In January 2022, Carrie Fox set out on a blog series called Finding the Words because she had something to say. By the end of the year, you were doing more than listening. You were deeply in this work with her. And because of you, we’re keeping this series going, every week through 2023 and beyond. Our promise: Carrie will keep delivering these essays each Wednesday morning to further support your work as a communicator for change. Your promise: keep telling us how these insights are impacting and influencing your work.
Here are some of the most regularly shared columns. If you like what you see, then subscribe here.
What Gets Lost in Underestimation.
Rather than try to fit everyone into a preconceived mold, let’s identify and celebrate the characteristics that make us each unique and special. In doing so, we can unlock the best in each other and in ourselves. So find what’s being underestimated, and celebrate it.
Character Building.
Consider what you can do today, this week, or this month to fill up your character bank. What small ways can you focus your energy on someone other than yourself?
Thanks for Sharing.
There’s always something more to learn and something that might be getting in your way of learning too. I hope this learning list gets your mind going with new ideas and information and invites you to ask: what have you learned that’s getting in your way, and what are you missing now?
Life Lessons, Part II
It’s never too late to learn and never too late to love. There will never be enough time, so use the time you’re given today running after something, or maybe someone, that you love.
Life Lessons.
We can’t turn back time, but we can progress forward. So, if there is a person you believe you’re done learning from, I invite you to reach out to them today. Tell them that you were thinking about them. And then listen closely to whatever they have to share. You may be surprised by how much there is left to learn.
Brace Yourself for This.
No organization is immune from a crisis erupting at any moment. It’s how you prepare, plan, coordinate, and communicate in the moments of calm that will determine how you weather the storm when it rolls in.
Checking In.
Checking in may not change the big things, but it will matter deeply to those around you, who need to feel and see that you understand the weight of this time. And maybe that’s something good to hold onto in these uncertain times.
Decode Your Words.
Eliminating coded language from your vocabulary takes a willingness to learn and a dedication to making intentional change. Use this week to assess the words and phrases you use and notice if you're actively (and perhaps unintentionally) using any coded phrases. Practice speaking up when you hear others using these phrases, too, and use this blog as a guided resource to practice replacing those words with more inclusive phrases. Words matter, and with each intentional swap, we can show how much people matter, too.
Empathy over Ego.
Life is hard, and there will always be more to people’s stories than they let on. Start every day from a place of compassion and a commitment to lead with empathy over ego. In taking the time to understand and practice empathy, you may find that people take the time to understand you better, too.
Get A Little Uncomfortable.
Consider where you’re feeling most comfortable in your work and what you could do to push a little further outside of that zone. Challenge one of your existing routines and what “changing up the process” might look like. And while you’re at it, consider where you can give a colleague a boost in their learning by providing safe opportunities to test their boundaries, too.
Way to Win: Lessons Learned from Coco Gauff
In tennis, as in life, there are moments when we’ll be on the defense and moments when we’ll play offense. Every day, however, is a chance to play and lead with care, courage, and clarity. And Gauff is a great reminder of what winning can look like at its best.
Can AI Make Us More Human?
AI is an important tool and an indelible part of our future. But we don't need to lose our humanity in the process of using it. Consider how your team's intelligence can be augmented by technology, rather than replaced by technology, and you'll be futureproofing your work in the process.
Reconnect With Your Story.
Stories are critical to business success. And stories exist in all of us. Make time to reconnect with your stories and find out what's possible as a result.
Sharing Your "Best Kept Secret"
Moving from best-kept secret to the best-known nonprofit is possible. You can move your mission forward by focusing on words, connections, and reach; no secret there.
Goodbye, Jargon.
Regardless of the words you choose to swap, focus on where you can clarify and simplify the language you use. When we take the time to debunk our go-to terms, we stand a better chance at communicating inclusively and effectively.
Can You Reframe That?
The most compelling stories for social change break stereotypes and build new ways for us to understand issues and each other. You can start by looking for stereotypes in your communications and then practice some reframing. I guarantee the story will be even better as a result.
Mind Over Machine.
The memory in our pockets directly affects the memory in our heads—and that impacts how we communicate. So, before you reach for the phone to help you remember something, give yourself time to think. Practice building back up your memory and brain function, and you should start to see that digital amnesia clear up, too.
Do Some Things.
It’s natural to feel the weight of decisions that feel out of our control. It doesn’t need to mean all is lost, though. So, let’s take action and do some things.
Well-Lived.
The next time you’re planning some time away, consider how you'll communicate it with your values at the center of your message: what you stand for, whom you prioritize, and what you live for.
You Can Say Something.
Saying something when we see something is not easy. But the effect could be the start of something groundbreaking, too. You just won’t know if you don't try.
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