Tagged With "water rights"
Blog Post
Culture puzzle
"Culture" has become such a buzz word surrounding the workplace. People expect to see something on the company's website about it. They ask current employees about it. They ask about it in interviews. The fact is, it's a big deal. It might be THE big deal of any organization. What we've learned about it is that it's much more than flexible work hours & bean bag chairs in the breakroom. It's about " the way we do things around here". The way this is answered can be profoundly revealing.
Blog Post
CRISES OF LEGITIMACY OF SCIENCE-WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Lou Swanson, Emeritus Vice President of Engagement, Colorado State University Scott Reed, Vice Provost Emeritus, Outreach and Engagement, Oregon State University Photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash A lot can be done and is being done. In our previous blog we underscore the self-evident importance of science in the US. Science has become a required knowledge creating and disseminating force in the economy, public and personal healthcare and general social well-being, our personal lives. 21...
Comment
Re: CRISES OF LEGITIMACY OF SCIENCE-WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Excellent blog post (although I am not sure that using French helps with the perceived arrogance of science and the academy😊). Anyway, here’s an editorial that was in the local Madison newspaper a couple of weeks ago that speaks to the challenge of communicating science (around COVID 19) that lays out some self-ownership that the science community needs in connecting with the public. Paul Fanlund | The Capital Times Even before vaccines became widely available, one could have predicted that...
Blog Post
Healthy Questioning
My Great Uncle gave me a small plaque when I was in Junior High with a powerful quote. It hung in every place I lived until passing it along years later. "The important thing is not to stop questioning!" -Albert Einstein What my Great Uncle encouraged was a healthy curiosity. His wisdom has been & remains valuable to me to this day. In this spirit, let's discover how one question has led to just the right "thing" when it was needed most! "What would have happened if we didn't do what we...
Blog Post
It's situational and it's not...
My brother & I talk a lot and it has brought us closer, especially during our "philosophical" discussions. We like to dive deep into our passion areas, share what we've learned from books, articles, Ted Talks, work situations, parenting, etc. We just go with whatever is on our minds in a healthy banter. One thing keeps coming up regardless of topic is leadership & its close relationship with character . We agree on one point...leadership is situational but character isn't. Character...
Blog Post
Eliminate to Concentrate
The secret to concentration is elimination. You can't move forward on the monkey bars without letting go of one hand. It’s in the letting go of something we aren’t uniquely gifted to do that we create opportunity. Opportunity for others to grow in their strength area. Opportunity to focus. Opportunity to step into efficiency. This is the only way we can get to effectiveness. In the letting go we are more prepared to receive. To receive an opportunity from a teammate. In his book ”Good to...
Blog Post
Leadership Language
The words we choose matter. They matter a lot. What if there were things to help people remember our message? Good news! There are! Here are some rhetorical devices taken straight from a TEDx Verona talk by Simon Lancaster to help you speak like a leader! The Language of Leadership Asyndeton/Tricolon Look left, look right, look center, stop, listen... This mimics hyperventilating. President Obama used it…”a world at war, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a generation.” Three...
Blog Post
Extension in the 21st Century: A Conversation with Chuck Hibberd
Dr. Chuck Hibberd. Image Credit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Charles "Chuck" Hibberd is an emeritus professor of the University of Nebraska, where he held several academic positions, including Dean of Cooperative Extension. His email tagline reads "Chuck Hibberd, retired Extensi on Director (but not done yet)." He directed the University's Panhandle Research and Extension Center for 13 years. Chuck also served as Extension director, associate dean of agriculture, and assistant vice...
Blog Post
Let's Talk GMOs Online Course Available
Are you confused or do you have questions about GMOs? Do you feel inadequate when discussing GMOs? Are you given opposing information of GMOs and not sure what is right? Do you wonder how the misinformation about GMOs spreads like a wildfire? UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources is offering an online course, Let’s Talk GMOs: Creating Consistent Communication Messages . Participants are introduced to the basics of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They will learn...
Blog Post
Searching for L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P.
