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Tagged With "finding the why"

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UBUNTU lives!

Karl Bradley ·
UBUNTU is the social philosophy that Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu used to unite post-apartheid South Africa. It says... I am only because you are. Quick story: An anthropologist visited a village in Africa and set up an experiment. He put a basket of fruit under the biggest tree in the village, lined up all the kids in the village and said they were going to have a race. The first one to the basket got to enjoy the fruit. He lined them up and sent them off with a "ready, set, go!" None of...
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Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement: Dec 2021 Immunization Education Program Spotlight Menominee Nation

MelaniePugsley ·
exciteThe focus of the November EXCITE Spotlight session was utilizing Social Media in our Vaccine Education project. Teams shared resources, success stories, and difficulties of using social media to share their project messages and reach their audiences. As part of the presentation, The College of Menominee Nation was highlighted for the significant progress made in their projects goals after launching social media campaigns to reach their target audience. The College of Menominee Nation...
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Community Resiliency Professional Development Opportunities During the January 2022 Impact Collaborative Summit

MelaniePugsley ·
Community Resiliency Professional Development Opportunities for Members The January 2022 Summit will focus on Community Resilience. Teams from Extension Foundation member institutions and special guests will: Learn the value of integrating community resilience into planning for collective action. Examine existing power structures, formal and informal social infrastructures through an equity lens. Increase their ability to position Cooperative Extension as an organization that can inform and...
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Servant Leadership and Job Satisfaction among Extension Employees

Amy Ressler ·
Are you a servant leader? Is being a servant leader related to your job satisfaction in your Extension career? I am conducting research for a doctoral dissertation on the relationship between Servant Leadership Style and Job Satisfaction among Extension employees. I am interested in all types of work within Extension, 1862, 1890, 1994 and at all levels from support staff to upper level administration, and in all discipline areas and specialties. As an employee in any part of the Cooperative...
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Professional & Amateur gap

Karl Bradley ·
Developing our leadership is a lifelong pursuit. It takes constant learning about ourselves and awareness of the influence we have. If you're like me, you enjoy reading, watching, listening to something on leadership most days. It's a good habit for continued growth as we get diverse perspectives from everything we digest. One of the things we can do to help integrate new learnings into our lives is to take notes on what is important to us from these books, videos, articles and podcasts we...
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ICYMI: Using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to Promote Healthy Aging

Aaron Weibe ·
This week, Julia Quam from the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion joined us for a wonderful webinar on Using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to Promote Healthy Aging. For the first time, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 provides nutrition guidance by life stage, including specific guidance for older adults. Older adults have unique nutrition needs, experience changes in body composition, and face increased risks of malnutrition and chronic disease,...
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Impact Collaborative Launches Three New Professional Development Series for 2022

Aaron Weibe ·
For 2022, the Extension Foundation's Impact Collaborative Program has launched three new professional development series for Extension Foundation members : Extension Skills Each second Thursday of the month, the Impact Collaborative's Extension Skills series will provide an opportunity for Cooperative Extension professionals to build capacity with tools, processes and tech skills training. For March 2022, join Victor Villegas and Molly Immendorf as they share their favorite tools and tips...
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Teamwork Part 4: What does your work mean to you?

Karl Bradley ·
There’s a manufacturing company in Saint Louis called Barry-Wehmiller . T hey developed a purpose statement for what they call their Guiding Principles of Leadership . It says: ”We measure success by the way we touch the lives of people.” In 2008 during the housing crisis this was challenged. They lost a ton of business virtually overnight and were faced with a huge decision. Within 24 hours their CEO, Bob Chapman, announced that instead of laying off thousands of employees they decided it...
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Re: Teamwork Part 4: What does your work mean to you?

A. Renee' Hall ·
"Connecting our passion with purpose" is exactly why I do the work I do! Thanks for this positive and encouraging article!
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Teamwork Part 5: Make a difference together!

