I was fortunate enough to participate in The Meyvn Group‘s Leaders to Go learning laboratory last month. I highly recommend this two-day learning experience to any and all individuals. Regardless of where you are in your profession or personal life, you will definitely take something away from the experience.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016 – Wednesday, May 11, 2016
8:30 – 4:30
Investment: $695
During this two day learning laboratory you won’t be sitting in a motel room staring at PowerPoint slides. You will be actively involved in creating a learning experience that will meet your individual needs. You will ask questions and examine possibilities. Your questions will take you to different places and compel you to consider options and alternatives. “AHA” moments will lead to different attitudes, new ways of thinking, new behaviors and enduring results.
Join other managers, directors, administrators, department heads, vice presidents, owners and leaders on May 10th and 11th, and learn how to enhance your accountability and coaching skills.
Call Meredith at 515-505-4188 to register.
As I mentioned in one of my recent posts, The Meyvn Group‘s Business Book Club is up and running again!
Our most recent read was, “Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative” by Austin Kleon.
What’s this book about?
You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be yourself. That’s the message from Austin Kleon, a young writer and artist who knows that creativity is everywhere, creativity is for everyone. A manifesto for the digital age, Steal Like an Artist is a guide whose positive message, graphic look and illustrations, exercises, and examples will put readers directly in touch with their artistic side.
When Mr. Kleon was asked to address college students in upstate New York, he shaped his speech around the ten things he wished someone had told him when he was starting out. The talk went viral, and its author dug deeper into his own ideas to create Steal Like an Artist, the book. The result is inspiring, hip, original, practical, and entertaining. And filled with new truths about creativity: Nothing is original, so embrace influence, collect ideas, and remix and re-imagine to discover your own path. Follow your interests wherever they take you. Stay smart, stay out of debt, and risk being boring—the creative you will need to make room to be wild and daring in your imagination.
I was working at a pretty steady job in West Des Moines supporting a group of international salesmen at a major international company. I knew there was some restructuring taking place and staff was being hired in the UK. What I didn’t know was that staff was being hired to replace me and a few of my colleagues. Better time zone, they said, in order to be able to service Asia and North America more easily. Great.
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After the success of the DSM Sushi Roll and the Iowa Wine Tour, many of you have asked for an Iowa Craft Beer Tour…and I’ve listened!
Microbreweries, breweries and brewpubs are a destination for craft beer enthusiasts. Fortunately for us here in Des Moines, we are home to some long-standing landmarks; others are newly established by independent craft brewers.
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And by unplug, I mean absolutely no phone or email. Believe me, it can be done.
For example, this post is scheduled for my first day of vacation, August 12th. Most of the work I do for my business and for my Clients can be scheduled, i.e. blog posts, Facebook posts, Tweets, e-newsletters, etc., which makes the continuity of content feasible. Here’s how I’m making this two week hiatus work:
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Earlier this year, I was asked to sit on the advisory board of World Languages at Grand View University. The advisory board works with the World Languages Department as an outside resource to help the department meet their goals. One of the department’s goals is to create an awareness of and interest in foreign language classes and majors offered at Grand View University.
To that end, I participated in a panel discussion entitled, “Professional Opportunities Beyond Your Mother Language”. My co-panelists included Americans who have worked or are working in another language/country and others who came to the United States, have learned English and are now utilizing their native languages in their professions.
I love sharing my story with others and I hope I inspired some students to study another culture and its language in the hope of better understanding and appreciating their own.
An amazing colleague told me about Drake Divas a few weeks ago. I attended their first networking event last week and it was such an amazing and unique experience!
Drake Women’s Basketball Head Coach, Jennie Baranczyk, invites all professional women in the Des Moines area to become Drake Divas. A Drake Diva is a strong woman who is confident, comfortable in her own skin, and inspires others to feel the same way. Coach Baranczyk will lead discussions on leadership, teamwork and integrity as they relate to your everyday life. You will leave feeling motivated and empowered.
This group is open to all ages and meets on the third Wednesday of each month from October to April. The sessions will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Courtside Club at the Drake University Knapp Center. Free parking is available in the parking lot east of the Knapp Center as well as the Tennis Center lot. Please use the main entrance of the Knapp Center near the Ticket Office. A light breakfast will be provided. For more information, please call 515-271-2165.
