President's Message

Change is the only constant…

The idea of change tends to bring feelings of uncertainty and concern, especially when we don’t know what the outcome will be. In a 2015 online study, over 600 respondents reported that while 9 out of 10 people saw their lives differently in five (5) years, approximately 2/3 of them stated that the uncertainty of the future worried them. In 2020, many things changed, individually and collectively on a global scale, that only served to intensify the feelings of worry.

As we bring 2021 to a close and we approach 2022 with cautious optimism, there are a few things I have observed for myself, among my professional and personal networks, as well as within the GOOD community:

Change involves an end, a transition, and a new beginning - happening concurrently.

Most times, change is viewed as the end of a known situation, with the uncertainty of a new beginning and how will we bridge the gap as we work through that change. The process of change is not statistic or linear, it’s dynamic. While we like to perceive that life is remaining constant and that gives us some comfort, the fact is that we change every second, every minute, every hour of every day. Essentially, life begins with birth, ends with death and the transition is the life journey in between. For example, while the human body may replenish itself every 7 years, our muscles take about 24 hours to recover from a workout and adults take an average of 12 to 16 breathes per minute. Therefore, whether you are conscious of it or not, it’s a ‘24/7 ever changing gig’ that happens from the time we take our first breath to our last.  Therefore, the only constant is change.

A positive change mindset makes the world of difference. 

We may not be able to choose what changes may come our way, but we can choose a mindset that offers a more positive outlook to the experiences that change brings. Even during the difficult times, such as our collective experience of COVID, it is filled with opportunities to reset, reflect, learn, grow, explore diverse and sometimes polarizing perspectives, while determining our paths forward. Therefore, if we choose to focus on the negative, often we will see overwhelming more negativity. However, if we choose to have a positive mindset of curiosity, openness, and nimbleness - the fluidity of the change process may feel less restrictive and confining. Either way, we can choose to see the changes of life as the glass half full or the glass half empty…both will make the world of difference.

We are more resilient than we may think.

Change is often accompanied with fear of the unknown. Yet as things happen to and around us, we need to explore the unknown. We need to confront those things that scare us, and more times than not, it really is not as scary as we thought. Or we realize – we are more resilient than we may think! One of the things that makes experiencing change an adventure are the people that go through it with you. Those that are there to cheer you on, walk beside you along the way, or even the ‘haters’ provide the benefit of intensified motivation to prove them wrong. Either way, many times it is the changes, particularly those that we questioned whether or not we would survive, are the ones that stretch and teach us that we are truly more resilient than we think.

Change at GOOD

So, as the calendar year comes to an end, so does a chapter in the GOOD journey with our current Board of Directors and Leadership team. While some remain, others end their terms, and many have moved to other roles within the GOOD community, I want to take this opportunity to say, “Thank you for your Leadership & Service!” The last two years have truly been a journey of ever changing and challenging circumstances within and outside of GOOD.

However, your commitment and care for our community- like change - remained constant. With our Board Elections and membership renewal, GOOD will have a change of leadership and a possible shift in our community. For the remainder of 2021, we will be in a transition but look forward to welcoming in our new leaders and creating a more inclusive environment for all members in 2022 and beyond. Change is the only constant…and change can be GOOD.

Krystena Sterling

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-do-1-3-people-say-change-some-surprising-stats-jim-bright

