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wind turbine

Purpose Driven Companies Lead the Way

In light of climate change and increased natural disasters worldwide, many brands today have become focused on sustainability. They understand that businesses should be more concerned with people over profit, contributing to a viable society as compared to preoccupation with nuts-and-bolts of daily operations and profit. A united workforce is environmentally aware, and insistent on mitigating negative impact on the environment, such as pollution that a factory emits, which compromise quality of life. The time is NOW for action as our planet experiences extremes in heat, fire, and natural disasters. In addition, there is a dire need for reduction of poverty, growth of community, improved infrastructures.  When consumers know that a company is doing right, they are apt to remain loyal to them. When employees are listened to and their suggestion valued, commitment naturally increases.

Below are a sampling of companies motivated to purpose and the greater good beyond profit.

*JetBlue…With their motto JetBlue for Good, purpose is lived through programs promoting social responsibility.Youth and Education sponsor non-profits and next generation motivation, JetBlue crew members volunteer and provide community service in the 100+ BlueCities they fly through. JetBlue supports charitable giving, green initiatives, and STEM program grants for study in the sciences as part of JetBlue Foundation.

*Viacom…Is committed to inspire and motivate audiences to take action within their communities in areas of Education/Empowerment, Health/Wellness, the Environment and Social Rights. An example is partnership with Witness; global human rights organization that created The Power of Story campaign which encouraged making videos with cellphones to spotlight pressing social issues like racial stereotypes and gender bias. Through Viacom brands and the power of video, grass roots messages and subsequent change reaches millions.

*GlaxoSmithKline…reinvests 20% of profits in developing countries to build medical structures and train health workers. The company strengthened its commitment to vaccine development, and created the world’s first malaria vaccine.

*GE…a decade ago, GE made a huge bet on clean-tech, Ecomagination. By 2016, GE invested $17 billion in clean tech R & D, and generated $232 billion in revenue from its products. Their  investments in their locomotive division will reduce emissions by more than 70%. Digital Wind Farm will boost wind farm energy production more than 20%.  GE will be responsible for 1/3 of the world’s electrical capacity, ensuring a future of clean energy.

*Nestle is the world’s leading seller of bottled water. They eliminated slavery and child labor from their supply chains, and made a significant effort to cut fat, sugar, and sodium from its products, while fortifying them with essential minerals and nutrients in low-income countries.

*Nike has increased business while diminishing environmental impact. Most of their footwear is made largely from recycled polyester. For their popular Flyknit shoe, engineers reduced waste by 60% and saved 2 million pounds of fabric scraps.

*UTC Produced a new commercial jet engine called turbofan, which will reduce fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions by 16%. That translates to $1 million savings on fuel, which will reduce noise for the half million residents who live near airports.

Here’s the buzz, according to Cone/Porter Novelli Purpose Study  2017:

  • 80% of consumers say that when they buy a product from a purpose-driven company, they feel they are taking part in making a positive impact to protect the planet.
  • 77% of people say they have stronger emotional ties to brands that are purpose driven.

Purpose Driven Statistics below are largely drawn from Sustainable Brands and Harris poll research. They investigated the shifting perception of what the Good Life means to people and how brands can be part of enabling it.

  • 89% of consumers believe PURPOSE is proved by how the company benefits society and environment. Consumers are looking for this. They expect brands to share their impact through all stages of production.
  • The good life for many entails: balance & simplicity, meaningful connections, money/status, personal achievement.
  • There is a huge opportunity here for brands to provide platforms and channels through which people can live out their social purpose. The younger generations view are conscious of making a difference through what they buy as connected to their values and goals.
  • As we become more globally interconnected (thanks largely to the internet), people are becoming aware of the degree to which their buying choices impact others and the world.
  • People increasingly want to buy from purpose-driven brands that represent the greater good.

With the combined cooperation of producers and consumers, we are hopeful to see significant improvement in the quality of life around the globe.

millenials

Wide Eyed, Working, Wanting to Grow – The Millennial Dilemma

Born between (approximately) 1980 and 2000, Millennials make up the largest group in the labor force. Most employers are eager to recruit this generation and figure out how to retain them once they are on board, because they tend to quit after a short time. This cohort of 81 million grew up in the digital world. They are natural multi taskers with high expectations that their workplace will meet their needs, goals, and expectations. They come equipped with self-confidence, multiple skill sets, tech know-how. If they don’t sense growth in their job, and an equitable payoff for their work and effort, they will walk. Employers repeatedly hear from Millennials that they want their work to be purposeful, meaningful and important. The more that is known about what drives Millennials in the workplace, the better chances
are to attract and retain them.

