πŸ’• Much Gratitude for Time to Look and LearnΝβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ 
CommonUnity

Greetings Subscriber First Name, 

As a society, we tend to embrace Fall as a new beginning. The start of school, the end of Summer and a time to look and learn. 

I have embraced that learning with my own work to earn my credentialing as a Human Systems Dynamics Professional and to work with governments, organizations and businesses to notice patterns.

To ask What? So What? And Now What? It is simple work fostered by thought leaders Glenda H. Eoyang and Royce J. Holladay. It is work I have been doing for years, and am now wanting to help my communities show up and join me in the work. Be it patterns, Cynefin, adaptive capacity, or simply leading in complex times, we can all use a partner to see things clearly and take wise action.

You will see that the poem choice for this month is called Fools and is about the curious and brave fools who can show up to make a difference within our communities. The book for the month is Adaptive Action, as leveraging uncertainty in these times seems to be the name of the game. The song I chose is Roots, as we all need to show up in the post-pandemic world and name and establish our roots to foster a sense of community and security moving forward. 

If you are a woman and reading this, treat yourself to a very affordable weekend, November 3-5 to learn, renew and focus on your own roots. Sign up now to ensure that this time will happen. We need your registrations to confirm what we heard - women want a place to gather. There is little that nourishes our souls more than coming together. And having the space to be with nature. You are worth it. The women in your world are worth it. Let’s get out our curiosity and roll up our sleeves, and join in this work - personally and professionally. 


With Gratitude for Partnership and Community, Kathy

 

I’ve scheduled a series of 1 hour, FREE lunchtime virtual sessions I’m calling β€œLunch and Learn.” Please sign up for one or all of them and join me for lunch. Each session will be from noon to 1 p.m. and I'll be sharing some valuable information that may help you in both your personal and work areas of your life.

Click the image below to sign up. πŸ‘‡
 

πŸ—“οΈ CommonUnity Events

Fundraising Peer Support Group
Starts October 11 | Everett, WA

Our Fundraising Peer Support Group still has available spots. Fundraising has become increasingly difficult, leaving many beloved non-profits struggling to secure funds. If you think you don't have enough time to join a regular peer group, rest assured that you'll be amongst a group of individuals who fully understand your predicament and can offer support and ideas that you may not have considered before. Please sign up by October 6th.
 Please register by October 6 

Connect, Create and Transform - A Gathering for Women

November 3-5 | Camp Killoqua

It’s time to register for this event that is less than a month away!  My co-facilitator, Courtney Wooten and I are working to plan the activities and experiences for the weekend.

We have priced the retreat to remove financial barriers and you have an option to pay a $100 deposit to save your spot. I do hope you will join us. Space is limited, so click here to learn more and register. 

Connect
Nestled on 185 acres of lush forest, wetlands, and waterfront, immerse yourself in a serene environment to connect with nature and like-minded women. 

Create

With space to think creatively, engage in activities to deeply explore and discover yourself and develop innovative ways for self-care and personal growth. 

Transform

Leave the retreat with a sense of revitalization, having discovered a deeper understanding of yourself and what you need to be supported in this busy world.
 Register for Connect, Create and Transform 
 

🎢 What I’m Listening To

Aisha Badru has been around for many years, and I am listening to a 2021 song she wrote called Rooted, In this season of hunkering down and colors and less light, being rooted and solid prepares us for the introspection of Winter. Aisha sings of knowing our worth, tuning to the voice within. And to align with our branding for the women's event - "your story is your offering, you are here for a reason." NPR Tiny Desk Concerts highlighted her Learning to Love Again EP in June of this year.


πŸ’­ A Poem I'm Thinking About

Fools - Lynn Ungars

A poem that is a bit hard to find among Lynn Ungars work is entitled "Fools". It symbolized the work that I am doing to help people notice the patterns to change the way they operate, connect and work in the world amidst some broken systems. 

…why I’m looking for fools. Fools who know how to juggle not just balls, but possibilities, who can keep incompatible ideas simultaneously aloft…

Read the rest here.

