podcast

This episode is specifically about the Community Capitals Framework and how to get connected with the assets that already exist in your community. Collaborating with others in your community is important, but if you are finding yourself overwhelmed or with limited capacity, this framework and practice are a great way to get started. You don’t have to make everything happen yourself!

In this episode Erin and Jessica discuss why icebreakers sometimes suck the energy out of the room and share real world examples of what it is like when they actually work. Then Erin shares a practice on how to design an icebreaker that makes team building, making connections, and getting work done easier.

How do you build community connections that actually work? Have you ever gotten stuck as you try to build community partnerships? In this month’s Listener Q&A, Erin and Jessica answer questions about classic partnership problems: What do you do if you can’t find time to build connections during work time; How do you navigate miscommunication years into a partnership? If I can only do one thing, what should I focus on?

Do you see yourself as a generous collaborator? Have you ever been generous with a collaborator, only to leave disappointed? In this episode from the archives, Bob and Jessica discuss what generosity can do for you in your relationships and why it can be challenging to offer generosity to new people. Then Bob guides us through a simple reflection to dig into your motivations and align with your values.

In this episode, Jessica and Erin explore a simple but powerful two-part practice that can transform how collaborative work unfolds: engaging with people before decisions are made, and closing the loop afterward by showing how their input shaped the outcome.

Empathy mapping is a simple tool for helping you imagine someone else and their experience. In this From the Archive episode, Bob and Jessica explore a powerful tool designed to deepen your connection with others—empathy mapping.

What if the key to resilience is practicing together? This episode from the Practicing Connection archives features a conversation about burnout and resilience with guests Dr. Charles (Chip) Benight and Nicole Weis from the Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

When military kids move, their whole world shifts—schools, friends, routines, and support systems. In this episode of Practicing Connection, school liaison Karen Watkins-Diouf and 4-H educator Jeremiah Johnson share how they work together across military and civilian systems to make sure those kids don’t fall through the cracks.

Most of us don’t mean to work in silos – but our calendars and inboxes quietly build them for us. In this episode, Jessica and Erin guide you through a five-minute exercise to map your work relationships, notice who’s missing, and take one small step outside your silo this month.

This month’s listener Q&A dives into 3 areas: struggling with frequent task switching, dealing with burnout and unachievable workloads (and the expectations associated with this), and how our practices integrate with personal reflections. Erin and Jessica respond to your questions with insight, experience and resources, to give you some great, actionable steps in your daily life.