The MindOpen Learning Strategies Newslettern Moments

The MindOpen Learning Strategies Newsletter:

I've never liked the term "buy-in" for organizational change. It sounds extractive—like we're manipulating people into something rather than building together. Language reveals what we value.

Of course, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood this. He spoke truth to power, and was targeted for it. In 1967 at Riverside Church in New York City, he made his first major statement against the Vietnam War, naming "the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism" not as separate problems, but as interconnected systems.

The giant triplets are resurging, and the lines drawn from history to this moment are long. The mission-driven work of human services, local government, healthcare, and education is often caught in a cycle of reactiveness that grinds away at our optimism. But history also shows us that small steps make a difference, and we each have unique spheres of influence. It has always been at the core of MindOpen's work to listen closely to those most impacted by the giant triplets, including people who have survived incarceration and, more recently, military veterans. These perspectives are essential to toppling the giants.

It may seem small, but when we ensure that all the pieces of our organizations are working together towards the big picture of social justice, we are generating power for good. That is why MindOpen's work is evolving from one-off workshops to Organizational Culture Action Partnerships, or OCAP. OCAP is a systems approach that ensures organizational change stays aligned with long-term societal change goals, while leveraging time-limited, mutually-reinforcing “chunks” of efforts.

For example, one organization knew that building trust within supervisory relationships would be key to continuing their work as a trusted community service provider. Yet they were describing this inconsistently across programs. By refining a single staff satisfaction survey question and building on existing opportunities for discussion—paired with workshops and turnkey learning aids—they were better able to respond in real time to both progress and barriers. Low cost, high value.

What does living justice, care, and strength look like in your organization's daily operations? Where do you see the pieces reinforcing one another—or missing connections? Reply here, I read every response, or find a time to talk.

In this issue of MindOpen Moments, you'll find:

• Highlights & Hope – Recent collaborations and bright spots of progress

• Where to Find Us – Upcoming expos, gatherings, and conferences

• Just-in-Time Resources – Complex concepts for bite-sized reading and listening

Warmly,

Dr. Elizabeth SpeckFounder, MindOpen Learning Strategies

PS: Schedule a connection conversation: https://calendly.com/elizabeth-speck/connection-conversation

Highlights and Hope:

• Psychotherapy to Sustain the Helpers: Elizabeth’s virtual private practice for New Yorkers is in-network with Cigna and Carelon, with private pay and sliding scale options. Book a free consultation here.

  
  

• MindOpen’s Menopause at Work virtual gathering on Jan. 11 brought together a diverse group across gender, experience, and location, with a single intention: break the stigma and advocate for trauma-informed care through the menopause journey. Here are resources contributed by participants: Menopause at Work Resource Document

Where to Find Us:

• New York City school leaders, come see us on January 29th at NYCPS Citywide M/WBE & Small Business Expo iin the Professional Development section!

• We’ll be at the Fund for the City of New York’s Annual Innovation Across the Silos Conference on February 4th. Registration is still open for this free outside-the-box catalyzing convening. If you’re going, let’s be sure to connect there!

• Middle managers from anywhere, take an hour to breath and laugh with colleagues who get what you’re up against, at MindOpen’s next Healthy Huddle on March 20th at noon EST. Join us! Zoom Registration for the Healthy Huddle

Just in Time Resources:

Trevor Noah's "What Now?" podcast with Rachel Yehuda: When a trusted comedic commentator sits down with a foremost expert on intergenerational trauma, you know it's going to be a healthy listen for these times.

Conscious Style Guide: Karen Yin's book and regularly updated website  help leaders say what we mean, with strategic inclusion. Essential when silence can equal violence, and language is always changing.