organizational effectiveness Archives - Seeing Things Whole

Kyle E. Smith speaking at Human-Centered Leadership for Meaningful Work It was a gift to host the Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole’s first public event – Human-Centered Leadership for Meaningful Work. The lively panel conversation sparked curiosity for considering how to bring greater wholeness and meaning to organizations. Panelists included Najeeba Syeed, El-Hibri endowed chair and executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg University, Jun-Li Wang, associate director of Springboard for the Arts, and Kyle E. Smith, co-CEO of Reell Precision Manufacturing. Tom Henry, former CEO of Landry’s Bicycles, served as moderator.

While the panelists discussed many topics, they focused on issues of honoring individuals as whole people within organizations. Panelists discussed how employees can be engaged in ways that allow them to see how they are contributing to the larger whole which can provide them with both personal satisfaction and support the growth of the organization. Attendees heard how artist can be innovators within organizations by using iterative processes to solve big challenges for communities. Jun-Li stated that, “If we’re not thrilled and daunted at the same time, we’re not doing the work” to bring the organization and its people forward. None of this work is easy, but by bringing forward our individual gifts in the workplace, organizations can begin to thrive.

Jun-Li Wang speaking at Human-Centered Leadership for Meaningful Work Those who attended the roundtable dialogue which featured a presentation from MNCEO’s Executive Director Kirsten Kennedy, began a conversation on what it means to build a more holistic business system. While there were no concrete answers, participants were curious about how to shift workplace cultures to ones that are more collaborative while also acknowledging the roles business can play in the larger community.

The long-term work of Seeing Things Whole takes commitment by leaders to aligning actions with values while also acknowledging the tensions of organizational life may create imbalance at times. By building this intentional community of practitioners, the work of the Reell Office can support leaders to:

See better what is and what could be.
See the practical things facing organizations.
See things in the larger context that organizations are a part.

This conversation was the first hosted by the Reell Office that sought to lift up the voices of leaders working to bring greater wholeness and meaning to organizations. Stay tuned for future opportunities to engage in this important and meaningful work.