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.
When to Quit.
Your role might change, and your job might evolve, but your mission can always remain intact, whether you choose to stay or leave a certain environment. When everything around feels upended, stay planted in what you know for sure, even if that means advancing the work a different way, and from a different place.
Call the Meeting.
There’s no other way to say it. These are difficult days that require difficult conversations and decisions. We can either feel defeated and come into each new day unsure if we have a chance, or we can align around what’s in our control and maintain our best game plan discipline.
DEI is Evolving, not Disappearing.
So, while the headlines may lead you to believe that DEI is dying, look closer, and you'll see that most organizations remain just as committed to their core commitments, even as pressures mount. Look beyond the headlines. You'll find positive actions and adjustments being made to keep DEI efforts on track and moving forward—and excellent inspiration to keep your efforts moving forward, too.
On Another Note...
Take 10 minutes today with this playlist. Sit on the ground or get out in the fresh air and find a song that speaks to you. Tune out the chaos of the world if just for a few minutes and let music do what it does best... Let the music ground you. Let it calm you. Let it meet you wherever you are.
The Ups and Downs.
This roller coaster ride will likely have more dips ahead. If you're already feeling queasy, focus now on grounding yourself and your team in careful planning so you can be here for the long haul.
Managing Through Bad Days.
The power of communication is that we can use it to diffuse heated moments, we can use it to soothe people feeling uneasy or upset, and we can use it to bridge divides. If you find yourself communicating in ways that are elevating situations, then try some of these tips—or pass them along to someone who might find them valuable.
You Are Not Alone.
There’s so much we wish we could avoid, control, and change. But we are here now. So, let’s see what we can do about it together.
Keep The Music Playing.
This was almost the end of a true story until a thoughtful group of veterans came together with a local nonprofit and CBS News to make good on America’s promise. They rented a venue right here in Maryland and covered the costs of plane tickets and travel to bring all musicians and interviewees to one place, giving dozens of hardworking, talented student musicians a chance to play the music they had been promised.
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.
The Practice We Keep.
If you can—and I think you can—see through your promises and your practices. We can't change what others do or choose not to do in their leadership practices, but we can control our daily actions and practices.
Get the practice in. Do the reps. Do the work. Seeing your practice through may be that simple reminder someone needs today to believe in their practice, too.
Leading Through Uncertainty.
We may not be able to predict the future or reduce the uncertainty of what’s ahead, but we can remain grounded in the certainty of what’s right in front of us, taking stock of what we know, showing appreciation for who we have, and taking positive action at this moment. You may find that your actions calm someone else’s sense of uncertainty.
Get Out of the (Dam) Way.
No matter the industry or the discipline, whether you work on issues of healthcare or housing, problem-solving is best done when it involves those closest to the problem. And yes, sometimes, the best action is to simply get out of the “dam” way.
On Words and Onwards.
Mitch Albom has a way with words. As the author of some of the most beloved and bestselling books of our time, his tales about love, life, and faith help us see better versions of ourselves and our shared humanity. Albom is brilliant at telling stories that let us get lost in words only to find deeper meaning at the end of each story he writes.
Keep The Light On.
These days are hard, for all of us, in many different ways. The best we can do is hold the light we have up for others. Because I promise you this: when you hold your light up for others, you will also feel the benefit of its glow.
Have Mercy.
Though President Trump was Bishop Mariann's primary audience, was she actually addressing all of us? Was her message a simple reminder—in moments big and small—that grace, compassion, and empathy for one another should guide how we treat one another?
The Urgency of Now.
You can choose to lead in this way, regardless of other circumstances. It's about what we choose to do with what we have. Rather than asking, "What does this change mean for us?" consider asking, "What can my leadership in this changing time mean to others?" and then, be that change.
Making Time.
This week's column is as much a call for you as it is for me. We can all benefit from a little more time together. We can all benefit from less phone time and more face time. (And no, the app on your phone does not count.) Because leadership, after all, is best practiced in the present.
Until Soon.
Statistically speaking, most people touch their phone screens significantly more times per day than they will reach out and touch each other. We feel for our phones first thing in the morning; just as they are often the last touch before our heads hit the pillow.
Good Change.
Change is hard, and rightfully so, feels hard when we’re experiencing it. If we can remember to embrace the possibility of what that change can bring, and take that fork in the road, you might find some good in the process, too.
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.
Looking for more?
Read the first year of Finding the Words articles.
