don't believe it's my place to do so and I feel some allegiance to officers who put their lives on the line every day, especially when responding to domestic calls.

With that said, IN MY WORLD there is no reason why ANYONE should be shot 7 times in the back while someone is holding onto them and children are present. I have been shaking in anger and rage all day.  Black lives DO matter, and need the support of all to change the systems that have led to the horrific daily violence reigned down on them for far too long.

I can no longer stand idly by and choose to be 'politically correct' by remaining silent, as a way of avoiding confrontation.  It is time for me to use my pen and words to make a difference in the lives of others, and I vow to do so as well as my actions in daily life.

Will you join me?  Pledge right now to speak out when you see injustice. Stand up to family members and friends who spout hateful speech, perpetuate racism, sexism, and all other forms of -isms. Because this country was founded on liberty and justice for ALL, not just for some.

Our world is changing at a very rapid pace this year. Are you ready for it?

The beginning of the year found us building awareness of gender issues through the #MeToo movement and legislative changes regarding definitions, healthcare and more when it comes to who we love, hire and insure.

Then came Covid-19.  Within a matter of a few weeks our office environment became splintered. Employees began working from home.  Perhaps teams came into the office on a rotating schedule.  Our need to build in policies that keep our employees safe and healthy became paramount.  Some workers became challenged by childcare needs as centers shut down.  HR teams were asked to do far more with less, as businesses felt the pinch of the economy responding to huge shifts in how people were living and buying.
Just when HR thought it might be on top of things, civil unrest grabbed the world's attention.  A new awareness emerged that we have much more work to do in the areas of discrimination, unconscious bias, engagement, inclusion and belonging, and perhaps now is the time to do that work.

With all of this, businesses may be asking

• How do we deal with all the changes?
• What will the new work environment look like when we can all come back into the workplace? Or do we all return to the workplace?
• If we don't, how do we manage, reward, measure, engage and motivate  our teams who are located in many different locations now, including their own homes?
• How do we talk about sensitive issues such as discrimination in the workplace, bias, engagement, inclusion and belonging?
• What's next????

This free live event will begin to address some of these questions and more.  Follow the discussion afterward on the Facebook Group: @Creating A New Culture in the Workplace.
​And as always, I'm here to answer any questions you may have.

This post is short and sweet but the answers to this question are far from that. The issues to be addressed are deep-rooted, systemic and multi-generational. 

Within the past few weeks there has been a tremendous amount of pain experienced by people of color. As a white woman, I can never fully comprehend the events and experiences that happen daily in the lives of others who have been treated so unfairly because of the color of their skin.  Yet I am being asked as a minister and as someone who stands for the beauty of diversity to answer this question.  This is a partial list of what a person, organization or business leader can do.

Listen.  Remember that this isn't about you. It's about the person(s) wronged. Listen. Validate their feelings and acknowledge their experience. Listen more.

Educate yourself. Take classes. Read. Learn how to identify discrimination and bias.

Do an ongoing, in-depth search within yourself and your organization to determine where there may be bias and discrimination, whether conscious or unconscious, and fix it when you find it. 

Bear witness. When you see discrimination, bias and injustice, speak up. Stand side-by-side with the person experiencing it and do not let it go.

Take responsibility.  If you say or do something insensitive or that causes someone else pain; discriminates; shows bias toward another: own your mistake. Take responsibility, ask for forgiveness and learn from your mistake. Then fix it if possible. Change policies and procedures if necessary. 

Support minority businesses. Shop and buy products and services from minority-owned businesses. If you're a business owner, seek out minority-owned suppliers and collaborate with minorities whenever possible.

Donate.  There are many organizations that are fighting for equality.  Support them. 

Teach your employees.  Uplifting and supporting all the rainbows that exist in the workplace engages workers to bring their best. You can bring your best by doing your part to educate throughout all lines and departments of your organization to have mutual respect and seek the experiences diversity can bring to the table.

Teach your children. Teach them by your words, but more importantly by your actions, that equality for all is a human right.

At a time when there's enough doom and gloom for a lifetime, it may be hard to imagine there's a silver lining to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Many are worried about their futures, their health and the health of their loved ones, and the stock market has been reacting to every emotional upswing and downturn in the news.  So where can one fine that silver lining?

• LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL.  While you're home in the upcoming weeks, plan your wedding!  Your love hasn't been put on hold, and neither should your dream of spending the rest of your lives together.  A little creativity and strategizing and you can still get married with your loved ones witnessing every moment, either by live-streaming or video played back at a reception later.  Work with a spiritual leader to complete pre-marital counseling; the work you do now will pay off in the years to come.
• YOU HAVE TIME NOW.  We are often too busy to breathe, let alone reflect, plan, and dream.  Staying in one place allows us to turn our focus inward, and to rediscover ourselves.  Who are you?  Are you happy with where you are in life?  Where do you want your life's path to take you, and how are you going to get there?  Who do you want to go with you on that journey?
• FOCUS ON YOUR RELATIONSHIPS. It's a wonderful time to reconnect, rejuvenate and renew your relationships!  Have you and your sweetheart lost sight of each other because life has just been too busy?  Slowing down now can be a great time to reach out and get to know each other again.  If you need help reconnecting, many counselors, ministers, and others are available and operating virtually.
• WORK ON YOUR BUSINESS RATHER THAN IN IT. Business owners are notorious for being so busy working their businesses every day that they have very little time to devote to planning and steering their businesses.  Now is a great time to look at how you do business; how will you reclaim your best employees when it's time for everyone to return to work; are all those social media calendars done and postings schedules?