πŸ“š What I'm Reading

Adaptive Action: Leveraging Uncertainty in Your Organization
by Glenda H. Eoyang and Royce J. Holladay

"Adaptive Action offers new ways to think about the limitations in traditional planning: it enables you to name and explore the uncertainty in your systems; it promotes shorter cycles of action and feedback, enabling you to respond to unexpected events and take corrective action more quickly."--Leadership Excellence

You can support local booksellers by purchasing this book from the CommonUnity Bookshop, and Uppercase Bookshop in Snohomish benefits from your purchase.
 

πŸ—“οΈ Community Events I’m Looking Forward To

Connections: Celebrating Creative Collaborators @ Schack Art Center, starting October 12.

Cocoon House's 18th annual An Evening in SILK @ Tulalip Resort Casino October 13.

Bike Parking Lot Sale @ Sharing Wheels Community Bike Shop October 14. 
 

πŸ’• Thoughts on Community

We recently caught up with Marci Volmer, Chief Operating Officer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County. They just hosted their annual fundraiser, and in reviewing the sponsor list, we were astonished at the vast number of organizations, businesses and individuals working to support the vital organization. Marci stated, "We are successful largely in part due to our longstanding and deeply rooted relationships in the Snohomish County Community. Having been in Snohomish County for 76 years, we are lucky to have an amazing alumni base - some even were original members!"

The support is understandable because when you consider BGCSC's mission and programs, it's hard not to get behind it. 

BGCSC's mission is "To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." The club does this work with programs falling into their priority outcome areas of Healthy Lifestyles, Academic Success, and Good Character and Citizenship. 

BGCSC served over 17,000 youth in 2022, with 57% eligible for free and reduced lunch. They have 25 clubs, including ten outside of Snohomish County, in areas with the need for a safe space for kids. Programs include before and after-school childcare, summer camp programs, recreational sports, workforce development programs, and teen nights. Academic programs provide homework support and there is opportunity to participate in special clubs such as Digital Arts, DramaMatters, Imagemakers, and National Fine Arts. 

Club Tech helps build computer skills, and Junior Staff is for ages 13-18 interested in careers in youth or human services. InspireHer is a volunteer-led career exploration program for girls, but Marci said it is "really open to anyone!" They do a bi-weekly virtual "career talk" for 30 minutes and small group field trips and panel discussions with women in all fields.

If you feel like yes!, I'd love to support our young community members; these programs offer ample ways to get involved. The BGCSC team works to customize meaningful ways for volunteers, individuals and businesses to support the club. Marci shared, "If it is a company in a STEM field, we will invite their employees to the club to teach or participate in a STEM activity. If someone is passionate about art, we will set up an art experience for the volunteer to do with youth."

Offices and organizations sometimes want to support the program, but not necessarily hands-on. Marci said, "We totally get that and will work with them to set up school supply drives, holiday gift drives, and even summer sunscreen and flip-flop drives!"

Lastly, BGCSC has a new Director of Youth Workforce Development, Heather Freeman (LSC Class of 2020). She is working to find opportunities for youth to broaden their horizons, expose them to internships, work on soft skills, and ensure they are ready for today's workforce and beyond. Some of you may have ideas of how to support BGCSC in this capacity, so send them to Heather.

 

πŸͺΆ We still have birdhouses!

Fall is a great time to put out birdhouses. Some of our feathered friends will use them for shelter as the weather cools.

Order your CommonUnity Birdhouse today! 
 


Some still wonder what is it that Kathy is doing at CommonUnity. It falls under three explained areas on our website. 

Convene | Facilitate | Consult. 

We are building community and looking at systems, operations, mattering, fairness, transition management, collective governance and community-centric solutions (yes, that was mentioned first AND last). Things are difficult now in the workplace for all sectors. 

If what you’re doing isn’t working, we can help evaluate, dismantle and rebuild your system so you can successfully move forward. If what you’re doing is working, we can build on that foundation to grow your work and strategically plan the next steps. 
 
 Schedule a free Let’s Connect Meeting 
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CommonUnity

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