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In this episode, learn how values shape emotions, decisions, and relationships, providing a roadmap for reduced stress, boosted confidence, and thriving connections. Bob Bertsch introduces practical exercises, guiding you through reflections and rapid assessments to uncover and understand your core values.

Links

• Values Worksheets from the Wellness Society (PDF)

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Sharing your work, even before it is done, is a great practice for dealing with imposter syndrome. It can help you realize no one is perfect and can make your work better, make you visible to others, and lead you to a community of support and growth. In this practicast, Jessica Beckendorf and Bob Bertsch talk about the benefits of sharing your work with others and share a practice for getting started.

Links

• Show Your Work by Jane Bozarth
• Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon
• Working Out Loud

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The more you understand about yourself, the better you’ll be able to align your life with the things that are really meaningful to you. In this episode, Jessica Beckendorf shares how to do less of what drains you by using energy and engagement tracking.

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In this episode, co-hosts Bob Bertsch and Jessica Beckendorf talk with Lisa Sapp and James Yracheta about a collaboration between Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Great Falls (MT) School District to provide military-connected kids access to the Transitional Kindergarten program. In addition to providing early childhood education, the program helped military families with their child care needs.

Lisa Sapp is the school liaison and James Yracheta is the former Child and Youth Services Flight chief at Malmstrom AFB. Lisa and James shared insights into how the partnership with Great Falls Public Schools got started and the factors that helped it thrive.

Links

• Transitional Kindergarten pilot program takes off

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Many of us tend to take a linear approach to program development. We develop a program, implement it fully, then evaluate it to see if it worked. However, making small adjustments, aka iteration, is an important part on innovations.
Bob Bertsch shares a practice to help us build our capacity for iteration by helping each of us get more comfortable with the process.

Links

• The Science of Well-Being course
• The Cabrera Lab podcast
• Planning Change: A Case Study on Cooperative Extension’s Contribution to Creating a Culture of Continuous Improvement in Educational Programs

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Research has shown we have a negative bias against creative ideas because we are uncomfortable with uncertainty. Implementing new ideas means change and change brings uncertainty, so we dismiss new ideas before that uncertainty arises.
Bob Bertsch shares a practice that can help us deal with that uncertainty by seeing that all ideas, even ones that lead to awesome innovations, start out as bad.

Links

• "A Beautiful Amble" by Bjørn Peterson
• "The Bias Against Creativity: Why People Desire but Reject Creative Ideas"
• Adobe Kickbox

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Getting to a shared purpose as a group often requires digging a little deeper than usual. Jessica Beckendorf talks about the chaordic stepping stones, a helpful tool for going below the surface with a group, and shares four questions that can help groups work toward a clear statement of purpose together.

Links

• "You don't have to be local" by Derek Sivers
• "Keep Going" by Austin Kleon
• Stepping Stones for Designing Impactful Work: Part 1
• Stepping Stones for Designing Impactful Work: Part 2

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In this episode, hosts Jessica Beckendorf and Bob Bertsch delve into the heart of community recovery with their enlightening discussion on the "Come Back Better" approach.

Discover how you and your community can navigate the challenges of our rapidly changing world by harnessing the strengths and assets within your community. Gain valuable insights from their exploration of real-life stories and collective practices emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Learn how to:

• Foster inclusive practices that prioritize equity and justice.
• Adopt a growth mindset to navigate challenges and drive positive change.
• Embrace persistence and iteration in crafting effective solutions.
• Cultivate action networks to address pressing community issues collaboratively.