Sara B. McNamara, MSOD’s Post

Emotions inspire change, not people. Emotional relatability is essential when it comes to bridging diverse employee populations and fostering environments where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With that in mind, I’m excited to share my latest work in culture and organization transformation: the Be Billy the Veteran Workshop Series. Are you interested in unlocking veteran talent, increasing retention, and creating resilient environments where employees thrive through change? Contact me to learn more. Because emotions—not people—make the world go ‘round. #bebillyworkshops #emotionalconnections #elephantwins #understanding #humanexperience #humansatwork #unlocktalent #culturaltransformation

Allstate, Micron and Autodesk compensate their ERG Leads and it PAYS. Read their creative compensation models, engagement levels and highly transferable best practices in the article below.

The first step in supporting employees at work is to understand what it’s like to BE them. I had the pleasure of facilitating my “Be Billy the Veteran at Work” session at the Military Influencer Conference yesterday. Most of the participants were veterans themselves. I left them with one call to action: Tell your stories and #continuetoserve Thank you Curtez Riggs for the opportunity to present at MIC ATLANTA 2024. Special thanks to Kimberly Davis, Annie S. Brock for their timely and brilliant suggestions, to veterans Benjamin Bayless and Matthew Beer for their unwavering support of my work and to my Billy, Matt Holsen, who stepped up without knowing what he was stepping up to do.

MIC Atlanta, Join us tomorrow for an interactive discussion about what it’s like to be Billy the Veteran at Work and how to support him. Not an employer? You still have a role to play. See you soon!

Five years ago, I stood on stage as a Scholar of the George W. Bush Presidential Center’s Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program, presenting my Capstone project. I shared insights from my "First Stop to Transformation" workshop series, which demonstrated the importance of a holistic approach to military-to-civilian transformation assistance. Because while transition ends, transformation is an ongoing process, even after veterans step into their new careers. Fast forward five years, and I’m still working on those same key issues, helping employers play active roles in positive outcomes for their veteran employees. Enter Coaching on Purpose – an employee benefit designed to support veterans in the workplace. Join me at #MICATL on October 3 for my breakout session, where I’ll discuss the Coaching on Purpose program and other initiatives that can benefit both veterans employees and their employers. Not attending the conference in Atlanta? Feel free to reach out, and I’ll be happy to share more details. #employeeengagement #transformationsupport #investinpeople #veteranretention #veterantalent #micatl

Good News Alert: I'm excited to share that I'll be joining the speaker lineup in Las Vegas for #MICLV alongside thousands of entrepreneurs, freelancers, leaders, and supporters. Secure your tickets at https://lnkd.in/gsrvVR4c and join me (and many other great individuals)!

Pro Tip on Team Effectiveness (and all change initiatives): It takes four steps: 1. Identify the problem 2. Solve the problem 3. Sustain the new environment 4. Build resiliency into the culture (because change is a constant) In Project Aristotle, a study on team effectiveness, Google determined the problem to solve was building a psychologically safe workplace. This post by Timothy R. Clark shares the HOW to do it. Next up? How to sustain psychologically safe environments (step 3) and build resilient organizations (step 4). #changeishard #employeeeffectiveness #psychologicalsafety Always credit to Amy Edmondson for her work in this field.

Fact: The military-to-civilian transition reflects a universal truth: transitions are a fundamental part of the human experience. Just as veterans navigate the challenges of shifting from military to civilian life, we all encounter transitions in various forms throughout our lives. Understanding this commonality can foster empathy and support systems that help everyone thrive through change. Also True: While acknowledging this commonality, it's crucial to consider the context and impact of the change when making comparisons. For example, people (and all dependents) navigating a career change from the military to civilian organizations must navigate powerful emotions and simultaneous transitions in organizational culture, leadership philosophies, personal agency, family dynamics, lifestyle, community, camaraderie, competencies, confidence, identity, security, purpose and belonging. Yes, transitions make us human. Greater awareness of contexts and individual experiences make us better. #bebetter #awareness #humanexperience #common #unique #buildabridge

NOW is a crucial time for employers to step up and create veteran mentor programs for their current employees and prospective hires. With the loss of resources like Veterati, military-connected individuals face a significant gap in support as they navigate civilian careers. Internal mentoring programs can fill that void, providing guidance, connection, and career development for applicants and employees. Let me know how I can assist in building these internal and external engagement programs to ensure all veterans get the support they deserve. #playyourpart #bepartofthesolution #mentorship #community #connection #engagement #peersupport

For anyone navigating a new organization or culture, or both: Uncertainty and “not knowing what you don’t know” almost always results in opportunities to learn. Give yourselves some grace- #context matters. (Veterans: How often did you “fail” in your last organization? #notmuch #sop) Thank you, Amy Edmondson.