Karl Bradley ·
Have a confession to make. This 5-part series on teamwork has been based on the research of Google's " Project Aristotle " with some of my own tidbits thrown in for fun! The story of the stonemasons is perfect for setting up the final aspect of highly effective teams. A man was walking by a huge construction project. He came upon a worker and asked what he was doing. He replied, “I’m making a living” . Curious, the man kept walking. Soon he came upon another worker and asked him what he was...
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Moving Toward Inclusive Practice

Anita Harris Hering ·
How do we start engaging people in marginalized communities and why is th i s important? What does it mean to “come in differently?” Are helping professionals able to tell a well-meaning question from one with judgment behind it? Dr. Anne Phibbs poses these questions and more in OneOp’s podcast series entitled, Moving Toward Inclusive Practice with Dr. Anne Phibbs . By tuning in, each episode may help you on your journey toward a more inclusive, culturally-informed way of working. Hosted by...
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The Marathon Effect

Karl Bradley ·
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...
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A Philosophy for Working on Wicked Problems

Melissa Kreye ·
A wicked problem is a term used in policy analysis to describe an environmental situation where no matter what policy actions are taken there are still going to be unacceptable losses. Examples of wicked problems can be found in climate change, endangered species, invasive species and environmental justice issues. In order to deal with the psychological stress of threat and uncertainty associated with wicked problems many people are tempted to take a strong position, such as moral outrage.
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Let's Talk Money

Samantha McLain ·
University of Illinois Extension is providing a series of six free online workshops to help families learn about personal finances as well as strategies for talking about money. The workshops are held each Thursday evening beginning May 5. The one-hour sessions start at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required at go.illinois.edu/TalkMoney to receive Zoom connecting information. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate, contact Camaya Wallace Bechard , Extension consumer economics...
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May Is Older Americans Month: Elder Abuse Is a Social Determinant of Health

Holly H. McPeak ·
In this post, the author discusses addressing Elder Abuse to improve health outcomes for older adults and promotes aging in place. The Elder Justice Initiative at the U.S. Department of Justice provides training and resources to help promote the health and well-being of older adults.
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Celebrating Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) Activity 1 Achievements with CDC

MelaniePugsley ·
ECOP, through an Interagency Agreement with the USDA and CDC, funded the Cooperative Extension System to address Immunization education in rural and medically underserved areas through the EXCITE program through two national projects, Vaccine with Confidence and Pilot Project Adult Immunization Education. The Extension network being a trusted and reliable resource for communities was a key factor in being selected by the CDC as a partner. 72 Land Grant Universities were selected,...
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Three Keys to Sustainable Change: The Path toward Social Justice and Supporting the Well-being of Diverse Families

Molly Herndon ·
The path of change towards social justice and supporting the well-being of diverse families may, at times, be difficult for professionals who serve families.
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Summer Self-Care Webinar Series

Dee Walls ·
The Community Seminar Series: Summer Self-Care What topics are covered in the series? Summer is busy, and it's easy to forget to take care of ourselves while we try to juggle what everyone else needs. Researchers from University of Illinois can help guide your summer health choices. Find a session that's perfect for you, or participate in all of them. Summer Self-Care is a collaboration between University of Illinois Extension and the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute as part of...
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Shifting Your Mindset from a Deficit Ideology

Molly Herndon ·
In the second MFRA course, “Family Service Providers: Recognizing and Responding to Inequities”, Dr. Alison De Marco introduces the deficit ideology framework and provides ways to move beyond this mindset.
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Prescribed Fire Basics: A New Training Series from OSU Extension

MelaniePugsley ·
Prescribed fire is a critical and effective method to help mitigate the risk of wildfires, but there are significant barriers to using this method responsibly. A lack of personnel with the knowledge and operational skills to implement prescribed fires contributes to these barriers as many states do not provide the much-needed education and training on prescribed fires to the public. Oregon State Extension's Fire team is on a mission to meet this crucial need by providing accessible education...
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Suicide Prevention Month: Extension Resources from OneOp

Rachel Brauner ·
Military and veteran suicides is not only a public health concern within the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, but a concern within which the communities they live and serve. September is Suicide Prevention Month, and we want to highlight upcoming events from OneOp that may be helpful for service members, veterans, and military families within your local communities and surrounding counties. Suicide is a leading cause of death overall in the United States and the...
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Biodegradable Plastic Mulch: A Climate Smart Agricultural Practice

