 GUEST BLOG: Connect. Cultivate. Contribute from Kari Wiley, Leadership St. Paul Alumni (Class of 2015) and LSP Curriculum Chair The three goals of Leadership St. Paul are not only a fun collection of words that start with C but the framework for this premier leadership program. For me, going through the cohort in 2015, planning Healthcare Day for 6 years and now as the curriculum chair, this program has brought deep appreciation and understanding of what is amazing about St. Paul and the East Metro and has opened my eyes to where there are disparities. Being a part of Leadership St. Paul allowed me to see what organizations and the community are doing to provide solutions to the issues we face and where there are opportunities for me to contribute. With program days that span all industries and sectors, I’ve been introduced to the breadth of what makes this city and region tick. Additionally, this program helped me learn more about myself with the embedded leadership curriculum that encourages self-reflection and provides a lens to approach each program day. I am very thankful for LSP and the deep and lasting friendships, connections, and knowledge I carry forward with me. Applications for the next Leadership St. Paul Class of 2023 are now open. My ask of you is to consider who in your network belongs in the next Leadership St. Paul "Best Class Ever" and encourage them to apply or apply yourself and join the more than 2,000 LSP alumni in making the St. Paul region a more vibrant place to live, work, and play. Kari Wiley, Leadership St. Paul Alumni (Class of 2015) & LSP Curriculum Chair B's blog, It's Our Business will be back next week!  
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Election season is ramping up. Be sure to reference our East Metro Voter Guide to learn more about your candidates! Subscribe to our Chamber Advocacy Update to keep up with advocacy news. 
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October is Manufacturing Month in Minnesota. This industry is critical to the strength of our local economy and offers many family-sustaining job opportunities for our residents. Did you know that the manufacturing industry accounts for about 9% of all employment in Ramsey County, with 642 local manufacturing firms? Check out Ramsey County's Manufacturing Month webpage to learn more.  Also in October, Gillette Children's is celebrating its 125 years of service. Check out my newest episode of B's Table Talk featuring Gillette Children's President and CEO Barbara Joers and the archives here. See you in the trenches. B
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Election season is ramping up. Be sure to reference our East Metro Voter Guide to learn more about your candidates! Subscribe to our Chamber Advocacy Update to keep up with advocacy news.
This week I am with 85 of this region’s leaders, traveling to Charlotte, NC - one of our peer regions for the 20th InterCity Leadership Visit. We do this trip the first week of October every year, glad to be back after a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic restrictions. Our goal? To learn from peer cities and bring new ideas home. Charlotte is the 15th largest city in the US, they are experiencing exciting growth, and we're learning a lot.
Yesterday we heard from Mayor Vi Lyles and her close alliance with the business community to advance her Racial Equity Initiative. This morning we are hearing from Charlotte’s Regional Business Alliance (a combination of their version of Greater MSP and their regional chamber). Lots to learn, and I look forward to sharing more upon our return! See you in the trenches. B It’s that time again – our annual Leaders in Local Government Awards, presented by Bremer Bank, is this Thursday, Sep 29. Why do we do this event? It’s simple. The importance of public services – and public servants – cannot be overstated. Public servants are the most under-appreciated and yet hardest-working (on our behalf) sector of our economy. I’m tough on our political leaders, because I expect so much from them. We need so much from them. Behind them, doing the yeoman’s work, are the servants within government. Police, Fire Departments, Economic Development, Permitting, Finance, Parks, these people devote more time and energy in service to use than we recognize – or honor. I love this awards luncheon because, at least once a year, we can say THANK YOU for the people who serve us every day. This Awards Luncheon is being hosted by several chambers partners: Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Midway Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota Hmong Chamber of Commerce, Oakdale Area Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul Area Chamber, and Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce. Together we want to say “thank you.” I hope you’ll join us to honor the nominees and hear from retired St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell, ! On another note: as I talk with members, people from across the region, the resounding theme I’m hearing is one of “too much.” People are really feeling pressure, the heat of too much on their plate. I get it. It takes me back to a challenging time in my life when I remember wishing that the merry go round would just stop for a minutes so I could sit in the quiet and figure out how I felt or what I thought. Recently I was introduced to a book that speaks to this, and wanted to share it: How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, by artist Jenny Odell. “To do nothing is to hold yourself still so that you can perceive what is actually there.” Be encouraged, find your stillness, take time for quiet reflection so you can figure out how you feel or what you think about a particular situation in your life. See you in the trenches. B
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Election season is ramping up. Be sure to reference our East Metro Voter Guide to learn more about your candidates! Subscribe to our Chamber Advocacy Update to keep up with advocacy news.
In a word, yes. Today, I’m thinking of the human element of hybrid work. I see the increased flexibility, thrust upon us during the pandemic, as having some real long-term benefits. Remote work CAN work. That said, we do still need to be together. Building trust without face-to-face human contact is way more difficult. We’ve adapted reasonably well, but so many of our relationships pre-existed. It is in the building of NEW relationships that we still need human interaction. Remember, we build trust “between the meetings.” Isaac Stern said, “music happens between the notes.” The consistency of human interaction, over time builds trust. And this is so challenging virtually because there IS no “between the meeting.” And brainstorming? We just don’t have the same flow of ideas, the same informal interruptions that spur more discussions. What we hope for, I think, is more fluidity. Flexibility. And employers I speak to are thinking intelligently about how to support employees in this new normal. One fine example is Target. I recently had the pleasure of touring Target’s headquarters buildings in downtown Minneapolis. This company is committed to creating a culture of caring, winning, and growing together. All within a hybrid work environment. Of the thousands of employees at the downtown location, employees have flexible schedules that work with their team priorities. Leadership is intentionally responding to the human element of work, creating flex spaces, concierge tech support services, and team member meeting/working/lounging space. Their approach is, ‘flex for your day.’ And their investment in technology is intended to help offset the burden of off-site work spaces. Really impressive. See you in the trenches. B I continue to serve on the St. Paul Police Chief Examining Committee. As you might imagine, this is a lengthy process but it continues to move forward. The committee is very engaged, finalists to be interviewed have been selected, and those interviews will happen yet in September. The committee is required to submit 5 candidates to the Mayor. More to come, but know that the candidate pool is strong. 
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Election season is ramping up. Be sure to reference our East Metro Voter Guide to learn more about your candidates! Subscribe to our Chamber Advocacy Update to keep up with advocacy news. 
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