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AdvancED on Purpose

An educational blog with purposeful content.

    ADVANCED ON PURPOSE

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Heal at 11:11, Heal for Life

5/27/2020

 
3 MIN READ
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Meredith Curry, Owner & Principal Consultant of AdvancED Consulting, LLC
mer @ advancedconsulting.org 
Over 20 Healers of Color From Across the Country Deliver Free Healing When It’s Needed Most

Heal in Solidarity: Starting on Saturday, June 6, 2020, AdvancED Consulting, LLC and Surrendered Healing, solo entrepreneur women of color from the Bay Area, will offer a Virtual #PopUpHealingCenter for free for seven afternoons straight.

What do we mean by healing? Well, does your heart hurt? Or your head? Does your bank hurt? Do any relationships hurt? Then you can use some healing! And this event has over 20 people ready to support your healing through movement, creativity, and mental enhancement.

​"11 is a 'master number' which signifies intuition, insight, and enlightenment. When paired together, 11 11 is a clear message from the universe to become conscious and aware" (truththeory.com).

This is why every day from Saturday, June 6 through Friday, June 12, “Transform Through Covid-19” will start at 11:11 am with a grounding meditation to start the day led by Surrendered Healing Founder and Spiritual Healer, Adelina Tancioco. Next will be three 20-minute sessions from healers of color from across the country representing the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Fort Washington, and the Bronx. Each day will end at 12:45 pm with 15 minutes of rhythmic movement led by Meredith Curry, Owner of AdvancED Consulting, LLC, and music by Shanta Franco-Clausen, a.k.a. DJ Shugga Shay. 

“Our work is sacred and so are we,” shares Tovi Scruggs-Hussein, Educational Leader & Healer with Tici’ess, Inc. in Oakland, CA who will lead a session called “$tackin' for Spirit: Keeping Your Money Conscious, Connected , and Courageous.”

We invite you to be a part of this virtual healing community by registering for “Transform Through Covid-19” and enjoying one day, or everyday of the week-long event. This is for you if:

  • You would love to create a daily routine of self care
  • You resonate with Healers of Color
  • You value wholistic healing
  • You appreciate a community of activists, healers, entrepreneurs, & other servers
  • You love having fun!

To learn more and register, go to www.advancedconsulting.org/pop-up-healing-center. Read the profiles of the event speakers and explore nearly two dozen sessions.

Fawad Akbar, Owner of Body Evolution in Newark, CA believes, “Two things define you. Your patience when you have nothing, your attitude when you have everything,” and he will share this with us in practice in his session “Full Body Workout with Body Evolution.”

“Transform Through Covid-19” is proud to partner with AAPI Women Lead founders Dr. Connie Wun and Jenny Wun who will lead a day of Healing & Solidarity. “What is meant for you cannot be unmeant for you,” shares Jenny who will lead a session with her sister called “Healing & Solidarity.”

The event also promotes a fundraiser to support the Liyang Network during COVID-19. 100% of contributions will go to services, resources, and supplies for the Lumad, the indigenous people of Mindanao, Philippines. “Lumad” means “native of the land” in Cebuano. In celebration of the Lumad and all Filipino cultures, there are healers offering sessions like "BAKS NAMAN! Self Care through Boxing;" "Dalawang Buslo, Two Baskets: Integrating Stress & Joy in the Present Moment;" and "Hilot Through Story."

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For more information about Transform Through Covid-19: A Virtual #PopUpHealingCenter with 21 Healers of Color or to arrange an interview with the co-hosts Meredith Curry and Adelina Tancioco, please contact Meredith directly at mer@advancedconsulting.org.
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Meredith “Mer” Curry is the Owner and Principal Consultant of AdvancED Consulting, LLC. Mer’s mission is to empower businesses striving to solve the world’s most complex issues through thought-partnership, education, and operational leadership. She also seeks to uplift organizations run by and/or actively promoting the betterment of hxstorically disadvantaged groups like minorities and womxn. Mer works with entrepreneurs, nonprofit and education organizations to increase capacity organization-wide. She works with their leaders and professionals to enhance fund development, board management, programming, data analysis, Salesforce, and general operations strategies and processes. For more information see www.advancedconsulting.org or follow Mer on LinkedIn and Facebook.
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Our College & Career Guide is here for Spring 2020!

4/16/2020

 
3 MIN READ
This is a passion project of mine and I just published my guide yesterday! 

The OBJECTIVE of this Guide 
is to share resources, organizations, scholarships, and more that I am aware of thanks to the many generous advocates and social justice champions in my network. I want to provide a free service to help students and allies learn about local resources to help them navigate college, career, and life. Here you’ll also find opportunities to help youth discover and reflect on your personal needs for growth and healing.