Stacey Stearns ·
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...
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Why Fatty Liver Disease Matters

Kristina Adams Smith ·
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a medical term related to a condition caused by a build-up of fat in liver cells, aka fatty liver. In a healthy body, the liver removes toxins and produces bile, a protein that breaks down fat into fatty acids to be digested. Fatty liver disease causes damage to the liver and prevents it from working. Why is this important? For most people, having fatty liver may not cause an illness but if left untreated and progresses it can cause injury to...
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EXCITE(ing) Strengths!

Karl Bradley ·
Since launching in 2021, the EXCITE program has reached more than 12 Million individuals with immunization education in 1,017 counties across 48 states and territories through the hard work of Extension Professionals from 72 land grant universities and 410 community and healthcare partners. It all began with support for the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) "Vaccinate with Confidence" campaign in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. WHY EXTENSION? Cooperative Extension has an over 100-year...
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The Military Family as a Cultural Identity - Supporting Families in Transition

Anna Peterson ·
Soldier with children | IStock
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Creativity and Imagination

Karl Bradley ·
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...
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FNIC’s Research Publications (Nutrition): Explore New and Emerging Research

Courtney Thompson ·
As all nutrition professionals, educators, and researchers know, nutrition science is constantly evolving, and staying up to date on new and emerging research is important. The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) at USDA’s National Agricultural Library is making it easier to receive credible federally and privately-funded research updates from Agricultural Research Service (ARS) priority nutrition journals with a new, free Research Publications (Nutrition) feed. Why is FNIC’s...
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Not a leader?

Karl Bradley ·
Do you consider yourself a leader? What about a global leader? Usually when this question is asked only a few people respond positively to the first question and almost everyone says "no" to the second question. Why? Perhaps they are hesitant to respond positively because "leader" isn't part of their title, position, or rank. Then when the question escalates they're definitely out. John Maxwell defines leadership as influence. If we use his definition (which I totally dig) then we're all...
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The Impact of Deployment on the Parents of Service Members

Anna Peterson ·
In summary, most research on the impact of deployment excludes parents of service members and focuses on spouses and military children. Parents of service members experience military life differently but experience similar emotions as spouses and children. Parental support and closeness has been linked to the mental health and well-being of their adult children. Practical strategies and resources for Extension Educators and service providers are provided to help support the parents of our mil
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Leadership Lunch & Learn - Book Review Series

Aaron Weibe ·
The SR-PLN PSD Committee is teaming up with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture to host a monthly Leadership Lunch and Learn webinar in 2023. The Leadership Lunch and Learn Book Review Series , features leadership experts from across the southern region. All webinars will be hosted on the last Wednesday of every month at 1:15 – 2:00 PM (EST) / 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM (CST). Webinars will be hosted and recorded using Zoom webinar, and recording links will be shared.
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The Perfect Meeting

Karl Bradley ·
"One can either work or meet. One cannot do both at the same time." -Peter Drucker Darn it! He's right again. Despite our best efforts we can only do one of these (effectively) at a time. Through this, he also reminds us of the multitasking myth. What we actually do is task switch. It takes 40% longer to accomplish two things we're switching on and longer when we add a third or fourth task. One thing we can do to help with effectiveness is to have better meetings. Most HR professionals will...
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University of Arizona job opening - Extension Specialist (Associate/Full) and Director of SNAP-Ed & EFNEP

Vanessa da Silva ·
The School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness and Cooperative Extension at the University of Arizona welcome applicants for a twelve-month, continuing-track Associate Specialist or Specialist position responsible for leadership, strategic planning, and program direction of statewide nutrition and physical activity programs. Minimum qualifications include: a doctorate degree in Nutritional Sciences, or a related discipline; a record of scholarly accomplishments; and a record of managing...
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Central State University Extension Charters the Dayton Urban Riding Center as the first official 4-H Charter since becoming a Land-Grant Institution in 2014