Hello, my Colleagues! During a recent Board call, we discussed all the volunteer opportunities we have at GOOD for individuals. It made us question if our community is aware of the options or how to get involved. As I began to write the President’s message for our newsletter, it made me think of one of my favorite television shows, which is New Amsterdam. Why might you ask? I like the messages that the writers bring to the surface. I like the quirky characters. And I certainly like the lead who is always trying new things, failing miserably but finding new creative ways to make a difference in the community, and learning personal lessons along the way. However, what I like most of all is the resounding “How Can I Help?” which is how this show started and continues to carry through every episode.   This leads me back to GOOD and myself; I am always asking, “How Can I Help?” If you are anything like me, I would like to offer you some ideas on how you can help with our fantastic community. When it comes to volunteering, we all have these ideas in our heads. I have had them myself. I want to share some false assumptions we tell ourselves about volunteering that can hold us back.  #1 I am not qualified: I often said this to myself when I wanted to be on the Board. However, I started small and built my volunteering muscles, while learning along the way. What GOOD needs are people that are passionate and have new fresh ideas. It is about everyone supporting each other and the community. Passion first! #2 I do not have enough time: There are so many opportunities to volunteer. Some opportunities are small, requiring only a few hours for one occasion or purpose. Other opportunities are longer-term commitments, such as being on the Board or a Committee. Depending on the level of involvement you want, there are opportunities for you. #3 I am new and young in this profession: This is why many people volunteer in the first place, to gain skills and expertise that they cannot get in their jobs but can learn in other areas. This was one of the reasons I volunteered the first time at a different organization because I needed to learn a new skill, and it was the perfect opportunity for me to do so. The beauty about volunteering is that it is a two-way exchange.  You serve others, but volunteering is beneficial to you as well. Let’s face it, we all want the “What’s in it for me.” We are all motivated differently, some intrinsically and other extrinsically”. Why would you like to volunteer? Below are just three (3) benefits to volunteering: #1 Networking: We all join professional organizations to meet other individuals in an industry or profession of interest to us and we can learn from them. When you volunteer, you do this on a much deeper level as everyone shows up to be in service. I can say I have lifelong friends from GOOD due to my volunteering that I would not have otherwise. I genuinely connect with and cherish people because of their hearts, passion, and talents. #2 Knowledge building:  We all think we are lending our expertise, but truthfully, we learn so much more along the way. Depending on what you volunteer for, there is always a learning aspect involved. #3 It is rewarding: If you are anything like me, it is just plain fun and rewarding. You can work together and see things come together, you might not have thought possible—the conference, rate reductions, learning content pivot due to COVID as examples. The community of GOOD and volunteering has been an important part of my life for many years. I have gained so many gifts from this incredible organization and learned so much. I will continue to volunteer and serve because of the amazing people we have here. There are so many opportunities. We are getting ready to start the nominations for the 2022 Board of Directors; there are Communities of Practice you can lead; we have committees you can be a member of from conference to strategic planning. We have mentoring. This organization has something for everyone to lend their voice, their expertise, and their time. If you would like to join me with the question “How Can I Help?” GOOD has all types of volunteer opportunities for you to get involved. Don’t wait, act today! Visit  https://goodnetwork.us/Nominating-committee/and/or email nominations@goodnetwork.us to set up a 15-minute call.  Together, we will help you find the right role. I genuinely believe you will gain so much more than you can ever give.  Krystena Sterling

As I sat down to write the President’s Message and consider all the essential communications with my colleagues during this time, the one thing that kept popping up in my inbox were articles and memos about returning to work. If you are anything like me, I look back at the last year with happiness and exhaustion because of how resilient and nimble our workforces and organizations have been throughout this pandemic. It has been a rough ride, which genuinely has changed so many lives. I cannot help but wonder what impact it will have on our future of work. This brings me back to focusing on today and the current issue, which is returning to work.

What does return to work look like in your organization? In many organizations, it means that people can flex their time and work part-time at home. Some individuals now have flex workstations and have given up their offices and cubicles. Some are going back to the office full-time, and yet for others, it means staying as a teleworker permanently. All of these options and changes cause yet again uncertainty, change, and many emotions for our workforce and ourselves.

Deloitte has offered some insight into how to look at re-entry into the workforce. Their recommendations are to build agility for the future: Learn from the lessons of ramping down and leverage these to manage future requirements, look at your operating plan, and especially look at your planning for employee experience. One of the biggest tips I have heard not just from them, but reading in numerous articles is that an effective return to work will be highly dependent on how the employees engage with their leaders. The level of transparency and communication which leaders are providing during these uncertain times will make a difference. This was a not-so-subtle reminder that how we handle uncertainty and change as leaders are critical to the outcome, a lesson that can be a good reminder.