 
This Guide was developed for youth residing in Santa Clara County and this is my passion project. The guide includes groups like AACI, APALI, Braven, Filipinx Mental Health Initiative - Solano, LEAD Filipino, Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), Mental Health First Aid, San Jose State University, ScholarMatch, Silicon Valley Education Foundation, and YWCA Silicon Valley. 
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Click on the cover for the Guide!
"Thank you to my mother Helena Curry who instilled in me a strong work ethic, grit, and drive and paved the way by showing me what it means to be a true grassroots community leader and social justice advocate."
Acknowledgments
 
I thank the partners of AdvancED Consulting, the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women, the Santa Clara County Office of Women’s Policy, and the many local and statewide college, career, nonprofit, civic, and social justice advocates who shared contacts, made introductions, and dedicated time to provide all of the wonderful information listed in this guide.
 
A big shout out goes to Amparo Diaz, Annie Do, and Michael Nuñez, all AdvancED Consulting partners, who supported the design and organization of content in this guide. Shout out to Kyra Young who designed all of the affirmation stickers and other AdvancED graphics you see throughout this guide and the AdvancED website and social media.
 
Thank you to my partner (in life and career) Michael who supports me in all things and empowers me to be of service however I can as my authentic self.

Thank you to my mother Helena Curry who instilled in me a strong work ethic, grit, and drive and paved the way by showing me what it means to be a true grassroots community leader and social justice advocate.

Thank you to my cousins Janella Parucha, Justin Parucha, Melinda Parucha, and Evita Dupitas who inspire me to be myself and love myself.

​Thank you to my aunt Hedy Parucha and uncle Ben Parucha for their constant love and support.

Thank you to mentors like Dwayne, Claudia, Coleetta, Sr. Susan, Gloria, Allison, Tessa, MB, Trisha, Dr. London, Masai, Elroy, Eric, Kevin and so many more for your wisdom, selfless coaching, and well-intentioned feedback.

​Thank you to great friends and colleagues like Lara, Gina, Erin, Meo, Serei, SJ, Alerie, Rod, Kadar, Matt, Meghann, Andrea, and Anthony for the strength you give me, each other, and the world, with all of your unique gifts and strengths.
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Transitioning to Remote Work

3/18/2020

 
4 MIN READ
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In light of the disruptions caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19), many are finding themselves working remotely, getting laid off, having their hours reduced, and more.

This article is focused on those who are able to continue working from home. For those of you who are looking for advice and resources because you cannot work from home, please Contact Me and let's take it from there. 
​

A recording of the Transitioning to Remote Work webinar on March 18 is available here (54:26).

How should I tackle working from home?

For whatever reason, we're working from home now. All hundreds of thousands of us. And we're all coming at this new reality from VERY different perspectives. Here are just a few of the perspectives I talk about on my webinar that goes with this Blog article. I'm sure there are many more where this came from.
  • ​The Solo entrepreneur
  • The Manager
  • The Professional
  • The Virtual Professional
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Once we have reflected on who we are and where we're coming from, we should take a deep breath because we understand 1) our own level of comfort and acumen working remotely, 2) my company's level of comfort and acumen working remotely, and 3) my ecosystem's level of comfort and acumen working remotely. It's important to know these three things because then you will know the #1 thing:

It is NOT 100% your responsibility to figure this out. It's only 1/3 of your responsibility. 

Now that you believe that, you can focus on where you have control, and the first place you have control is how you tackle remote work.

For this I offer you: Mer's Top 3 Tips for Remote Work.

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For Tip #1 for Remote Work, I discuss Mindfulness. Here is what you need to know:

  • Practice regular mindful, diaphragmatic breathing --> Breathe past your FIXED mindset into a GROWTH mindset.
  • Develop routines to practice mindfulness throughout the day. For example, you can:
    • Meditate silently for ~ 5 min
    • Mindfully walk for ~ 10 min
    • Listen to music sitting/dancing for ~ 15 min
  • Schedule (yes, in your calendar if you have to!) a practice in the morning for mindfulness:
    • Say a mantra to set your tone for the day
    • For example, What should I be but just what I am? (Thanks Edna St. Vincent Millay!)

For Tip #2 for Remote Work, I share Mer's Tips for Over-Communicating. Some of these include:
  • Use video when you can, otherwise show your photo. When your camera is on, show where you are (home office) or use a fun backdrop.
  • Set new normals and boundaries for how we “show up” at work. No make up? Why not!
  • Save the first 5 minutes at the beginning and the end for human interaction.
  • Agendize in advance and collaborate on notes.

For Tip #3 for Remote Work, I discuss Organization. A few ways to get even more organized than ever include:
  • Be transparent about your work schedule on your calendar. Block time in 1- to 2- hour chunks to plow through projects without distraction.
  • Develop routines in the morning before you start work, mid-day to give yourself a break, and in the afternoon/evening to give yourself a true “end” to the work day.

Next, I offer: Mer's Top 3 Tips for Managing.
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For Tip #1 for Managing, I discuss Staying Connected. You will need to take advantage of tools like Salesforce, Quip, Slack, and more to make connection possible. You'll also need to be more strategic with your meetings, which could include:
  • ​Use agendas that guide what will be discussed and who needs to be ready to discuss it. 
  • Let people see that agenda before meetings and type notes into it during meetings. 