Central State Extension ·
On Friday, February 3rd, Central State Extension charter’s first official 4-H program with Dayton Urban Riding Center located in Dayton, Ohio According to the National Bureau of Economic Research Between 1890 and 1899, African American jockeys won the Kentucky Derby six times, but by the early 1900s, they were history. In July of 2020 riding clubs like Compton Cowboys and Houston’s Nonstop Riders, shed the spotlight on this disparity when they rode their horses during a protest march. “The...
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Leadership ABC's

Karl Bradley ·
A = Attitude One of 2 things within your control; attitude and effort! Attitude is everything, pick a good one. B = Brave When you believe strongly in something or perhaps it scares you a bit, let your courage shine through. Be brave enough to go first and model the way. C = Character This is your behavior when nobody is watching. You won't always have the training and education for the situations you find yourself in. Your strong character will get you through. D = Dependable You do what...
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Resource Roundup: Recruiting Training and Leading Volunteers in Extension Programs

MelaniePugsley ·
April is National Volunteer Month , a time to celebrate the impact that volunteers have to strengthen and expand our Extension programming . Not only do volunteers extend our reach in communities , but their perspective and credibility bring a valuable contribution to our projects and program . We all know how valuable volunteers are to our Extension programs! Let us recognize the power and potential volunteers have in helping Extension by enhancing our skills and using resources to help...
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Providing Nutritional Support in Cancer Care

Rachel Brauner ·
Nutrition plays a critical role in cancer care as it can have a significant impact on the overall health and well-being of cancer patients. Join OneOp at 11:00 AM ET on May 10, 2023 for a professional develop webinar on the ‘Importance of Nutrition in Cancer Care.’ This webinar focuses on nutrition care for people on active cancer treatment, information on common side effects, and strategies to assist caregivers in their role of providing nutrition during cancer treatment. RSVP to join here...
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GET MORE GRATITUDE!

Karl Bradley ·
What is gratitude ? It's a sense of wonder, thankfulness & appreciation for life . Gratitude helps increase optimism for life. It promotes positive thinking. It helps us cope with daily stress & traumatic events. Appreciating things in our life and focusing on the positive can help us move forward with purpose. Gratitude can also strengthen our relationships. People who feel gratitude towards others feel closer to them and report overall better relationships, even if they don't...
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Mental Health First Aid Summit- #BeThe1in15 during Mental Health Awareness month this May

Kimberly Cavalier ·
Have you taken a first aid class or been trained in CPR? What about Mental Health Frist Aid? Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. We were fortunate enough to attend the Mental Health First Aid Summit in LA on May 1 st . We spent the day learning from our peers about the importance of mental health and how we can bring the MHFA program to every corner of the country and the world.
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Spotlight on Youth Mental Well-Being in Military Families

Anna Peterson ·
Edited by: Anna Peterson Written by: Karen Shirer, Ph.D. The popular media continues to draw attention to the national mental well-being crisis among children and youth, including those in military families. The CBS television station affiliate in Minnesota, WCCO-4, recently aired a three-part series on the pandemic’s impact on youth mental health . The reporter, Esme Murphy, interviewed the following national experts on youth development regarding the crisis: Doctor Sarah Jerstad, the...
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5 Reasons Estate Planning is Vital for Caregivers

Rachel Brauner ·
While most Americans plan for retirement, many neglect another crucial aspect of financial planning – end of life or estate planning. Although about 6 in 10 Americans have a retirement account (Census Bureau, 2020), only 1 in 3 have an estate plan according to Caring.com’s 2023 Wills and Estate Planning Study. Estate planning is one of the most important, yet often overlooked aspects of caregiving. When someone becomes a caregiver for a loved one, their focus is primarily on providing...
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Future You

Karl Bradley ·
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, which is why we call it the present." -Bill Keane Ok, a little bit of a cheesy way to start. Seriously though, tomorrow isn't promised to any of us. Our challenge is to make the most out of every day because each one is an opportunity to move closer to the person we want to be. The journey is the destination. Here's a big thing that gets in the way... Damaging Self Talk When we describe ourselves (to ourselves and others) in...
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Engage your Extension Audience in New Ways