Have you ever Googled "leadership"? The other day I got 2.5 Billion search results in under half a second. That might indicate I've got to get a whole lot better at searching for content on the internet. It also means the real messages of leadership can get buried in all that great information. Here are a few qualities (as verbs) that might resonate with you. L – Listening E – Empathizing A – Acting with awareness D – Dedicating time for others E – Encouraging R – Removing doubts S – Serving...
Blog Post
In Conversation with Dr. Rick Klemme
Dr. Rick Klemme grew up on a farm in east-central Illinois. He received his BA in economics and math from Illinois State University. He later earned an MA and Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Purdue. Rick began his nearly four-decade Extension career as an agricultural economist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW). He later became Dean and Director of UW Extension. Rick transitioned from that assignment to serve as the Executive Director of Extension’s Committee on Organization...
Blog Post
3 Steps
On our journey through life sometimes we get stuck. We don't know what step to take next. It's in these moments of friction that growth happens. Here are 3 steps that can help us get unstuck & back on track to being the person we want to become! "Know thyself." -H.D. Thoreau Affirm (or discover) your personality traits or your core values. Self-awareness is a great trait to hone. Getting back in touch with ourselves, our DNA, can be just the reminder that we are enough and will always be...
Blog Post
Top 10 Heavy Hitters
The entire culture of our organizations can be summed up in this statement; what is rewarded is repeated . For your consideration (during MLB playoff time!)...here's a list of some heavy hitters to encourage & support with your leadership behavior! 1. Earn people's trust ; provide evidence every day of how you are trustworthy 2. Understand everyone has a life; work & life aren't separate, work is a part of a meaningful life 3. Listen , then act; diverse viewpoints are healthier, more...
Blog Post
ICYMI: Shop Simple with MyPlate and More MyPlate Updates!
Last week, we were joined by the MyPlate team from the USDA Center of Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) for a preview of two MyPlate tools that will help Americans make healthy food choices. Big thanks to @Barbara Jirka from USDA-CNPP for helping to organize this! New to the USDA - Shop Simple with MyPlate , allows individuals to find cost-saving opportunities in their local area and discover new ways to prepare budget-friendly foods. The panelists presented the background on the...
Blog Post
You do what?
Whether you're in a "leadership" position or are leading from another spot in the organization, everyone has responsibilities. Responsibilities to understand the requirements of leading that help everyone with expectation setting. If part of your duties include caring for others, the following likely show up in your everyday collaborations! THE "WHAT" Primary Leadership Tasks Vision – Set the general tone, direction Management – Set goals and focus resources Empowerment – Select and develop...
Blog Post
Practice Your ABCD's
Sir Richard Branson has started around 256 different companies. After that many, who's counting anymore!? How can someone be curious enough about that many things to start something in each of them? "Creativity is characterized by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, find hidden patterns, make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena and generate solutions." -Steve Jobs Branson does this by practicing his ABCD's: Always Be Connecting the Dots. "Be on the lookout for what...
Blog Post
Risky?
Starting any new venture can be scary. Deciding to tap into our creative entrepreneurial spirit can take a lot of courage, patience & a bit of ignoring our insecurities. "Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is!" -Mark Twain Recently heard Tim Ferriss Podcast interview with Sir Richard Branson. One of the stories Branson told was of how he got into the airline business. He was trying to get home after a 3-week business trip when his flight was cancelled. He really wanted to...
Blog Post
A Good Night’s Rest is Best
Written By: Andrew Crocker, M.S., Senior Extension Program Specialist, Gerontology and Health, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Way way back in the 1980s (HA!) the dairy industry had a marketing slogan that went, in part, “…it does the body good.” There are probably a lot of things that we can insert into that phrase, right? Vegetables. Seat belts. Exercise. Sleep? We often do not think a lot about sleep – until we cannot do it – but we will spend about a third of our lives asleep,...
Blog Post
New Leadership Skillsets
The last two years have been filled with despair, uncertainty, frustration and feelings of exhaustion. We are now entering the third year of a global pandemic. Since the world shut down, everything is in a different context now. Leadership feels different. The way we used to lead isn't how we do things anymore. We've had to develop new skills, utilize new tools for communication to create an environment where trust can thrive. In adapting to this dynamic new environment, we carry our...