Great-Grandpa, Grandpa, Dad, and Me

For the first time in history, young professionals are joining a 4- and 5-generation workplace. This is because of unprecedented longevity and hard economics that creates the need to work beyond the traditional “retirement” age.  From the beginning of their employment, managers should build appreciation for all staff across those generations. As the youngest staff afoard, Millennials have been used to being coached from childhood in everything. Now that they are in a profession, employers should find out who in the field could serve as their teachers or mentors. They should ask what skills other workers have, that Millennials should develop.  Down-to-earth advice from Beverly Kaye, a career development pioneer, has authored many books on the subject, including Up is not the Only Way, Love Em Or Lose Em: Getting Good People to Stay,  Love It, Don’t Leave It, and  Help Them Grow or  Watch Them Go. She offers the following tips.

  • ASK your Millennial employees for their advice on incentives that would matter the most to them
    •Establish community initiatives and volunteer opportunities that speak to millennials
    •Promote service related projects and provide time for employees to pursue these activities to fuel their desire for civic engagement and community challenges that interest them.
    •Offer workplace incentives to those who participate in service related options.
  • ASK employees what about working in your company (such as perks) matters most to them. Build your incentives based on their highest priorities.

Friendship, Food and Fun

Additional suggestions to encourage the longevity of a Millennial’s employment:

  • Bring team members at all levels together for collaboration…ensure that the organizational strategies resonate with Millennials. If not, find common bonds.
  • Engage with employees; involve them early on; provide personalized orientation and one-on-one dialogue.
  • Learn about what they value, how they want to make an impact, what influences them, what challenges them to participate. Link their interests to causes in which the organization is already involved. These employees will be your next tier of leadership, so you want them to stay. Groom them to take on significant roles that will keep them engaged.

Link millennials with seasoned professionals who will include them as part of a team and challenge them to produce valued results for the team.

Help Millennials understand where their work will lead.

Include Millennials in meetings to tap their creativity and heighten their involvement at work.

Gather Millennials in a small group to brainstorm ways to build open mindedness and curiosity about processes that need improvement.

natalie kerrigan

Between Jobs? Meet NATALIE KERRIGAN at Indeed.com

With millions of people out of work, many are asking “Do I even want to return to what I was doing? Or, I feel trapped where I am but I fear taking a risk to look elsewhere in such an uncertain environment. I feel fairly safe here, but there is no joy anymore in what I do. If not this job, what might I do next?” These are questions that Natalie helps people explore in her role as Chief of Staff of Indeed’s Recruiting Solutions at Indeed.com.

Natalie, herself, has been on a purpose and passion pilgrimage which spanned 20+ years. Her path to Indeed included a 12 year ‘run’ with Nike, 5 years with Whole Foods/Amazon and 2 years with Dell Technologies. She held various Supply Chain, Product Management and Engineering leadership roles and delivered key strategic initiatives including the launch of Nike+Digital Sport platform and the creation of Whole Foods’ Prime Savings rewards program.

Natalie has both an MBA and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University. Her roots are in Pennsylvania although she headed to the Northwest to Nike and then to Texas for her roles at Dell and now Indeed.com.

There are currently 11.6 million people unemployed in the United States looking for a job that brings together personal and professional goals that align with ones’ purpose in life.”

With those staggering numbers in mine, Indeed.com is a job board that permits the job seeker to view postings from many sources, allowing users to search for specific positions. It uses a meta search engine that aggregates job postings from thousands of websites and employment firms, including company career web pages and recruiting firms.

Since 2004, Indeed has given job seekers free access to millions of jobs from thousands of company websites and job boards. As the leading pay-for-performance recruitment advertising network, indeed drives millions of targeted applicants to jobs in every field and is the most cost-effective source of candidates for thousands of companies.

Natalie has earned trust and respect with each environment where she works. The bases of that earned trust? Her ability to collaborate across departments, influence decisions which are required for change and change is all we can count on these days.

  • Natalie’s tips on responding to this topsy-turvy environment we are living in?
  • *Never run FROM a job but rather TO a job. Keep pipelines open for opportunities.
  • *Look for growth:  Search internally for where you want to be; plant seeds to get there.
  • *Identify your natural gifts and seek environments/positions that allow you to flourish.
    • Ex:  If you enjoy a global environment, ensure you move to organizations with that potential.
  • “Take the teacher not the class.” It makes the world of difference.