This advice reminded me of the critical aspects we do well in OD, leadership development, coaching, and consulting.  These aspects are assisting with change and growth. Once again, your skills and talents will be called upon to help build the workforce back to a “new normal". I have no doubt it will be answered with excellent results.

As an organization, GOOD is also exploring how we are going to handle going back to the "normal".  We have heard your comments about in-person meetings and listened to the comments about the new format. We don’t know the answer quite yet, but we are committed to having some great conversations and doing some research on what will be the best options for our community as a whole.

As soon as we know more, we will share it with you. If you have any thoughts, please feel free to share them with us. We are always open to your feedback.

As you start to transition to your “post-pandemic new normal” work-life, I know you will do it with grace and skill. Remember, you can leverage your GOOD community for assistance and advice. This network is a wonderful community to share ideas and best practices.

Krystena Sterling

By now, I hope you have all moved into your 2021 groove, that your work and family life have moved past the New Year’s Resolutions, and life is humming along. We are still facing unprecedented times with COVID-19, social divide, and job losses amongst other things. However, on another front, what this network makes me think about is the power of kindness.

We all come together in our bi-monthly meetings, in COP’s, in networking gatherings, and have even created lasting friendships through the power of this network. During these exceptionally hard times, the members of this network have demonstrated that we practice what we teach: leadership, values, and kindness to each other. I have been on the receiving end of this kindness when I was laid off, and our tribe of practitioners reached out to assist me in finding my next adventure. I have also been the one on the assisting end, helping colleagues chart their new course in life, coaching them through the process, or just being a friendly shoulder to support them.

The simple acts of kindness have made me cherish this network so much. Would it surprise you to hear that our network has expanded past Central Florida? People have found us that live in other states and even other countries! That speaks volumes about each and every one of you.

We all have our own stories, some seasons the stories are amazing, and some not so amazing. It is so wonderful to know that we have an amazing tribe of GOOD people that we can reach out to for assistance and guidance, even it is just for a good laugh to continue our journey. Kindness is the gift we can each give each other and our community, at no cost to us or anyone else. The repayment plan for this gift is very generous, we earn a great deal of joy and happiness in return.

Thank you for being the amazing network that you are, for providing the power of kindness, sharing this power with each other and our community regardless of our social, political, or personal views.  I will always be here to offer you the same because the Power of Kindness will continue to make our network amazing and will build better communities around us. 

Krystena Sterling

Just like that, our year is ending! Usually, this time of year, we are all getting ready to spend quality time with our families for Thanksgiving and then start the holiday rush filled with gratefulness, hope, and most of all, family. However, this year it is a little different. We might not be able to have those large family gatherings. Some people are struggling due to being out of work or furloughed. Others are essential workers and concerned about the virus, or even just exhausted because longer and harder working hours. Some are worried about having a job, or even being the one must reduce jobs. These concerns do not bring up what this season usually brings to mind: love, gratefulness, and family. What comes to mind is anxiety and fear.  

As a coach, I know fear is a widespread phenomenon. It is the core of what keeps people and organizations stuck. It is genuine and hard to get past. It is like an invisible wall that you do not even realize is there, sometimes acting like a friend, trying to keep you safe. However, as professionals, we know that the one constant in life is change, and fear makes that hard to do. So, this year because of all the added pressure, along with the shopping madness, I propose we try something different. We are the experts. We can set the examples for our communities, individuals, and even ourselves and help get through this season and make it a little more joyful and less fearful. 

We cannot control everything, but we can control how we act and respond. Marshall Goldsmith has a straightforward practice he does every day. Every day he asks himself active questions and grades himself (0), no action, (1), action. The “active questions” can be anything you want. Start simple. Here are some simple suggestions to build gratitude and reduce fear. 

Did I do my best today to: 

• Be happy? 
• Find meaning? 
• Build positive relationships? 
• Be engaged? 
• Find something to be grateful for? 

