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FEBRUARY 2011
FEATURING:
» Getting HYPE ED
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  | | photo: Lauren Stewart |
A tourism vision plan working session at the Marvin Lang building. |
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Dear ,
In January, we sent a postcard out to a few hundred friends in the community to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I have the card posted above my desk; this particular King quote speaks strongly to me.
"Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change," King said. King was speaking of major social changes - as resonant and important today as four decades past - but this quote inspires me on a personal level.
Every day I am reminded of the importance of staying awake, of adjusting to new ideas. My family, my clients, my community remind me constantly how much I have yet to learn about being a husband and father, a partner, a citizen.
The coming year will be a lesson in agility and collaboration for the Floricane team. Just a month into 2011, and we' re already running a hard sprint. Here are just a few things you can expect from Floricane this year:
- A day of classical music and leadership lessons, as we partner with The Richmond Symphony to bring The Music Paradigm to Richmond in March.
- A new workshop specifically for nonprofit leaders and boards to help assess organizational capacity and readiness for tomorrow's challenges.
- A revamped Insights self-awareness workshop focused on building a foundation for individual and team growth and effectiveness.
- A new community news web portal focused on keeping our friends and clients " in the know" about our community.
- A new smart phone app to help managers and teams capture, track and provide feedback on objectives.
- And, of course, plenty of work in the areas of strategic planning, community visioning and organizational engagement.
I hope that Floricane is able to create new opportunities in the coming year for you and others to bear new fruit, and to face the challenge of change - at home, at work, in your neighborhood. I expect each of you to return the favor, and to remind me of my
opportunities and obligations to be of service in more meaningful ways.
By the way, if you want to read the rest of what Dr. King wrote about staying awake, you can read his World House essay here. |
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 FLORICANE TO FACILITATE HYPE WORKSHOP
By Rebecca Leon | Floricane staff writer
This month, Floricane joins the Greater Richmond Chamber's HYPE program to help our area's young professionals grow both personally and professionally.
HYPE, short for Helping Young Professionals Engage, holds regular workshops as part of its Educational Series. Corey Humphrey, project manager with the Greater Richmond Chamber, said the choice to have John facilitate the workshop was an easy one.
read the story
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MAKING MAESTROS OUT OF MANAGERS
By Rebecca Leon | Floricane staff writer
What can your organization learn from a symphony orchestra?
Find out this March, when the Richmond Symphony and Floricane present The Music Paradigm - a unique experiential seminar that uses an orchestra to demonstrate key concepts for a highly effective business team.
read the story
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CELEBRATING MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
By Rebecca Leon | Floricane staff writer
 Last month, a few hundred friends of Floricane received postcards giving voice to an icon in American history. The postcards, designed by Floricane's Juliet Brown, featured a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. and his quote: "Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change." As Floricane began receiving holiday cards from other organizations, the team began to think about a Floricane holiday card. The design was inspired by King's vision for a colorblind society.
read the story & view postcard
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ON THE BLOG
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A few recent Floricane blog posts we think you might find interesting: |
RIPE RESOURCES
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Cultivating a Healthy Organization Join Floricane for a one-day organizational assessment workshop designed for small teams of nonprofit staff and board members. » learn more
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Community Conversations on Richmond's Past - and Future
Be part of the Valentine Richmond History Center's 2011 Community Conversations and help turn our histories into a shared vision for the future. » learn more |
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 The 411 on the Mar. 31 804UM HYPE is partnering with several local organizations for a half-day conference focused on the issues, ideas and resources of interest to Richmond's young professionals. » learn more
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PLAYGROUND PERSPECTIVES: Vision & Restraint
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 If you've been following along, you know that Thea has been allergic to...well, everything. Our daughter has spent the better part of three years kicking the federal government's Food Pyramid up and down the block. She has thrived on a diet of pasta, beans and assorted fruits and vegetables.
Our accidental vegan's original list of food allergies was comprehensive -- meat, dairy, soy, oats, rice, corn and a handful of fruits and vegetables. You might be surprised at how well (and inexpensively) you can eat on a restricted diet. I wonder how many parents in the United States can honestly claim their 3-year-old has never eaten at McDonalds; her first candy arrived around Christmas in the form of corn-syrup-free mints. ("Minikins," she calls them.)
After a recent round of testing -- our brave trooper withstood 40 pin pricks to the back with nary a whimper -- Thea walked into the late morning sun with a world of food opportunity ahead. (Warning to future dates planning Valentine's Day dinners -- she's still allergic to beef and shrimp.)
Both sides of Thea's story seem relevant to organizations and individuals.
Our family has benefited in odd, but significant ways from having restrictions and limitations imposed on us. Building a family diet on a limited palette has made us much more thoughtful and attentive. It's surprising to discover what you can live without. After a while, it just becomes normal. In my work, I find that organizations who have digested changes in their circumstances are healthier and happier places to work. I also find that taking the first bite is as much a struggle in business as it is at home.
On the flip side, we're very excited to explore this world without boundaries -- our daughter gets to chase the ice cream truck that roams our Northside neighborhood during the summer months. Going out to eat as a family will be much more enjoyable, particularly to Thea.
Our biggest challenge -- as it is with organizations that are expanding their horizons -- will be maintaining a healthy balance.
"Daddy," Thea whispered to me this morning, "I want ice cream for breakfast."
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