Ask yourself what you really want in a career and does your current environment offer it? Ex: location, cultural mix, ability to use certain skills and what is near and dear to Natalie, the opportunity to fulfill my “purpose and my passion” which is what led her to Indeed.

tom kamber

Senior, Tech Savvy, and OATS

Older adults often confront a generational divide between digital native millennials and digital ignorant seniors. Many older adults are seeking new ways to communicate with technology, social media, Zoom, ordering online, remote education and connecting with young people. Too often technology has passed many by yet communication is quickly becoming digital with no going back. That’s where the Senior Planet Exploration Center (SPEC) takes center stage as the nation’s first tech-themed center for people over age 60, the fastest growing segment of computer and internet users.

Older Adult Technology Services (OATS) runs 23 community- based technology labs in the five NY city boroughs. In addition, Senior Planets also exist in upstate New York, Maryland, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Colorado, California, and internationally in Israel and Spain. OATS joined AARP as a charitable affiliate in 2021.

Meet Tom Kamber, Founder and Executive Director of OATS and SPEC. Tom is an expert on aging and technology and is regularly featured in national media. He has presented this work on five continents, providing award-winning programs for seniors.

Many older adults are seeking updated ways to reconnect, move beyond their comfort zone and get up to speed in new and unfamiliar ways. In 2018 Tom was named one of Next Avenue’s influencers in aging. Tom also has taught courses on technology, urban studies, and philanthropy at Columbia University and is widely published in the news and professional journals. such as NY Times, WSJ, LA Times, Washington Post, All Things Considered, The Atlantic, Fast Company, Forbes, The Economist along with numerous awards from PBS Next Avenue, ASA, PR Week, and the Webby award.

Visit Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) at www.oats.org

idea plan action

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination—an ineffective habit for many of us—comes from the Latin for “tomorrow” (cras).  Highly effective people tend to take care of whatever is in front of them promptly and not put it off. One payoff of diminishing the procrastinating habit is peace of mind. Another is easier accomplishments of tasks.  One ploy to defeat procrastination is to begin with the biggest, most difficult task on the to-do list.  As you work your way down the list, from most difficult to easiest, you will find perhaps to your amazement, that all of your chores are done.

One useful hint is to begin working on your first task in the morning, when your mind and your energy are fresh.  Plunge right in. Don’t give yourself time to bemoan all the things you must accomplish.

Next, develop habits of success:  Readjust habits to replace destructive ones with useful ones.  For example, if you have a habit spending an hour in the morning dealing with emails or scrolling facebook, and it’s now lunchtime, and you didn’t accomplish anything useful, you might either (1) postpone your email-reading marathon to late afternoon, say, or (2) develop the constructive discipline of scanning your inbox, and only dealing with the crucial messages– even if  you have to set an egg timer to stick to your 15-minute limit (or whatever).

According to Brian Tracy (see below), to form a new habit with focus and concentration, we need 3 qualities:

DECIDE…to develop a habit of task completion
DISCIPLINE…myself to practice timely action over and over
DETERMINE…to make this action a permanent part of your habits

Here’s an exercise to begin the process of creating the habit of timely accomplishment.

On a piece of paper, write down 1 goal, which you normally would tend to put off, and which you want to accomplish by a certain date. Pretend that the year has passed and that your goal has already been accomplished. Write in the first person singular and use the present tense.  Here are three examples:

I am driving a Mini Cooper today.

I am not eating sugar anymore.

I am happy in my new home.

For a list of 21 habits to introduce into your life, I recommend Brian Tracey’s book Eat That Frog 21 ways to stop procrastinating now  2017 (ingrain them in your daily living; practice them and watch new habits form).

thelma reese

Thelma Reese; Author and Ultimate Elderchick

Thelma Reese, Ed.D., retired professor of English and Education, with degrees from Temple University speaks with passion and knowledge about ways seniors continue to pave the way. In the past, she created the advisory council for Hooked on Phonics and was its spokesperson in the ’90’s. In that role, and as director of the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy for the City of Philadelphia, she appeared frequently on television and hosted a local cable show.