For Tip #2 for Managing, I share how to Be Visible. You will need to develop and/or refine routines like:
  • Updating your calendar on a regular basis with your work meetings, personal appointments, and project time.
  • Updating your calendar so it is up-to-date with what your team needs to see.
  • Using our team’s tools to make it clear when I’m available and when I’m not.

For Tip #3 for Managing, I share how to Be Transparent with Mer's Tips for Over-Documenting.  Some of these include:
  • Learn to code switch on paper because everyone takes in information differently.
  • Practice mindful documentation. Be aware when you are documenting too much or too little. Don’t spend so much of your time documenting you’re not getting real work done!
  • Make your team’s tasks visible so that everyone knows what everyone is up to.
  • Give your teams a way to track 1) Ownership, 2) Effort, and 3) Priority.
  • Identify the early tech adopters and empower them to create How-To’s for others.
  • Create a way to submit issues (e.g. cases or tickets) so that they can be triaged.

Lastly, I would like to share: Mer's Top 10 Favorite Apps.

Rather than go through them in detail in this article, you'll find their logos below. You can learn more about them in the AdvancED Toolbox and in my handout Transitioning to Remote Work: Resources. You can also Contact Me with any questions or to ask for recommendations.​
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The first Transitioning to Remote Work webinar was hosted on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:00 pm PDT. Click here for the recording (54:26)!
​
The next webinar is on Thursday, March 26 from 11:30 am to 1:30 PDT. Register on Eventbrite and join us, you can learn while you have your lunch!

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Holiday Last-Minute Gifts for Self & Others

12/16/2019

 
5 MIN READ
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The holidays are here and gift-giving activities are fast approaching. You may be ahead of the game as I’ve tried to be in past years, or you could be way behind on your gift-getting as I happen to be this year. Wherever you are on your holiday shopping, one thing is almost always certain - you didn’t include the most important person on your list, YOURSELF. So in the spirit of last-minute holiday shopping, here are some tips and suggestions as you hastily make room in your bank account and your tree for presents for the loved ones in your life, which includes you.

Tip #1 Gift Yourself

This time of year can be filled with stress, grief, anxiety, and busy work. Consider giving yourself a self-care gift of time, rest, and relaxation. On my Self-Care page, you’ll find gifts like:

  • A pain relieving roll on by Sombra which I’ve bought for myself and given as gifts to colleagues and friends. We all swear by it! It’s warm and soothing like you’d expect from Salonpas or Icy Hot but the roll on makes it easy and mess-free to apply.
  • A meditation app by Calm which I’ve used for three years and recommend to loved ones, colleagues, and clients. You can try it for free before committing!
  • Online yoga and meditation videos by The Yoga Collective. A friend of mine gave me a gift of an annual pass and I continue to renew it because it fits my schedule and lifestyle. You can take online classes to Move, Connect, and Refresh, based on your level, with time increments of 5 to 60 minutes.
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Tip #2 Buy a Book

With so much to learn and so many stories told, why don’t we take a break from binge-watching our favorite shows and pick up a book instead! Whether you prefer audio books, reading from your Kindle, or holding a bound copy in your hand, a good book can be the needed respite from a busy life and stressful activities.
​

In my Bookcase, you’ll find gifts like:

  • A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. "Joy is the dynamic aspect of Being. When the creative power of the universe becomes conscious of itself, it manifests as joy. You don't have to wait for something 'meaningful' to come into your life so that you can finally enjoy what you do. There is more meaning in joy that you will ever need. The 'waiting to start living' syndrome is one of the most common delusions of the unconscious state." 
  • Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. "We now know that our resting brains and wandering minds are actually quite active. We know that the areas recruited during spontaneous cognition aren't hard-wired and fixed but evolve and grow and strengthen over time...And we're beginning to see how we can tap into and improve the resting brain's ability to help us generate insights, see novel connections, and make breakthroughs." 
  • Present Over Perfect: ​Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist. "We all have these complicated tangles of belief and identity and narrative, and one of the early stories I told about myself is that my ability to get-it-done is what kept me around. I wasn't beautiful. I didn't have a special or delicate skill. But I could get stuff done, and it seemed to me that ability was my entrance into the rooms into which I wanted to be invited. I couldn't imagine a world of unconditional love or grace, where people simply enter into rooms because the door is open to everyone."

Books for the wonderful kids in your life include:
  • The Secret to Clara's Calm by Tamara Levitt
  • We are Inspiring: the stories of 32 Inspirational Asian American Women by Angel Trazo

Tip #3 Make Something From the Heart
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Gone are the days when we could put our hands in some paint, stamp it on a card, write our name and “I love you!” next to it, and give that to a loved one as a gift. Or is it?

We underestimate the value of a thing or work made with our hands and minds, but it continues to be one of the most thoughtful, personal gifts that we can give to someone. Here are just a few examples of gifts that I’ve seen people give as gifts, consider what makes sense for you and try something out of your comfort zone!
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  • Succulents. My partner Michael and my best friend’s mom Amvir are incredible at this!

  • They will find cool things like pots, decorations, or ceramics from local thrift stores like Goodwill or Savers, and then they’ll plant one or more succulents a week before.