Blog Post
Teamwork Part 1: Making Recognition a Resource
If anyone knows about leadership & teamwork it was Pat Summit, Hall of Fame basketball coach from the University of Tennessee. In her book "Reach for the Summit" she says: “The amount of success you are capable of enjoying and the pleasure you are capable of feeling is equal to the number of people you are willing to share it with.” Sharing doesn’t come naturally though. We’ve all seen this when we watch kids playing; the crying starts when they have to share their favorite toy. Diagnose...
Blog Post
Virtual chat recap: Watershed education, outreach, and engagement
In this virtual chat, we discussed opportunities and challenges related to watershed education and outreach, exploring how Extension can support our audiences with resources and programming to build local capacity. As part of a New Technologies for Agricultural Extension Accelerator Program project , University of Minnesota Extension Educators are building a website, called the Watershed Engagement Programming (WEP) Hub, to support local government (e.g. Soil & Water Conservation...
Blog Post
Looking Back: Arkansas Family’s Farm Legacy and a New Era of Opportunities for Landowners Of Color
We are highlighting a story from a Farm Journal Story Lead contest that focused on stories of 1890 Land-Grant Universities who are making a measurable impact in the lives of farmers or ranchers. The contest-winning story was "Landowner Furthers Family Farm Legacy Through Partnership with UAPB Forestry Program," by Will Hehemann of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. The story spotlights Shane Boler, a landowner, and participant in the University's Keeping it in the Family (KIITF)...
Blog Post
The Marathon Effect
When any change initiative is announced, the person making the announcement is way ahead of the people hearing about it. They already know about it. They've had time to process what’s about to happen, how it will affect them and how they'd like to present it to others. This means they're days, weeks, even months ahead of others in considerations surrounding the change. Ugh! Not another post about how hard "change" is...that's exhausting! You're right. It's often exhausting. Kind of like...
Blog Post
Excellence and You!
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Will Durant Behavior change is hard. Starting something new means stopping something that's not adding value to your life. What if you thought about leadership development as a habit? Then you wouldn't have to worry about the "right" time to start. Choose wisely and align your saying with your doing. Influence is always happening. Bad driver. Happy bank teller. Slightly pleasant flight attendant. These reflect a...
Blog Post
Leader of Character
How would you describe a leader of character? While you ponder that question, here are some thoughts... Leader is a position, leadership is our behaviors. Character is how we behave when nobody is looking. The U.S. Air Force Academy defines character as: At their Center for Character and Leadership Development they help prepare cadets to serve our nation. The framework they use is Own, Engage, Practice with the goal of living honorably while lifting others to elevate performance. You'll...
Blog Post
How to Help Your Client Balance Saving Money Versus Paying Off Debt
Finding the balance between paying off debt and saving more money can be overwhelming. While it may be tempting to focus on one or the other, it may be possible to both save money and pay off debt at the same time with the right plan. Paying Off Debt The first step to paying off debt is knowing what is owed. Clients should make a list of their debts including the lender’s name, the total amount owed, the monthly payment, and the interest rate. Before attempting to save any income, they...
Blog Post
Job Opening: Water Quality Extension Educator
The Department of Extension in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources invites applications for an Assistant/Associate Extension Educator in Water Quality. We seek an individual whose professional skills and abilities can foster the integration of extension with research to address local and regional water quality issues such as urban stormwater and agricultural runoff. This position will be housed in the award-winning Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) and...
Blog Post
What are your rocks, and How will you prioritize them today?
by Jenny Rea, Ph.D. Have you ever heard of the rocks, gravel, and sand metaphor? I learned about this parable from Dr. Tai Mendenhall ( check out his full bio here ) in a recently published webinar entitled, “ The Realities of Resilience in the Face of Burnout .” I, then, had the opportunity to converse with Tai on a more personal level through a podcast interview for our Family Transitions team at OneOp. Tai reflected upon this metaphor once again - connecting it to burnout among helping...