According to research, it is tough for your brain to engage this way and still be fearful. I do not know about you, but I think it worth a try. I have always had one straightforward goal for GOOD -- building connections and a community that cares about each. What is your goal? Would you like to join me in creating less fear? I would love to hear about the ways you reduce fear and build change. Feel free to drop me a note at president@goodnetwork.us. 

Lastly, we will be sending out our annual survey shortly. Please take the time to let us know what you think. We serve to make this an organization for each of you to learn, grow, and network. We would love to hear how to improve. You can also email me directly with any thoughts.  

Thank you for being part of the GOOD NETWORK this year on behalf of the entire leadership team. We are all thankful for each and everyone of you and we wish you all a safe, and joyful holiday season. Alone is Hard. Together is Better. 

Warmest Wishes,

Krystena 

With four months to go in 2020, I am watching our country still radically changing. I see division from social unrest in our cities. Covid-19 is wreaking havoc on our nation, causing health issues, job loss, and having financial impacts. Families are struggling to balance work, school, and life. I have heard from many of you who are working at home, managing working with the public, or who have changed jobs, are furloughed, or even laid off.  There are still so many unknowns. Our world has shifted so much in the past six months. This all makes me think about leadership and the importance it plays in our lives.

When I was a young leader, one of my mentors told me, “they are always watching.” I took that to mean that I had to be perfect, and whatever decisions I made would be judged. What I have learned through the many years of leading from that time is that the statement is true to a certain extent. People are always watching those who lead them, and by the pure nature of being human, we judge. However, being a leader is so much more than that. Leadership in 2020 means being authentic, living your values, showing what I recently heard in one of our GOOD communities of practice, “radical kindness.” It means being vulnerable and admits you have flaws because we are all human, and as humans, we all have flaws. Leadership is about working together and allowing others to grow and flourish. Leadership is complex because it is about people.

As a coach, I have learned about judgment, assumptions, stories we tell ourselves, opinions,  and unconscious bias. As an emotional scientist, I have also learned that our brains are potent and emotions have a powerful effect over our bodies. All of these mental processes can hold us hostage and prevent us from being our authentic selves and the best leaders we can be.

In a time where we need leadership more than ever before, I ask you:  what type of leader you are? What mental processes do you allow to get in your way? Regardless of whether you own your own business, are an independent contributor, or lead a large team, you are a leader to someone. What values do you hold deeply, and demonstrate daily to those around you. Someone is always watching. What do you want them to see?

As we get ready to elect a new board, and start to prepare for 2021, I am honored to be part of this incredible network. I believe our network has outstanding leaders with shared values that we can all learn from. We continue to grow and learn from each other, which is a tribute to each one of you. You have incredible talents that together make this network unique. Thank you for your leadership. Leadership does make a difference.

Dealing with our Emotions during Change

As I write this for you, I am thinking about all the changes that have occurred in our world as of late. Over the last few months, we have maneuvered through both fantastic moments in time and challenging moments, Covid-19, Space-X launch, the unnecessary death of George Floyd. All of these are causing us and our organizations to rethink how we manage our lives and our businesses. I don’t know about you, but my emotions have been like a rollercoaster.  I have felt frustration, anger, scared, disappointed, and proud (Space X), just to name a few. These life events cause everyone to feel different emotions as we navigate the new world order. Emotions are not something new to any of us. Some of us are familiar with “leave your emotions at home,” “business is no place for emotions.” I would argue that emotions are just as important as logic, and you cannot have one without the other.  Emotions are the energy that fuels the action. Point in case, what we see with protesting are emotions. Emotions have driven people to create better ways to handle Covid-19. Emotions are drivers.

As we start to come back to a new normal from Covid-19, and rethink how we demonstrate diversity and human rights the most important thing we can do is bring emotions to the forefront. Think about your own emotions. What are you feeling? Then look outward what do your friends, family, and coworkers feel? Don’t be afraid of emotions. Ask people, how are you feeling today? Each person has a story to tell; it is up to each of us to want to learn their story. I serve as your President for this reason. I have met remarkable people through GOOD that have memorable stories. Don’t be surprised if the next time I see you, I ask you- How are you feeling today? Until then, stay safe, healthy, and respectful of each other.

