EvenMORE For You

What's up with Leadership and Culture?

By Danny Gutknecht
I've been catching up with Crossroads leaders to help improve the company. While everyone knows that there is still a lot of work to do, it's exciting to see momentum building in spots of the company. We've learned that Crossroads could use a little more of a "personal growth mindset" because it makes a difference.

Admittedly the Work with Meaning and Lead with Meaning programs are only for some; however, we are in the final stages of developing something for people beyond leadership who want to grow and have a more fulfilling existence at work.

Meanwhile, over the next few weeks, we will share highlights of our interviews with the leaders committed to growth. Many leaders express that their perspective of work, connection to others, and sense of self at work have improved since engaging in the programs. They've found new approaches and ways of connecting with staff, but more importantly, they have been uncovering different aspects of bringing their whole self to work. They've felt re-energized.

Edda Sedon, an Executive Director at Crossroads, reflects on her journey through the program: "I've been through countless leadership courses over the years, but this one was different. It wasn't just about learning how to lead better; it was about understanding who I am at my core. I found a deeper connection to my work and a renewed sense of purpose by reconnecting with my true self."

Being a great leader anywhere is for the strong-hearted. Across all industries, over the last 30 years, we've learned the best leaders never think that they have "it" all figured out. Authentic leadership is a challenging and introspective journey for those ready to interrogate themselves to grow.

Edda aptly says, "The program was tough at times, but the rewards were incredible." The program helped her align her leadership with her personal values and what she truly cares about. "I used to think leadership was about guiding others," Edda says, "but now I see it as serving a higher purpose—one that's deeply connected to my own identity."

The impact of our leadership programs at Crossroads extends beyond individual leaders. Company surveys in EvenMORE For You are showing improvements in culture. When we first introduced the leadership training, 62% of staff felt unsupported by their leaders. Over the past 10 months, this number has decreased to 32%. This shift is a testament to the power of authentic leadership.

As Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Jung said, "You don't change a group through collective behaviors and beliefs; it only gets better when people get better one by one." The good news is that it only takes a small number of people learning and growing to begin the process of small improvements that grow bigger over time.

Benefits and Wellness Webinars are New this Year

Encore Recordings are Available

Nomi Health is an innovative startup benefits provider to Crossroads team members that offers savings on surgery, physical therapy, audiology, durable medical equipment (DME), sleep studies, gastro and mental health services. 

After a positive personal experience using Nomi, Philadelphia HR Coordinator Wendy Harwick suggested that Nomi do a webinar for Philly team members. The goal was to show employees how to access and enjoy the benefit.

Nomi proceeded to present two webinars in Philadelphia and they were both well-received and attended. Then, Wendy’s great idea for Philadelphia blossomed into a company-wide webinar initiative. To date, eight webinars have been presented.

Webinars are Catching On!

“Benefits are great if you know how to use them,” said Lenexa HR Coordinator and Staff Accountant Kelly Pettyjohn. She was able to attend the 401k webinar and Derek Smith’s “De-Stressing the Workplace” webinar.

“I really loved the breathing” exercises in Derek’s webinar, Kelly said. Her challenge is finding time to attend webinars in her days that are “90 to nothing” from the time she arrives at work to the time she leaves.

Northeast Ohio Support Services Director Kenna Peterson also attended Derek’s de-stressing webinar. “It was nice to have an hour away,” and to have, “time to focus on personal selfcare and techniques to de-stress so we can better care for others,” she said.

Kenna was registered for this week’s webinar but couldn’t attend due to a newly scheduled meeting. She will try to catch it later online.

Cleveland HR Coordinator Sydney Ruppel attended Derek’s webinar and the My Benefits Work webinar. She said, “the information has been good and helpful,” but making time to attend during the workday is challenging. “Webinars provide our staff with education and tools on how to better succeed with personal wellness and safety,” Sydney confirmed.

Crossroads HR Director Chris Hurst, SHRM-CP, PHR agrees, “I highly recommend attending the benefits webinars! You get extremely helpful information from experts on benefits and wellness topics that you can use every day or when issues arise.”

Crossroads encourages team members to attend the live webinars. But if that’s not possible, view the webinars any time on the MyCrossroadsBenefits website.

Please use this Google form to tell us what day(s) and time(s) work best for you to attend webinars. Crossroads is committed to providing the best care for all of our employees. We're listening. Let us know how we can best serve you.

A Simple Grounding Technique to Calm Anxiety

Are you struggling with anxiety, feeling stressed out, or overwhelmed? We all do from time to time. Here's a simple grounding exercise that could be helpful. 

When you’re feeling anxious, try the following tips to bring yourself back to the present moment. Remember, in the present moment everything is OK:

• Take a look around your environment and pick out 5 things you can see. For example, pick a color and find five things that match that color.
• Close your eyes and name four things you can hear. Is the air conditioning blowing, are dogs barking outside, is your cat purring? Pay attention and name those things you hear around you.
• What are three things that you can touch or feel? Pick something up and really focus on the shape, weight, and texture. Or take off your shoes and socks and feel the floor beneath you.
• What do you smell in your environment? Is it a sweet-smelling candle or dinner in the oven? Concentrate on what you’re smelling in the moment.
• Name one thing you can taste. Take a sip of water or bite into an apple. Allow your sense of taste to bring you into the present moment. Remember that place where everything is OK? Yeah, let’s go there.

If you’re interested in reading more about this technique, you can check out this article.

Remember: you have access to My Benefits Work which offers free mental health services and telemedicine. Download the mobile app and register; and use it when you need it! It’s free!

Namaste, 

Emily