Blog Post
Keeping the (Social) Work Growing this Month and Onward
The services provided by social workers are crucial to creating and cultivating individual and family wellness. During this time of insurmountable stressors at home and abroad, social workers are pillars in providing vital mental health and behavioral health services. Services that can aid family members in navigating daily anxiety, worry, and trauma. National Social Work Month March was Social Work Month, and the 2022 theme is The Time is Right for Social Work. Over the past three years,...
Blog Post
New EXCITE Podcast: The Role of 1890 & 1994 Engagement Coordinators
We’re excited to share a new podcast episode about the important work of the Extension Collaboration on Immunization Teaching & Engagement (EXCITE) program. EXCITE is creating a framework that will model new ways for the Cooperative Extension system to engage and reach Extension programs across all three regions. The EXCITE team has developed practices to ensure that under-represented regions are included in the design of the new system-wide effort and that their institutions will be...
Blog Post
Human Factors
It's December 28, 1978, in New York City. United Airlines Flight 173 has just taken off for Portland, Oregon. Unknown to the passengers, a warning light has come on stealing the Captain's attention. Not long after, the Co-Pilot realizes they won't have enough fuel to reach their intended destination and will need to land at a different airport. With his mind focused on the warning light, the Captain is unable to focus on what is really important. They're going to run out of gas. The plane...
Blog Post
Tips to Build a Diversified Investment Portfolio
A key theme in investing that never goes out of style is building a diversified portfolio to reduce investment risk. Below are eight key investing concepts for Extension educators to suggest to their clients: Quantify Your Goals - Encourage clients to write down their goals with the projected cost and a time deadline. Doing this will help them select appropriate investments and provide the motivation required today to set money aside for the future. Discuss Risk - Explain that investment...
Blog Post
Funding Opportunity: EPA Let's Talk About Heat Challenge Grants
Extreme heat is affecting the Central and Eastern US right now (June 2022). Extreme heat is likely to be one of the greatest challenges brought on by climate change - and one of the highest causes of illness and death. These effects are exacerbated by the frailty of our electrical grid, and are felt most strongly among low-income communities of color. The EPA is currently offering a community challenge grant program to promote communication and public engagement around the impacts of extreme...
Blog Post
Understanding if Special Needs Trusts & ABLE Accounts are Right for Your Family
Join OneOp Military Caregiving and Personal Finance concentration areas as they host a professional development webinar on August 24, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET on ‘ Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts .’ If you or someone you know is caring for an individual with special healthcare needs and thinking about long-term planning, it may be helpful to RSVP for this upcoming event to learn which disability program is right for your family. Special needs trusts are used to purchase goods and services...
Blog Post
Considering a degree in Extension Education?
Would you like to do more of the following? Analyze the principles that guide extension work Develop programs and community outreach initiatives Customize instructional methods for various audiences Develop evaluation strategies for programming Gather, analyze, and communicate community-based research to various populations Participate in a structured mentoring model and engaged peer network Consider graduate courses as an exceptional option to fulfill professional development goals that...
Blog Post
Mental Health Matters| Mental Health Resources for Underrepresented Populations
Underrepresented groups in the United States face unique struggles regarding mental illness. This includes the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities like indigenous groups and people of color. BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Other underrepresented groups also include members of the LGBTQ+ community. And it is these populations that are recognized during the month of July for National Minority Mental Health Month. National...
Blog Post
Understanding Food Insecurity for Military Families
By Jason Jowers, MS, MFT When families have a tough time providing adequate meals due to lack of access or affordability issues, they face a challenge known as food insecurity. This is a significant problem for many families in the U.S. today and military families are even more so affected by food insecurity. Emerging research has shown that many military families and veterans struggle to put food on the table. With inflation, supply chain issues, and increased food prices, many military...
Blog Post
Tips to Cope with Market Volatility
With respect to investments, the word “volatility” refers to sharp up and down movements in prices. Read on for several tips for Extension educators to share with clients to help them cope with market volatility.
Blog Post
Jason Weigle Joins Extension Foundation as New Impact Collaborative Program Coordinator
The Extension Foundation is pleased to announce that @Jason Weigle has joined the Extension Foundation team as its new Impact Collaborative Program Coordinator. In this role, Jason will be leading all functions of the Impact Collaborative program to help implement and assess successful offerings to Extension Foundation members and foster the ongoing development of the national Impact Collaborative Facilitator network. The Impact Collaborative is a bundle of services and events that are...