MelaniePugsley ·
It's important for Extension Programs to stay current on the latest strategies for engaging with their audiences and be able to adapt and create new strategies in order to reach their communities more widely or effectively. The Extension Foundation offers a variety of resources to help you discover new ways to reach, understand and engage with your audience. Through Connect Extension, you can find videos and publications that can teach you new strategies to improve engagement and promotion...
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Toxic Leadership

Karl Bradley ·
What is toxic leadership? Using coercive, controlling, or manipulative tactics prioritizes personal gain over meaningful goals undermining collaborative achievements. When our actions hurt those we are charged with caring for, it can damage relationships and the whole organization. Common Characteristics Micromanagement Excessive control and monitoring of others leave little space for autonomy or independence. It inhibits creativity and imagination. Intimidation Using threats, humiliation,...
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Finding Hope and Confidence by Practicing Connection

Bob Bertsch ·
Professionals, like you, can make a difference through connection and collaboration. The Practicing Connection initiative is a place for ideas, inspiration, and information on building skills and creating connections that will help support the well-being of military and civilian families. It’s an exploration of the practices that empower us to work together to help each other, our families, and our communities improve our resilience and readiness. So, why should you join Practicing...
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Beyond the Binary: Understanding and Affirming LGBTQ+ Continuums of Identity

Jason M Jowers ·
By Dr. Tiffany Lange, Psy.D. (she/her/hers) In a society where conformity is expected and non-conformity must be “explained”, there are many misperceptions about the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, and related identities) community. Biology and nature are not binary categories, our world is full of spectrums. Yet, society often oversimplifies people and identities into binary categories: we’re either “this” or “that.” Known as social categorization, this...
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Feel the surge? Resist the urge!

Karl Bradley ·
A few years ago an assignment came my way due to a lack of personnel with the right experience. It featured a lot of diverse tasks to prepare a team for a challenging assignment involving advanced training, remote communication, outside agency networking/coordination & team building. After months of painstakingly detailed work, my bosses felt I had not asked the right questions, sweat the small stuff enough and let too many “balls drop”. In a one-way conversation, they fired me. This hit...
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We are hiring: University of Minnesota Extension Specialist Faculty Position

Mary Jo Katras ·
The Department of Family Social Science in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) and University of Minnesota Extension Department of Family, Health and Wellbeing seeks a tenure track Assistant Professor whose work centers community-based applied research approaches to studying family health, resilience and thriving in the context of social and economic inequalities. The person in this role will contribute through 1) establishing a national and international reputation in...
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Facing Organization Changes with Monkeys, Marathons & Popcorn!

Karl Bradley ·
Recently we held a workshop on change where the participants mentioned something they were hearing in their organizations. "That's how we do things around here." This phrase is often used to explain a cultural behavior or process. It seems to provide plausible deniability and deflect blame for the current situation. Healthy organizations know they must deal with the challenges of change versus the status quo. No change and you become obsolete. Change for change's sake means chaos rules and...
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Normalizing the Conversation: Mental Health

Anna Peterson ·
By: Sara Croymans adapted by Anna Peterson Part 1 of this blog post introduced the topic of military mental health and suicide and provided a variety of resources. To learn more, go back and read the blog post here . Many Service members and veterans with mental health needs are not seeking treatment for mental health care. One study found that more than 60% of veterans of the Iraq war that screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety, or depression did...
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Balancing Your Mental Health to Better Serve Others

Rachel Brauner ·
As September approaches we want to recognize Suicide Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about suicide prevention, promoting understanding of mental health challenges, and fostering conversations that can save lives. Mark your calendar for 11:00 AM ET on September 27, 2023 and plan to attend OneOp’s professional development opportunity focused on balancing our mental health to better service others. To learn more, go to: Balancing Your Mental Health . Providers, whether...
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About the Extension Foundation

This website is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Extension Foundation. For more information, please visit extension.org. You can view the terms of use at extension.org/about/terms.

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