  • As a special touch, consider including a short note on how to take care of it, like “Spray once weekly.”

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Poetry, short story, or other writing. I’ve done this for my partner, my Mom, and friends over time.

​This can be a poem typed and framed, or a printed book of short writings. You don't have to write something new if you have pieces folks have never seen before, bring something out of your treasure chest and make it shine with pretty font on fresh paper!
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Arts and crafts of any kind. When was the last time you’ve gone inside Michael’s or Joann’s?

My bestie Gina is a fantastic scrapbooker and she also makes dreamy ribbons and bows.

​My long-time friend Amparo (aka Apple) makes incredible gifts from the heart through crochet. If you check out
Apple’s Instagram you’ll get some great ideas for crocheting, or you can reach out to the queen yourself for a special order!

Tip #4 There is No Perfect Gift, Just Thoughtful Ones

At the end of the day, let’s try to remember that it isn’t about how much money you spend, or if you even expect a gift from this person in return. It’s about what makes you grateful for having this person in your life, and the most natural, cost-effective way for you to show her or him that gratitude.


To my Mother, my partner Michael, my grandma Trining, my cousins Janella, Melinda, Justin (may you rest in peace), Evita, Cristine & Mikey (and my second cousins Nate, Jon, and Lizzie), Cassandra & Matt, Dalton, Anna, my aunts and uncles Hedy & Ben, Hanny & Howard, Joel (aka Manoy), Elenore & Bernie, and family spread throughout the Philippines, US, Australia, and elsewhere, I’m thankful everyday to have you in my life and to be part of this beautiful, multi-cultural family! 

To my best friends Lara, Gina, Erin, Meo, Serei, SJ, Roy, Alerie & Rod, and friends all over the world, I’m grateful for you!

To my mentors Dwayne, Sr. Susan, Kevin, Elroy, and so many more that have touched my life, thank you for your wisdom, your well-intentioned feedback, your selfless coaching, and your positive vibes.

To you readers out there, I’m so thankful that you read whatever you read on my website, and I hope you have a blessed and joyful holiday season with your loved ones!

About Author: Meredith "Mer" Curry​

Mer has always had a passion for education and helping historically underrepresented groups achieve access and success to higher opportunities. She has consulted nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses in addition to her volunteerism and mentorship of students.
Learn more about Mer at www.meredithcurry.com.
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Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #2 Defining Your Emotional Intelligence Strengths

11/4/2019

 
3 MIN READ
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I found a recommendation for “Emotional Intelligence 2” by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves. With the book came a new and enhanced online edition of “the world’s most popular emotional intelligence test,” The Emotional Intelligence Appraisal®.

The Emotional Intelligence Appraisal® provides you with a complete picture of your emotional intelligence. This includes an understanding of:

  • What emotional intelligence is
  • Your overall emotional intelligence score
  • Your current skill levels in the four areas that make up emotional intelligence
  • Specific recommendations for action you can take to improve your emotional intelligence
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This appraisal will ask you specific questions about your behavior. How you answer these questions is for your eyes only. A true reflection of your emotional intelligence skills depends on your willingness to accurately rate yourself. This requires a lot of thought into how you are in many situations, not just the ones you handle well. When you read each question, create a clear picture in your mind of how you are in different situations, then answer honestly how often you demonstrate the behavior in each question.
Define Your Emotional Intelligence Strengths Activity
Read about the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal - Me Edition. Consider if you would like to take this assessment (it costs less for the hardcover book than the online assessment!). If you decide to take it, put it on your calendar by blocking 2 hours and set a reminder for a few days before so that you do not reschedule it.

  1. On the day of, give yourself 30 minutes to unwind before taking the assessment (consider meditating!).
  2. It should take 30 minutes or less to complete once you start it.
  3. Give yourself 30 minutes after the assessment to do something energizing or relaxing.
  4. After your break, take 30 minutes to review the results and set a goal in the next 30 days to take action related to your results.

What if you decide not to take it? Reflect on a colleague or loved one in your life who could benefit from the activity and tell them about it!

The accompanying report recommends that I begin practicing on one specific area, Social Awareness, and offers three strategies to nurture my skills in this area:

  • Greet people by name. To tackle my tendency to withdraw in social situations.
  • Catch the mood of the room. To tackle my tendency to fail to spot the mood in the room.
  • Practice the art of listening. To tackle my tendency to miss out on other people’s non-verbal cues.
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​My Take-aways on the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal
  1. The test by itself starts at $39.95 to take it online, or you can pay $34.99 for the hardcover book which includes a code to take the test. The test took less than 30 minutes to complete and has multiple sections.
  2. I agree with the results. Namely, that Self-Management is my top skill to capitalize on, and I’m aware that it is in large part because of my mindfulness practice and other routines. 
  3. Understanding that Social Awareness is a skill that could be a strength with a little improvement, I chose this for my first EQ Goal. In my own words, my EQ Goal is to remember people better by name, their intentions, their needs, and their mood when I meet them. I’ve set this as a goal to complete by April 2020, and the strategies I will practice are: Greet people by name, Don’t take notes at meetings, and Catch the mood of the room.
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Now that you’ve reviewed one assessment, take a look at Assessment #3 the StrengthsFinder by Gallup (stay tuned!).
​