Blog Post
Seaweed is on the Menu with Connecticut’s Sugar Kelp Industry
A team from UConn is using innovative research and community outreach to help make this novel food more accessible for consumers and more profitable for producers. When you crave something tasty, seaweed may not be the first thing that springs to mind. But UConn researchers and extension educators want to change that. A team from UConn Extension within the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources , and Connecticut Sea Grant are using innovative research and community outreach to...
Blog Post
Biodegradable Plastic Mulch: A Climate Smart Agricultural Practice
During the growing and harvest seasons, vegetable producers often begin their day before sunrise and finish as the last light is seeping into the horizon. These long days are normal but varied. Challenges such as pests, disease, climate change, and weather make each day and each growing season unique and unpredictable. Vegetable farmers control some of the variables they face – like weeds and the temperature and moisture levels of their soil – by using a product that comes with pros and...
Blog Post
Micro Learning and Disney Princesses
Find out how to get big engagement with micro learning.
Blog Post
Positive Changes
"Whatever you do out there in the world do an equal amount of work internally because if you don't your work in the world will not be as effective." - Dr. Gabor Mate' Recently attended a leadership development workshop where a Psychologist spoke and led us in some discovery exercises. He point-blank stated there are not enough Psychologists to encourage positive lifestyle changes. He asked us to implement them in some way and share the value with others! Here are the therapeutic lifestyle...
Blog Post
Creativity and Imagination
Was reminded of this story Dr. Ken Robinson told in one of his TedTalks... It's the story of a little girl who was in an art lesson. She was drawing. She was six, and at the back of the classroom. The teacher said she hardly ever paid attention but in this lesson, she did. The teacher was curious. She walked over to her, and asked, "What are you drawing?" The girl said, "I'm drawing a picture of God." The teacher stated, "But nobody knows what God looks like." The girl replied, "They will in...
Blog Post
Some things I think I think...
The great sports broadcaster Dan Patrick used to host a podcast with the title "Things I think I think". During a presentation to our team, we were reminded of his show and it sparked my own thinking about what I think I think. Here are a few to ponder... Curiosity over Certainty When we remain curious we're open. We have a growth mindset. We see challenges as opportunities. While we can have aspects of our lives we're certain about, like our core values, in daily interactions it often leads...
Blog Post
Preserving the Salish Sea by Reducing Plastic Pollution
Discover simple ways to help keep the Salish Sea beautiful and reduce plastic pollution in this informative video. National Microplastics Professor and Washington State University graduate Julie Masura shares tips on the best ways to reduce plastic use, reuse plastic products and recycle right to help maintain this biologically diverse inland marine ecosystem.
Blog Post
Happiness Power!
Is your goal to have a little success each day? Can probably guess you said "yes"! In one of my favorite Ted Talks , Shawn Achor says every time we experience some success we move the goalpost for what it means to us. AND...if our overall happiness is connected with that success, it's likely we never get there. What? We're undermining our own happiness? In his happiness research, he's discovered our brains work in the opposite way. A "happiness advantage" can occur when we raise our level of...
Blog Post
"Bridging the GAPS: Approaches to Treating Water On Farms" Curriculum Available as Flipping Book
“Bridging the GAPS: Approaches to Treating Water on Farms” - a curriculum designed to help producers understand and address the regulatory requirements for ag water treatment in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) - has been reissued in a flipping book format by the Extension Foundation. Preventing foodborne illness and protecting public health are critically important to producers. Sanitary irrigation water is also mandated by the USDA; producers are required to monitor, treat, and...
Blog Post
Clearinghouse for Cleaner Water: New publication explores online resource hub project
The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library. Clearinghouse for Cleaner Water: University of Minnesota Hub was w ritten by Anne Nelson and Anne Sawyer of the University of Minnesota (UMN) Extension. The UMN team is creating the Watershed Engagement Programming (WEP) Hub to support watershed-related outreach and engagement efforts to help address the state’s efforts to improve water quality. The team decided to create the Hub after surveying several dozen soil and water...