Krystena Sterling, President

Letter from the President

I am honored to be serving as the incoming President of the GOOD Network for 2020. What I truly love about our network is the diverse community of practitioners and how we learn from each other and build relationships. Our organization has practitioners from a variety of disciplines and sizes of companies, which speaks to the diversity of how much OD has grown through the years. As our network continues to grow and evolve, our goals remain the same; to produce quality programming to help enhance the development of professionals in our field and to create a space for colleagues to network and share experiences. This year we are bringing even more exciting experiences to you with our inaugural Good Network Conference, which will be held at the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality & Management on Friday, February 28, 2020. Our conference committee has been working hard to create a fantastic day for everyone. If you are new to GOOD, we also have thriving communities of practices where smaller groups break out into specific themes allowing for more intimate learning and networking. There is something for everyone, and if something is missing, we can always create it!  I believe that our role as board members is to serve our members, and we genuinely take what you tell us and act on these suggestions and requests. We have an excellent board that works hard to deliver for our members. As your President, I want to hear from you. Please feel free to email me at President@Goodnetwork.us. I look forward to meeting each of you at an upcoming meeting or event. Until then have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season, and we will see each other in 2020! Krystena Sterling

As the 2019 President for the GOOD Network, I am honored to work with the outstanding talented individuals on our Leadership Board, Communities of Practice, and our members in our OD profession. We recently celebrated our 15 year anniversary in December. Fifteen years, pretty awesome growth for our organization.   I am so excited about the upcoming year initiatives and goals we set for our OD profession.   

First, I want to give a shout out to the people that are serving our group.  I encourage our members to reach out to our leaders.  Who are these great people stepping up to do good for the GOOD Network?  They come from all sizes of organizations and industries.  Refer to the organizational chart for names of our leadership team and their roles in GOOD Network.   Want to connect to with our GOOD Network Communities of Practice leaders, check out the groups and the respective leaders here.

Membership for the Greater Orlando OD Network continues to experience growth with over 200+ members.  This is exciting because it demonstrates our growth  is organic and reflects how word-of-mouth referrals is expanding our association.  I am so proud of the people that make the GOOD Network shine, that is the message on the street.  Members share with people in the grocery store line, when meeting others at events, and when attending other professional groups.  If you are a new member, take a peek at the member page to see who else you might know in our membership.

The key topic for this year’s message is Future of Work.  What I find exciting about this topic is its impact on our profession, the people we serve, and how we help solve and shape solutions.  The questions we are faced with include: 1) How does this impact our profession? 2) How do we impact the people that we serve? 3) How does this impact us individually?  The collective wisdom from our membership will shine and bring a diverse and rich knowledge base that benefits us professionally. Each one of us has something unique to bring to our profession.  

My goals for 2019 during my tenure as President include: 

1. Continuous improvements on our website to enhance engagement. 
2. Continuing to unify and expand our communication outreach through multiple social channels that share the GOOD Network news and recognize individuals in our membership. 
3. Creating more opportunities for members to contribute their time, talent, and gifts by joining or leading one of one of COP groups or assisting on an existing committee.
4. Saving our biggest goal for last.  We have plans to host our own GOOD Network Conference in 2020.  If this is of interest to you, feel free to connect with one of our leadership team members to find out how you can participate. 

This year’s bi-monthly events continue to bring outstanding value to our members. This is due to the suggestions and feedback you provide us.  February’s event is the beginning a great year with "The Culture Journey Learning Experience" -- Bi-monthly Meeting, February 8, 2019

Over the next year, your GOOD Network board will work to respond to the ever-changing needs of our field.  We will enhance networking opportunities, strategic solutions, and continue to expand our member services.  We will continue to advocate for our profession, increase our visibility in the community, and incorporate breakout sessions and panel discussions in our meetings.  We will continue to recognize our membership for all they bring to GOOD Network through appreciation events and through social channels, along with other resources that enhance the GOOD Network’s benefit to its members.