Related articles
  • Article 1: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series
  • Article 2: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #1 Defining Your Strengths with DiSC
  • Article 3: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #2 Defining Your Emotional Intelligence Strengths
  • Article 4: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #3 Ranking Your Strengths with Gallup StrengthsFinder (stay tuned!)
  • Article 5: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #2 Defining Your Personality Style with Myers-Briggs (stay tuned!)
​

About Author: Meredith "Mer" Curry​

Mer has always had a passion for education and helping historically underrepresented groups achieve access and success to higher opportunities. She has consulted nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses in addition to her volunteerism and mentorship of students.
Learn more about Mer at www.meredithcurry.com.
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Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #1 Defining Your Strengths with DiSC

11/1/2019

 
4 MIN READ
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This article is the 2nd in a series. Read the introduction article
"Defining Your Strengths as a Leader."

I took DiSC through the Tony Robbins website thanks to social justice comrade and career coach Anthony Le’s recommendation. I’ve participated in a Tony Robbins seminar as a teenager, so to take something as an adult almost 20 years later was exciting!

DiSC is an observable “needs-motivated” instrument based on the idea that emotions and behaviors are neither “good” nor “bad.” Rather, behaviors reveal the needs that motivate that behavior. Therefore, once we can accurately observe one’s actions, it is easier to “read” and anticipate their likely motivators and needs.

DiSC provides your ADAPTED style and NATURAL style, represented as graphs and word sketches. As an example, for People, the words that indicate my needs, fears, and what’s observable are:


  • Needs = Social relationships, friendly environment
  • Observable = Optimistic, trust others
  • Fears = ...being left out, loss of social approval

Define Your Strengths with DiSC Activity

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Read about the DiSC assessment on the Tony Robbins website.

Consider if you would like to take this assessment (it’s free!). 
If you decide to take it, put it on your calendar by blocking 2 hours and set a reminder for a few days before so that you do not reschedule it. 
​
  1. On the day of, give yourself 30 minutes to unwind before taking the assessment (consider meditating!).
  2. It should take 30 minutes or less to complete once you start it.
  3. Give yourself 30 minutes after the assessment to do something energizing or relaxing.
  4. After your break, take 30 minutes to review the results and set a goal in the next 30 days to take action related to your results.
What if you decide not to take it? Reflect on a colleague or loved one in your life who could benefit from the activity and tell them about it!

My Behavior Style is Assessor. Key behavioral insights that stand out to me that I will need to keep in mind to strengthen my relationships are:

  • Emotional characteristic = Strong desire to look good to others.
  • How others are valued = By their ability to trigger action and activities.
  • Cations = Can overstep bounds of authority and be overly clever.
  • Fears = Looking bad in the eyes of other people and/or not being viewed as a winner.

The insights I get to take home with me and contemplate as I move forward are lists of “Help Them Tos” adapted for different situations such as At Work, In Social Settings, and In Learning Environments.
Lastly, you get a summary of your motivation which tags seven (7) Motivators as Very Low to Very High. My breakdown was:

  • Very High = Altruistic
  • High = Individualistic, Power, Theoretical
  • Very Low = Aesthetic, Economic, Regulatory

Knowing that Altruistic motivation is my highest, key universal assets that stand out to me that I will need to keep in mind are:

  • You will appreciate kind and good-hearted people and may avoid the self-interested.
  • You are always cognizant of the underdog and will go to great lengths to meet their needs.
  • You will feel compelled to assist the unfortunate.
  • Your high service ethic allows you to put others first and yourself last.​
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​My Take-aways on DiSC
  1. It is free and took less than 30 minutes to complete. It has 2 sections of questions and one optional section for demographics. 
  2. I agree with the results. Namely, that I “have the ability to take the seed of an idea and make it develop into a successful solution.” In fact, that is a strength and passion that needs to be front and center in my position. When this level of creativity and entrepreneurism was not central to my role, I felt out of my element, uninspired, and I didn’t trust myself as much to do a great job the first time. Now with my consulting firm and the projects I choose to work on, I get to spend all of my time discussing ideas and solutions to awaken the strengths in organizations and in people (and myself!). 
  3. I was surprised by some results. The DiSC word sketches indicated that two fears I have are “being taken advantage of/lack of control” and “sudden change/loss of stability and security.” I never thought of lack of control as similar to being taken advantage of, but in an office setting, or any collaborative project with other people, I should be more aware of this. The loss of stability and security surprised me as a fear worth naming but if it comes through in my dealings with people, I need to be sure that I am clear on what is within my control and what is not. 

