In January 2022, Carrie Fox set out on a blog series called Finding the Words because she had something to say. By the end of the year, you were doing more than listening. You were deeply in this work with her. And because of you, we’re keeping this series going, every week through 2023 and beyond. Our promise: Carrie will keep delivering these essays each Wednesday morning to further support your work as acommunicator for change. Your promise: keep telling us how these insights are impacting and influencing your work.
Here are some of the most regularly shared columns. If you like what you see, then subscribe here.
Live Like a Citizen.
In past columns, I've written about the stitching role that each of us can play in reweaving our civic fabric, one thread at a time. Eric gives that work a name and a set of daily practices to go with it. As he told me, living like a citizen in small, deliberate ways is what will carry us through this season. It's also how we'll come out stronger, more united, and more engaged on the other side.
The Truth Is...
Dolly had convictions, and she was more political than she let on. But she was also deeply understanding that multiple truths can exist. She once explained her refusal to take sides by saying, "I respect my audience too much for that." That's an approach worth borrowing when seeking to build deeper trust: respect first, so that the people who hold a different truth can still feel welcome at your table.
Something Else is Possible.
Communities that welcome tend to grow stronger, for everyone who lives there. But, as you might imagine, the contract only holds if we all keep it. Civitas can't be handed off as someone else's job. It needs to show up in how we greet the new family on our street, in who we invite to our tables, and in what we say when someone is being made to feel they don't belong.
Ode To Joy.
Joy won't clear its own space on your calendar unless you choose to have it there. Notice the day, find the good, change your tune when needed, and then share it. I can think of no better communications practice as we enter this new season.
An Observation.
Observation is essential to communication, but it requires one thing we're often unwilling to compromise on: setting down devices long enough to process what we're seeing, what we're hearing, and how we can make sense of the information around us to inform our own actions.
Leave It Better Than You Found It.
You don't build a conscious culture by announcing it. You build it by living it, in the small moments, until the standard becomes contagious. Win, lose, or draw, we can all choose to leave it better than we found it.
This Wasn't The Plan.
We don't just want to do well. We want to do it perfectly. And when we don't, we judge ourselves harshly for it. For many of us, the voices of judgment can be paralyzing, limiting us from taking risks or showing too much vulnerability. Perfectionism can limit our ability to be fully present.
Wellness Check.
In honor of this Mental Health Awareness Month, I invite you to join Mission Partners in taking one or more of these actions before the end of the month, for your own well-being and the well-being of the people and communities you love. We all have a part in contributing to mental well-being, and in further normalizing the idea that mental health is health.
See It Their Way.
Nearly 20 years ago, early into owning my first company, a young employee on my team began struggling. We noticed it first through missed deadlines, followed by increased difficulty connecting with colleagues. There was a visible discomfort she wasn't ready to name, but others were picking up on.
A Good, Hard Listen.
So, what if we made listening, not talking, our greatest act of leadership? When we choose to listen, we will also choose to quiet the noise. And that one simple act can begin to bridge divides, repair harm, and re-humanize the spaces we share.
Lost in the Work.
We can choose to be lost in the work, or we can choose to find meaning right where we are—even in the chaos—and let that meaning guide us forward. So today, I’ll choose to get lost in something that matters. Something small, hopeful, forward-looking. And I hope you can too.
Despite our Differences.
Disagreement will always be part of our work. It can also be good for the work, as long as there are equal amounts of disagreement, respect, and collaboration. If we can hold space for all three, we will not only get through the challenges but also build something lasting.
Super Human.
The opportunity before us is not to be superhuman, but to be that super kind of leader, manager, or peer who says through your actions: You belong here. And you don’t have to choose between being who you are and being who we need you to be.
You Are Here.
I know the feeling of wanting more from a colleague—and the feeling of personally underdelivering. Even when I’ve given something my all, sometimes the results are less than I hoped. Those moments can be defeating, and they can knock us off course. If they happen too often, they’re a certain recipe for job transition. So, I’ve come to navigate these requests differently in recent years.
How Stories Shape Us.
There are no shortage of issues working to pull us apart. Consider where you can get closer to people experiencing and impacted by those issues and see what it does for you as a result.
Time Sensitive.
Don’t let your present-day become ordinary. Be present in the present and sensitive with your time. Like a photo, there’s something worth capturing right here and now.
The Arc of Progress.
Progress can feel hard and, on some days, downright impossible. But progress is always possible, and it can be joyful. Do what you can do, day after day, to stay committed to learning and growing toward a better world of tomorrow.
New Beginnings.
Wherever you are in life, and whatever new chapter you may be entering, may there be wonderful possibilities ahead for you.
Planting Seeds.
Just as in gardening, delivering hard messages can be made more effective with preparation and care. Practice planting seeds to help your audience process information and support them in understanding important news. With time and attention, your audiences will hear just what you need them to, and they’ll grow through the news, too.
Be The Leader You Need.
Every day, ordinary people do extraordinary things. It is on each of us to display and practice the characteristics of the leader we need. So, the next time you lament current-day leadership, pause and look in the mirror. You are the leader you need.
Looking for more?
Read the first year of Finding the Words articles.
