HomeMaterialsJune 2021

June 2021

ELC Presentations and Handouts

Agenda: https://cornell.box.com/s/643xb1w9u676dl3cji7fp6dfx1mmf54v

Day 1:

Director’s Update

Supporting Positive Youth Development in 4-H: The Role of Leadership

Day 2:

Centering Courage, Compassion and Connection in CCE’s Anti-Racism Work

Day 3:

Day 3 recording – https://vod.video.cornell.edu/media/Executive+Leadership+Conference+-+Day+3/1_6qk5a4qn 

Supporting Workforce Wellbeing in Today’s Environment (Michelle Artibee, Director, Workforce Wellbeing, CU)

  1. If you take an individual assessment or share the links with others, remember (or tell others) that:
    1. The assessments were designed pre-pandemic. They do not account for the extended and traumatic experiences that we have had.
    2. They should be used as a tool to give us information, not to officially “evaluate” our health. They can help identify areas in need of some attention (“Wellness snacks!”), results to discuss with a medical provider, etc.,
    3. Guilt and shame over your results are unlikely to be helpful. As I said, be careful of the stories you may be telling yourself – especially after taking an assessment.
  2. Please do not use a wellbeing assessment as a team activity.
    1. If you’re looking for ways to discuss or “do” wellbeing as a team right now, you might start with sharing 1-2 of the things you learned during the program and are mulling over yourself. If your team doesn’t practice any “rituals of wellbeing,” perhaps talk about that. How can/will you support each other, recognizing that each person has different needs, abilities, interests, and current stressors?
      1. A centering exercise at the beginning of a meeting can be tremendously helpful, as a participant shared today. See below for example.

Start each meeting with a few minutes of meditation (HBR)

We are biased toward action in times like these and sometimes that can be a good instinct. But taking a moment at the beginning of a meeting (virtual or in person) to get present, notice your own emotions, and start the meeting with an increased ability to listen and be open to ideas can can help teams to be more thoughtful about problem solving.

For some teams, this may be a new experience, and some people might find this too “touchy-feely.” So to start, tell your team that you need them fully present and focused in the meeting. Then suggest an experiment: Ask them to simply focus on their breath for one minute. When they get distracted, suggest they simply return their attention to the breath. Most first-timers are surprised at just how distracted they are and how hard it was to stay present for one minute. Most of them will also feel that they are more calm and present after doing this. And that one minute can change the nature of a meeting. As one executive described the effect this way, “Whereas often times we just talk at each other in these meetings, team members seemed to be more present, they listened, heard each other out, and showed a willingness to learn.”

Adding Wellness Rituals to Your Day (Ruth Merle-Doyle, Associate Director, Cornell Wellness)

  • Wellness Rituals
  • Moving While Meeting

  • Tips from our presenter, Ruth Merle Doyle – Think of this moment as “Your Great Reset,” a time to acknowledge something big just happened, a moment to ask yourself “what matters most to me right now,” and an opportunity to consider a wellness ritual or two to begin to add to your day or your week. You can see how the NYT frames this concept up as their “Fresh Start Challenge.”

     Move More Daily

    ·       I really like this article regarding exercise snacking from NYT and the ideas from Thrive Global for bursts of activity and ways to stay motivated.

    Take Deep Breaths and Stretch

    ·       Try a 5-finger meditation where you trace your fingers as you slowly inhale and exhale, taking deep, nourishing breaths.

    Stay Present and Seek Gratitude

    ·       My favorite meditation resources right now are Insight Timer, Headspace, mindful.org, and Liberate, which are meditations facilitated by people of color for people of color. You can also try CALM app and even youtube for meditation options.

    Go Outside

    ·       See what Psychology Today says about spending time outdoors and learn about forest bathing from Time.

    Sleep 7-8 Hours Every Night

    ·       Sleep is paramount to our health and wellbeing. Learn a bit about sleep hygiene.

    Connect with Others

    ·       See the last challenge in the NYT Fresh Start challenge to understand why hugging for 5 seconds more serves as a stress buffer and can boost your immunity.

Responding to Perceived Mental Health Issues

 

  • Materials to be posted as available
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