Now that you’ve reviewed one assessment, take a look at Assessment #2 on Emotional Intelligence.
​

Related articles
  • Article 1: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series
  • Article 2: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #1 Defining Your Strengths with DiSC
  • Article 3: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #2 Defining Your Emotional Intelligence Strengths
  • Article 4: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #3 Ranking Your Strengths with Gallup StrengthsFinder (stay tuned!)
  • Article 5: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #2 Defining Your Personality Style with Myers-Briggs (stay tuned!)
​

About Author: Meredith "Mer" Curry

​Mer has always had a passion for education and helping historically underrepresented groups achieve access and success to higher opportunities. She has consulted nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses in addition to her volunteerism and mentorship of students.
Learn more about Mer at www.meredithcurry.com.
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Defining Your Strengths as a Leader

10/28/2019

 
4 MIN READ
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This article is the 1st in a series on "Breaking Knowledge Barriers".

This article is the 1st in a series on "Defining Your Strengths as a Leader"

​I have read my fair share of what some might term “self-help” books. I like to think of them as “self-awaken” books. The “help” part in “self-help” alludes to something being broken that needs fixing. What I appreciate about the books I’ve read since I was little, as well as today, is that self-awaken books point to the strengths, potential, and inner wisdom deep inside of us, already alive and ready, yet often untapped and tucked away hidden from sight. This wisdom manifests as skills and intuition, and I’m keen on developing my ability to tap this wisdom. Self-evaluation is critical for me as a leader, as a manager of teams and projects, and as a woman of color.

The Center for Creative Leadership reminds us in their report 7 Emerging Trends for Transformative Leaders that some managers may struggle with interpersonal relationships, affecting their ability to build and lead teams or adapt to change, which can lead to career derailment. To avoid this, “organizations must design programs that develop [managers’] self-awareness, political savviness, communication skills, and ability to influence others...skills that are essential to effectively heading a team.” 
In addition to reading self-awaken books (see my Bookcase for recommendations!) I’ve taken many different personal, career, and intelligence tests and assessments. Examples of assessments that executives and leaders should take are:


  • The Clifton StrengthsFinder
  • Emotional intelligence assessments
  • DiSC
  • ​Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
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As a professional, whether you are an employee of a company or an entrepreneur, understanding your strengths and skill sets is key to building the confidence, resourcefulness, and grit to adapt to any situation. As human beings who have way more going on than just our jobs, you can bet that your personal, educational, emotional, societal, cultural, economical, and religious identities are often at play when you negotiate professional situations.

​Most of us do not know how these identities manifest themselves in our decisions, risk tolerance, and self-reliance. Most of us have comrades and loved ones we can turn to for advice and feedback, but our hearing is often screening and interpreting with the bias of that relationship and all of its power dynamics. So why take a personality assessment? Because we often don’t know the questions to ask. And even if we did, would we really answer honestly, free of unconscious bias, shame, guilt, regret, or fear?
Define Your Strengths as a Leader Activity
Take out a pad of post-its, ideally in two different colors (e.g. green and yellow). Find a blank wall or space where you can lay out two sets of post-its and set aside a total of one hour.
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  1. Consider your Strengths and select one color of post-its, for example yellow. Take 5 minutes to write one strength on each yellow post-it, for example: detail-oriented, no ego, organized, I enjoy working people and they enjoy working with me.
  2. Consider your Challenges and use the other color of post-its, for example green. Take 5 minutes to write one challenge on each green post-it, for example: perfectionism, over-thinking, always looking at the clock, second-guessing myself, judgmental.
  3. After the 10 minutes of writing, take a 30-minute break like go for a walk or watch a show or listen to several songs of your favorite music.
  4. Then come back to your two lists, review them, and give yourself 10 minutes to reflect and write down ONE goal for the next 7 days on either a Strength that you would like to deepen or a Challenge that you want to work on.

We know from the Council of National Psychological Associations for the Advancement of Ethnic Minority Interests “Test bias is a primary issue of selecting and using testing and assessment instruments with racial/ethnic minority groups. Past research has shown that tests can produce misleading results with culturally different groups in terms of slope and intercept (or unfairness) bias.” Thus, if you are a person of color, you will need an assessment that will address and consider this intersection of your identity, as well as many others, if you are to feel good about doing anything at all with the results.
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I’d like to give you a review of a few assessments because, 1) I have taken them in more than one sitting or format, and 2) I have heard from and worked with others who have taken one or a combination of assessments as part of developing themselves professionally at work. I have written a separate blog post for each assessment in this "Defining Your Strengths as a Leader" series. Click here to go to Assessment #1 on DiSC.

Related articles
  • Article 1: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series
  • Article 2: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #1 Defining Your Strengths with DiSC
  • Article 3: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #2 Defining Your Emotional Intelligence Strengths
  • Article 4: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #3 Ranking Your Strengths with Gallup StrengthsFinder (stay tuned!)
  • Article 5: Defining Your Strengths as a Leader Series: #2 Defining Your Personality Style with Myers-Briggs (stay tuned!)

About Author: Meredith "Mer" Curry

Mer has always had a passion for education and helping historically underrepresented groups achieve access and success to higher opportunities. She has consulted nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses in addition to her volunteerism and mentorship of students.
Learn more about Mer at www.meredithcurry.com.
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Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #4 Finish Strong. Start Fresh.