She was a founder of Philadelphia Young Playwrights, chaired the Board of Children’s Literacy Initiative, and organized the World Symposium on Family Literacy at UNESCO in Paris in 1994. She is co-author, with B.J. Kittredge, of How Seniors are Saving the World (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020) in which Reese and Kittridge highlight the opportunity for renewed self-discovery to be found through focusing outside oneself even as aging presents its own challenges.

With co-author Barbara M. Fleisher, Reese penned The New Senior Woman: Reinventing the Years Beyond Mid-Life (2013) and The New Senior Man: Exploring New Horizons, New Opportunities (2017).

Reese also created the award-winning ElderChicks blog and maintains it at www.elderchicks.com. Thelma, a mother and grandmother, lives in Philadelphia with her husband, author and artist Harvey Reese.

In all of her endeavors, Thelma is an activist. She believes in listening first and speaking clearly. One example of her activism is having “skin in the game.” Thelma talks about “skin” as being one’s authentic self-standing up and being counted, vs. sitting back worrying. The “game” is whatever issues you are concerned about. As Thelma says, “If it’s a cause that concerns you, do something about it to help fix it, or right a wrong. You have power.”

virtual travel

OFF WE GO – TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES

In this day and age, travel has become more difficult for some people.  However, there are vicarious ways to get out of your armchair metaphorically.

Here are some tips:

  • Pull out boxes of old photos from trips. As you sort them and toss out duplicates, bad exposures, or people you don’t recognize, you will find yourself automatically reminiscing.  You are, in a sense, time-traveling. You might refresh the trip by creating a new album or digitizing the images. By the way, this is great fodder for you scrapbookers and collage creators out there.
  • Consult travel books, AAA travel, your local library, or Google a desired destination.
  • Choose a movie to watch that was filmed in the location you wish to visit. Don’t neglect foreign films. Many libraries have a huge selection and most are free.
  • Host a small vacation-based theme dinner party at home. Determine where you would like to visit; plan a meal with that destination in mind (Viva Italia; An evening in Paris; Downeast Clambake, etc.) Divide planning chores, get guests involved in the planning. Consider expanding ambiance and festivities to include dress in regional attire, ask guests to bring music or artifacts from the region;  host a singalong, options are limitless.
  • Plan a Zoom dinner party based on an adventure theme that appeals to you or a vacation destination where you want to travel.
  • Susan Black created another virtual solution for surrogate travel via Zoom. Wowzitude provides over 50 trips anyone can take from the comfort of home, and she provides the guides where you can interact via the chatbox feature! Visit her website at  wowzitude.com

BON VOYAGE!

scott morre

There’s a New Game In Town – Pickleball

Look out sports world. It’s popular, quick, fun and is sweeping the nation…Pickleball It is one of the fastest growing sports in America and is played with a net, paddle, and plastic balls with holes similar to a wiffleball. It is often compared to tennis and badminton and is played on a tennis court with specific pickleball lines. In fact, four pickleball courts can fit on one tennis court. Doubles is the most common game although singles are also played. Rules are a bit quirky although they are easy to learn. Its popularity is proven by a 650 percent increase in numbers over the past six years, according to the USA Pickleball Association. interestingly, the biggest growth is not in the 60+ crowd but with the younger set often playing alongside adults six times their age.

The game is quick, making it a convenient way to build stamina, get regular exercise, and enjoy intergenerational play. Games in typical leagues run about 15 minutes.

The sport first caught on in the sunbelt, then 55-plus centers and RV communities. It took off and spiraled upwards from there. Today there are many municipalities, parks and recreation departments setting up courts which makes it appealing to a younger crowd.

Meet Scott Moore who repurposed life from full time career to Pickleball and then to a family affair which he enjoys with two sons who have made their own marks on the game as players and trainers/teachers. Scott is a six time world triple crown winner and the #1 senior pickleball player in the world. Scott credits his success with excellent health, dominant style, long reach and quick reflexes plus his competitive spirit and drive.

Pickleball prowess runs in the family. Scott’s oldest son, Daniel, is also a top player with many successes including winning men’s doubles at the USAPA Nationals. Scott and Dan now conduct high performance intense pickleball training and clinics across the USA.

Meanwhile, Dan’s younger sibling, John, was an avid tennis player while growing up enjoying basketball and table tennis. In his 40’s he returned to tennis until he, too, discovered pickleball. He now leads a Pickleball group, conducts Pickleball clinics, is trained and certified by Paddleball Teaching Professional Association. John, too, is competitive and enjoys purpose filled time playing and helping players improve their Pickleball game.

laptop

My Body

To My Body
by Dawn Sully Pile, MA; CPCC

This morning as I sat and thought about how I wanted to be with myself, setting all news and other posts aside to allow grounding, this is what showed up.