I look forward to connecting with each person that is a member of the GOOD Network.  Please feel free to chat with me at one of our regularly scheduled program meetings, communities of practice or networking events or reach out to me on my LinkedIn profile.

Sincerely, 

Isabella Johnston, President

Data, we love analytics -- qualitative, quantitative, and understanding how people learn. I started thinking about how we gather together at the GOOD Network to understand the who, why, and how we measure results in our profession.  It made me curious as to how many statistics we have kept about our organization and membership. Thus, I went to the board and as a collective group I am sharing the results:

The GOOD Network started in 2003 with three people. Kristin Chase, Jerry Salsburg, and Wendy Grauer.  Every business starts with humble beginnings, and it is amazing to see how much we have grown. By the end of 2003, there were approximately 20 paid members.  

Number of members at conception & current membership to date:

• April 1, 2018:  173 (64 corporate and 109 individual)
  

Membership highlights through the years:

• August 2012:  93 (14 corporate and 79 individual)
  
• November, 2013:  164 (39 corporate and 125 individual)
  
• November 2014:  181 (37 corporate and 144 individual)
  
• July 2015: 180
  
• July 2017: 182

With my entrepreneur hat on, I really enjoyed reviewing the historical side of GOOD Network. As an OD consultant, I love there are gaps and now we get to improve our processes. The nonprofit management consulting side of me also appreciate the numbers and wanted to serve our members greater value. Collecting data is one of the most important aspects of our roles in OD. I thought I would encourage everyone to do an annual check on how you collect data at your respective organizations (corporate partners) and if individual consultants, how you help your clients collect data.  

I wanted to close with talent facts that we as consultants in HR and OD that might prove useful when sitting down at the table with our respective audience and clients. The info also makes for a cool infographic if you are so inclined to create and play. Hope you enjoy!

 Isabella Johnston, President of Good Network

 15 vital HR and talent facts that you should know heading into 2018 so you and your business can put your best foot forward.

https://blog.capterra.com/talent-stats-you-need-to-know-for-2018/

1. Attracting high quality candidates is the top challenge for 76% of hiring managers (Glassdoor).

2. American employees are working harder than ever. Of those who receive paid time off, most used only 54% of their eligible vacation time in 2017(Glassdoor).

3. 53% of employees report wanting a stronger health and wellness focus(Mercer).

4. 79% of employees believe that employers should share responsibility for health and wellness with their staff, versus 11% who believe the responsibility is the employee’s alone (Westfield Health).

5. Employee opinion counts! 46% of employees say they’d be more engaged with wellness if their employer asked about their preferences (Westfield Health).

6. Moreover, 74% of employees reported feeling more satisfied, motivated, and loyal when they know an employer cares about their wellness (Westfield Health).

7. Replacing an employee costs employers 33% of that employee’s annual salary (Work Institute).

8. The average employee is 1.5% more likely to stay with a company when changing roles if offered a 10% raise on their base pay, even when controlling for job title, industry, business size, and location. (Glassdoor).

9. Everyone likes the ability to choose; 56% of employees want flexible work options (Mercer). 

10. Employee turnover is 25% lower at companies that support remote work(OwlLabs).

11. There’s still something to be said for in-office work. Employees who spent 15 minutes socializing with coworkers during their workday exhibited a 20% performance boost (FastCompany).

12. If your staff does work remote, make sure you have the right video softwareto keep in touch, since video conferencing is 30% better for communication than audio alone (OwlLabs).

13. If you use talent software, make sure it’s in the cloud. Gartner predicts that by 2020, cloud revenue will account for over 62% of the global software market, up from 50% in 2017 (Gartner).

14. Diverse hiring is successful hiring. Gender and ethnic diversity are positively correlated with business performance by up to 15% and 35%, respectively (Gartner).

15. Just because you lose an employee, it doesn’t mean they hate you. 63% of employees rated their former employer “very good” or “excellent” after leaving the company (Work Institute).