10/7/2019

 
4 MIN READ
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This article is the 5th and final one in a series. Read the introduction article:
​ "Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Womxn of Color ​in the Workplace."

​If you Acknowledge who you are, Accept the strengths and challenges in front of you, and develop a risk tolerance to Adapt to situations as they come, you’re in a pretty good place. But let’s go back to the first question that I had to ask myself - What Can I Give Up? This is why I say, Finish Strong. Finish whatever is holding you back with strength. This might be just what you need to move forward on something else. Be intentional about finishing whatever it is, and focus on ending it with a lesson to validate the effort. ​
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And then, Start Fresh. Whatever it is you do next, let it be unencumbered by prior failures, even if they are now Strong Finishes. Start with fresh eyes. Start with fresh enthusiasm. Start with a fresh you. Start the next adventure fresh without any shame holding you back. Two goals as you Start Fresh are to learn your pace and method to Break Things Down and develop the inner strength, self-reliance, and community to Back Yourself Up.​

Break Things Down like a developer by figuring out the Owner, Size, and Priority of the work, question, or goal. If you want to let go of excel
spreadsheets and trade them in for Quickbooks Self-Employed or something: 
  • Who is the right person to lead that work (it may not have to be you!)? 
  • How much work is that really going to take (size small or medium or large)? 
  • How priority is this over everything else that’s on the plate of the person that will own this (due this week or next quarter)?

​Once you know the owner, size, and the priority of this project you want to START, you can rumble with vulnerability as the great Brené Brown advises in Dare to Lead. You can let go of the need for this project to look and feel a certain way if you’re going to delegate it. You can let go of the anxiety of thinking about it right now if you know it’s not going to come up again for several weeks. I bet you will also realize that you have mad delegation and prioritization skills as well!
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​Lastly, Back Yourself Up by building a strong bench of people that you can rely on to support you. If you can set up a formal advisory or committee, awesome. If you can find a mentor, wonderful. If you can join a community like a local commission or network like the Women’s Networking Alliance or the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute, way to step it up! The most important part is getting positive reinforcement and honest guidance from outside of yourself, while also building your inner monologue of positive vibes and affirmations. And whenever possible, build a diverse bench. It should have people that look like you and people that don’t look like you. It should have people that will agree with you on some things and people who will disagree with you on some things. Stack your bench with people who will look out for your best interest, which is not the same as Yes-people.
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AdvancED Activity
Here are just a few of my favorite affirmations I’ve been sharing lately. Want some more? Contact me, I’ve got dozens!! Find the two or three quotes you like most and either 1) put them on your wall near your work space, 2) put them in your email signature so you can share with the world, 3) share the quote with someone else, or 4) any combination of these options.
  • "Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it." ~ Brené Brown
  • "Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be, how much you can love, what you can accomplish, and what your potential is." ~ Anne Frank
  • "I say if I'm beautiful. I say if I'm strong. You will not determine my story--I will." ~ Amy Schumer
  • "The question isn't who's going to let me; it's who's going to stop me." ~ Ayn Rand
  • "You can't be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute." ~ Tina Fey
  • "Great people do things before they're ready. They do things before they know they can do it." ~ Amy Poehler
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You now have all of the strategies you need to begin to tackle any knowledge barriers or general challenges you may have face as a woman in business, education, law, medicine, etc. You already have the will and the grit to move forward; you only need to take the first step. Know that I believe in you and that I am taking those steps with you.

Sincerely,

Mer


​Related articles
  • Article 1: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Womxn of Color in the Workplace.
  • Article 2: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #1 Practice Mindfulness.
  • Article 3: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #2 Roll Call! Identify Yourself.
  • Article 4: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #3 Acknowledge. Accept. Adapt.
  • Article 5: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #4 Finish Strong. Start Fresh.

About Author: Meredith "Mer" Curry

Mer has always had a passion for education and helping historically underrepresented groups achieve access and success to higher opportunities. She has consulted nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses in addition to her volunteerism and mentorship of students.
Learn more about Mer at www.meredithcurry.com.
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Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #3 Acknowledge. Accept. Adapt.

10/3/2019

 
3 MIN 30 SEC READ
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This article is the 4th in a series. Read the introduction article:
​ "Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Womxn of Color ​in the Workplace."

​How many of us are still making decisions today because of something that happened a month ago? A failure a year ago? A mistake or misjudgment a relationship ago? 

Instead, I recommend, “Be open to learning new lessons, even if they contradict the lessons you learned yesterday.” Our intersections, our identities, are chock full of lessons we learned yesterday that we are still holding onto. They might be holding us back and we may mistakenly think they’re pushing us forward.