If we all stay home, take care of ourselves and our loved ones, this pandemic will pass and we'll be able to resume our lives.  If we've used our time wisely, we can hit the ground with renewed energy, passion and springboard forward in a wonderful way!
As always, I'm here to help in whatever way I can, either as an interfaith minister or a strategic business coach.

I just ran across this organization who I believe is exemplifying spiritual activism to a high level and want to give them a shout out for their efforts.

Jewelstone Cafe & Waffle Bar is located in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.  Their website is www.jewelstonecoffee.com.  100% of their profits are given to the Warm Hearts Warm Homes-Chippewa Valley project. Their help homeless parents provide stable homes for their families by helping them complete college educations that will lead to better income stability long-term.  This is a way to provide long-term assistance to homeless families as opposed to just providing a warm bed for the night.

Thank you for helping your community, Jewelstone!  I'll be in for a visit shortly.

Does this inspire you?  What do your believe your community or the world needs most, and how can you help to fill that need?  That is probably your calling in life.

The statistics for those who can use the #metoo hashtag are astounding.  I dare say a significant amount of these incidents occur at the workplace, since many spend more waking hours at their jobs than at any other location each day. In addition, the workplace fosters the power imbalance often associated with many forms of harassment and violence.  In my opinion it's just a matter of time before #atworktoo becomes the new conversation. 

What is your response as an employer?  You can certainly choose not to respond to it; to believe that it should be left at home or dealt with outside of your office. Or you can choose to face it head-on.  

What means to help/support your workers and your executives do you have in place?  How effective are those channels?  How non-judgmental, confidential and proactive are they?  Is it time to revisit your systems? If so, who can you trust to give you a non-biased opinion about their effectiveness or offer suggestions of how to improve upon them?  If you don't have anything in place, what are your options?  Where do you as a business owner go for help?

Because I'm an interfaith minister with a background and education in mediation, arbitration and employment law, I of course will suggest a path of confidential reporting that acts from a place of love and support.  I will suggest ways that give accusers and their accused a safe place to have difficult conversations and help them to find peaceful resolutions.  Of course I will suggest that you offer a neutral, non-biased person your staff can talk with on a regular basis where their discussions will remain totally confidential unless mandated reporting is required. And of course I will suggest that sticking your head in the sand will leave you vulnerable, as all forms of harassment and abuse have in the past. 

​Would you like to have this conversation?  Call me.  I'm ready.

One day in 1999 changed the course of all I would and will do.  I was given my purpose in one very swift bolt of lightning, literally.  However, the manifestation of that purpose has been long in the making, as my own journey has meant attaining the education to feel credentialed to do the work, as well as accepting a role I felt was too big or too vulnerable for me.  Yet all my struggling against The One has led me exactly where The Divine wants me.  Here.

I believe that each of us has a reason for being here, and we can choose to lean into that or not.  Free will.  But once you identify that reason for being, expressing it can be more of a challenge.  Sometimes we feel held back by others who don't support us.  Sometimes we hold ourselves back.  My advice?  Get beyond all that.  It's time.

Does that mean a job change?  Does it mean moving to a new town?  Does it mean a change in the people around you?  Only you know deep inside.  The one thing that's definitely needed is a shift in how you view what you do and how you do it.

There are common threads within us that drive us to seek, respond and move either forward or back in our lives.  Some of these are wounds to our spiritual hearts that occur every day or were created early in life. These can be healed.  They keep us from being our best selves.  If needed, seek professional counseling or develop a meditative practice designed to do the work.  

Other threads are the small voices from deep within us that lead us to take those steps toward being who we are here to be.  Taking quiet time to hear those voices is necessary, or we will never feel totally fulfilled.

These threads for which I refer aren't voices that say "I need to be a (name a profession)" but instead say "I need to express my unique talent or way of being/doing" and we get to choose how that looks.  It doesn't always mean we need to change jobs.  It could mean we need to change what we bring to that job though, or how we approach it.  

For instance.  Perhaps there's a janitor out there who always wanted to be a professional singer, and who obviously was given the voice to do so.  However, life has also given him a family for which he's responsible, or some reason why that career just is not going to be possible.  What prevents him from singing while he does his job?  Or participating in community theater?  What prevents him from sharing that gift while he still fulfills all his other duties?  Only himself.

So my questions for you are thus.  What talents and purpose do you bring into this life, and do you use them?  How can you either integrate them into your daily life to find that internal fulfillment, or are you willing to make and accept the choices to break out and fully embrace them, if you feel driven to do so?  What will the rest of your life look like, and are you ready to begin?

This blog is for budding entrepreneurs and those already running businesses.  We all need a reason to get up in the morning and go to work.  Taking home a paycheck just isn't enough these days.  It's up to you as the leader of your organization to set the Why for your employees, or for yourself, for that matter.

When you create your business plan, build in something that gives meaning and purpose to what you do.  Consider:

• Establishing or participating in a charitable foundation that your organization supports not only financially, but perhaps with talent from your company;  
• Creating a policy for employees to be able to do volunteer work for non-profits of their choice;
• Providing an opportunity for charitable events to take place at your location; or
• Partnering with a non-profit to raise funds for a cause important to you or related to what you offer.

These are just some of the ways that can build employee loyalty, increase your customer base and do good in your community.  Looking for other ways to build them into your organization specifically?  Contact me.  Let's get creative - it's what I do.