Blog

In this episode of the Practicing Connection in a Complex World podcast, hosts Jessica Beckendorf and Bob Bertsch explore different perspectives on collaboration. Is there a mindset that leads to collaboration? How can we encourage collaborations that create something new? What makes for a good collaboration? You can stay in touch with us and connect with our Practicing Connection community by subscribing to our email list. Subscribe now. Practicing Connection in a Complex World Podcast You...

In May, the eXtension Foundation launched a monthly story lead contest in partnership with Farm Journal in the Farm Journal Monthly Story Lead Contest sub group here in Connect Extension. Monthly winners, along with their Extension Directors and Administrators, have the chance to work with Farm Journal to further develop their story and have it published in Farm Journal media. The topic area for the July 2020 contest was about how Extension is empowering farmers to maximize their use of...

Help! My empathy meter is falling & I need to know how to bring it up! If you're confused about the difference between sympathy, empathy & compassion you're not alone. Too often these "cousins" are misused so here's a quick run-down... Sympathy When we act out of sympathy we're not really connecting with the other person. It means we understand what the person is feeling. It's pity for them. Empathy When we act out of empathy, a connection emerges with the feelings of the one who is...

Position Funded by Molina Foundation Position Administered by eXtension Position Led by @Roger Rennekamp The total amount of dollars available is $20,000.00, divided into two 10K contracts Contract conditions and terms: This will be a fixed term contract (so level of effort needs to be considered). 20K is about 1 day a week of an Extension professional’s time for a year. This is for 2 Extension professionals – 10K each. Contract Timeline – 1 year – September 1, 2020-August 31, 2021.

Posted on behalf of the eXtension Foundation Climate Fellows As eXtension Foundation Climate Fellows, we are reaching out to ask for your participation in our national study. We are creating a database of Extension programs relating to climate and extreme weather adaptation and mitigation. By cross-referencing eXtension’s work with the Drawdown Review ’s climate solutions, we hope to find Cooperative Extension Service’s strengths when addressing climate and extreme weather issues, and where...

The eXtension Foundation is seeking volunteers to pilot the upgraded Ask An Expert platform, dubbed Ask Extension, to test features and provide input on user experience for long term improvements. Historically, Ask An Expert has served Cooperative Extension as a digital outreach tool to connect millions of U.S. citizens with you - their local Extension experts. The upgraded Ask Extension provides significant improvements in terms of enhanced ability for clients to dialogue with the expert,...

Funny thing about trust...we have to give it away to get it. Every day we're awarding or taking away our trust. When you think about it, the same people who were NOT trusted 20 years ago still don't have our trust. The people we trusted 20 years ago still have our trust. So, there's enough trust to go around. The goal should be to intelligently give & refuse trust to the trustworthy & be vulnerable enough to provide our own behavioral evidence we're trustworthy. Here are some...

In partnership with ECOP, two National Action Dialogues (NAD) focused on Extension Futures were held on July 13 and July 14, 2020. 382 participants from 69 Land Grant Universities (LGU) representing all five ECOP regions and program areas along with18 partner organizations who collectively shared ideas, concerns, and needs within 5 focus topics, guided by 10 Facilitators, and informed by 17 Key Informants. The purpose of the Action Dialogue was to imagine near-future possibilities for how...

"Diversity is being asked to the party...inclusion is being asked to dance." Bozoma Saint John " Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters " from McKinsey & Company

Do you consider yourself a leader? Comfortable calling yourself a leader? Why not? Think maybe someday you'll be worthy? If leadership is simply influence then we're all leading in our own way every day. Our actions spread like ripples in the water. Here's the effect they can have... In our lifetimes (about 30,000 days or 80 years), we'll have the chance to know about 1,000 people. If those 1,000 people each know 1,000 then we're up to 1,000,000. If those 1,000,000 people each know 1,000...

182 Extension professionals came together recently for a panel discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion for social race relations (mind), community leader input (community), and Extension leadership input (institution). Dr. Shatomi Luster-Edward, Regional Director, Urban West Regional Office, University of Missouri Extension, Dr. Lindsey Lunsford, Sustainable Food Systems Resource Specialist, Tuskegee University, and Krystle J. Allen, Extension Associate (Emergency Preparedness &...

"There's nothing so practical as a good theory." - Dr. Kurt Lewin To fully understand where we are on our leadership journey it's important to see how far we've come in our thinking about leadership. Here are 10 of the most common leadership theories... 1. The Great Man Theory (1840s) -The thought that Great Leaders are born...not developed. 2. The Trait Theory of Leadership (1930s - 1940s) -The thought that there are ideal characteristics for Leaders. 3. The Skills Theory of Leadership...