​​ACKNOWLEDGE who you are, how your identities intersect and play out in your everyday. How your heritage/history, education, geography, and income all impact the access you have to the knowledge you seek today. You acknowledge that the path behind you and in front of you is rife with challenges and misjudgment and misunderstanding. So who are YOU today, and what strengths and skills do you have in your toolbox to move forward from this moment?
​ACCEPT who you are, as opposed to constantly undermine yourself, tell yourself you’re undeserving, or convince yourself you have to just because someone else said so. Remember that it took the whole universe to get you to this place, for you to be who you are, living a life only you can live. You are wonderful. You are perfect just as you are. And even so, you will make mistakes and you will experience failure. It is human and it allows us to grow. Authenticity matters and it counts a lot these days. By accepting your strengths and weaknesses and separating what is history from what is right now, you are more likely to give your most authentic self in your work and personal life. So how do we truly get to know our strengths, in a way that isn’t clouded by our biases and self-judgments?

​I like to recommend either the 
StrengthsFinder by Gallup or the DiSC Assessment. Regardless what assessment you take, the recommendation I have for you is to ask yourself the types of questions you’re likely not asking yourself. 
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That is to ask yourself what are you GOOD at, what are your strengths, and how does that play out in your life. Conversely, what does it look like when you are not applying those strengths in your life, and how do they manifest as fears or you getting in your own way or your unhappiness?
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​AdvancED Activity
Pick one of these assessments, or another assessment that you have access to (check your local library!). Take it in one sitting and ask yourself, do any of the results surprise me? Which results do I agree with the most? Which strengths am I actively using in my current role?
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ADAPT by starting from a place of strength in the knowledge of who you are and gratitude for all that you have ACHIEVED to get to this moment, rather than shame or regret. There’s a TED Talk on the 5 Top Indicators for Startup Success by Bill Gross with Idealab, and chief of them is Timing, followed by Team, Idea, Business Model, and Funding. What this tells us is that Timing is the largest factor in the success of any business, so it behooves you to always be present, open-minded, and have a fresh perspective and confidence to tackle whatever comes, when it decides to come, because we have very little control over timing. RECALL YOUR STRENGTHS and let them nourish and remind you that you can do it, whatever IT is, when the time comes.

Now it's time for you to finish strong and start fresh, and we teach you how to do this with our final strategy. Click here to go to Strategy #4.

Related articles
  • Article 1: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Womxn of Color in the Workplace.
  • Article 2: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #1 Practice Mindfulness.
  • Article 3: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #2 Roll Call! Identify Yourself.
  • Article 4: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #3 Acknowledge. Accept. Adapt.
  • Article 5: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #4 Finish Strong. Start Fresh.

About Author: Meredith "Mer" Curry

Mer has always had a passion for education and helping historically underrepresented groups achieve access and success to higher opportunities. She has consulted nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses in addition to her volunteerism and mentorship of students.
Learn more about Mer at www.meredithcurry.com.
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Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #2 Roll Call! Identify Yourself.

9/27/2019

 
2 MIN READ
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This article is the 3rd in a series. Read the introduction article:
​ "Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Womxn of Color ​in the Workplace."

​No matter how old we are, how successful we are, how much we’ve achieved, who loves us and who is loved by us, there are challenges that we still face as individuals. I believe that our experiences and identities can tell us a lot about WHY.
Identity Intersections explore how issues of race, sexual orientation, and mental health intersect with one another (Psychology Today). We are unique in how we identify with our identities, and how those intersect to create our experience, value systems, and personalities. 


It is healthy and critical to acknowledge and accept your intersections as contributing factors to your success as well as challenges. It is valuable and worth your energy to assess how these play out in your decision making, management, and principles. Often, we don’t even realize that our intersections bias our perceptions not just of others, but ourselves and what we are capable of or deserving of. The two images below offer a few combinations of identities that you can reflect on
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​AdvancED Activity
Step 1: Pick one or two of the identities in the images below.
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Step 2: Ask yourself, how do you identify, and how does that manifest in your personal and professional life? 

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​For example, consider how your Education, Ability, Age, Language, Occupation, Religion, Family Status, or Geographic Location impact how you perceive your challenges, search for and ask for help, and reach or stretch beyond what you know and are willing to do every day.
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Photo Credits:
Image 1 - https://www.clydefitchreport.com/2015/02/tulpa-and-anneme-to-encanta-shawn-harris/
Image 2 - https://jaxsonglobalhealth.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/intersectionality-perspective/
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Please understand that the outcomes of this strategy will vary depending on the person as we are all different. It is important to take what you need and let go of what you do not. Throughout your life journey, your Identities Map may look a little different given that you will change. You may have to re-identify yourself and that is just fine because change is inevitable. This next strategy in this series will help you embrace it.

Related articles
  • Article 1: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Womxn of Color in the Workplace.
  • Article 2: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #1 Practice Mindfulness.
  • Article 3: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #2 Roll Call! Identify Yourself.
  • Article 4: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #3 Acknowledge. Accept. Adapt.
  • Article 5: Breaking Knowledge Barriers Series: Strategy #4 Finish Strong. Start Fresh.

About Author: Meredith "Mer" Curry

Mer has always had a passion for education and helping historically underrepresented groups achieve access and success to higher opportunities. She has consulted nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses in addition to her volunteerism and mentorship of students.
Learn more about Mer at www.meredithcurry.com.
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