Dear Body,

A bit after 4 AM on a June day in 1949 you came into form and happened to bring me with you.

All of life is the two of us together. I am never really alone.

You are the vessel, the container that holds my entire life. From the moment we joined together in this world we have been inseparable. You hold my life together with muscles, tendons, veins, a whole miraculous system of organs that dance together, cells that are spectacular, and all in sync such that you have allowed me all the things I have done.

You are the record of them all, no matter what I leave in writing. Only you know every single detail. I bet you even remember when I learned cursive writing. You knew it would come in handy on a morning like this when I wanted to slow down, for it slows me down and brings me into a quiet flow. It is why I ended up writing to you…to thank you.

We are in this together right now. During this time I want to especially honor you, care for you, protect you and hold you as sacred. This is not a frivolous time but a time that when separated from all else I have you as a companion, so I’m paying special attention. We eat together, hopefully in particularly nourishing ways. We walk together. We sit together. We sleep together and you hear every word I say, which comes from the ability you give me to speak. I’m sure sometimes you cringe.

Thank you, glorious body of mine, even with all of what I have been programmed to think are imperfections, not enough, too fat, too thin, and oh, yes, you’ll soon be witness to helter-skelter hair, but that, too, is cells that are yours so we’ll be ok. I am giving up so many labels right now that have been imprinted and the thousands of pages of magazine ads I bought into over the years. You must have wondered at times, “Why are you wearing THAT?” of “Why are you putting that on your skin?” All those external voices that do not know you, that do not know you and me together. I choose to listen only to you right now for the cues and the wisdom.

I also know that my spirit and soul take shelter in you. They, too, are life itself, and the together we will get through whatever number of earth planet years we have, in joy and laughter along the way, even now. Maybe some music and dancing, too. All company for the moment when it might feel a bit lonely. Once in a while I even read out loud to you.

I am committing to being your best protection plan ever. I don’t come with guarantees of 120 years but hey, whatever the number, your protection is a priority.

I will also do all I can, with you and spirit and soul, to not risk the other bodies that are around me. Every single one is a whole life container just like we are. How can I do anything but with reverence respect their beingness?

There is no book or movie or podcast or conversation that can be a substitute for life with you. There are no external circumstances that bring me life…they bring me all kinds of other things but you are the one who brings me life.

So here we are, today, on this journey. And together we will pray for, hope for and be with in spirit all others, connected for sure and in ways we tend to so easily forget, no matter where we are in this world.

With deep gratefulness for 70 years so far and whatever the experiences ahead, as we are in it together.

I promise you this. I will never say that you failed me.

With all my love,

Me

Dawn Sully Pile is the author of Baby Boomers+ : A Guide to Designing These Years, Honoring the Full Circle of Life and Creating Life-Giving Conversations  2017 Published by Dip Into the Well Publishing .

wowzitude

WOWIE ZOWIE, WOWZITUDE!!

An opportunity For Virtual Travel from Home

What does a travel professional with 40 years of experience do when the pandemic has bought travel to an abrupt stop?  Susan Black, a travel expert, has created a solution.

Susan is an accomplished entrepreneur who provides senior management, eCommerce, customer experiences and marketing strategy for global travel and travel technology brands.  She enjoys a distinguished career in reinvigorating and launching travel businesses.  However, during the year of the pandemic, millions of potential travelers and adventurers around the globe were forced to stop traveling and many long for a return to their favorite activity. Perhaps you are one of the millions who have been waiting for travel to begin once again and are eager for your next adventure.

Susan Black’s ingenious idea is Wowzitude, which brings the world to your living room or community space with trips to 52+ destinations. Wowzitude is a travel club complete with live tour guides, designed for armchair travelers.  Your group or community ventures on live, guided walks around the world from the convenience of home. Featured expert hosts engage and entertain by interactive, remote discussions, point out interesting sites, share fascinating local lore and answer the questions of participants. Trained guides introduce virtual travelers to remote hideaways, local residents and favorite spots. Virtual travelers participate in “travel chats” with the tour guide and friends on Zoom via the chat feature. Tours are unscripted and unedited. Visit Susan Black at  www.wowzitude.com