What the heck is a Painted Porch?

People often say to me, "Painted Porch Strategies. That's an interesting name for a business. Where did it come from?"

The idea behind Painted Porch Strategies was actually a "happy little accident" when three core principles converged one night over a glass (ok, maybe two) of wine ??...

?A few years before "the Porch" launched, I started getting into #Stoicism and its teachings. Their core concepts and lessons around how to approach life (and navigating this world of other people) really spoke to me, how I viewed things, and in what ways I could continually challenge myself to grow and, frankly, be a better person.

In addition, I began feeling a little lost in my career and where it was going. I had hit what I thought was "Peak Yack" in my product designer and organizational best practices role and kept asking, "Is there something MORE I can do to better serve the #staffingindustry?"

Through a LOT of deep introspection (and countless wall post-its and mind maps), I had an idea spark in mid-2019 that felt "right".

I kept questioning why change efforts often fumbled, fizzled out, or failed.

• "Was I not doing enough?"
• "Was I not guiding them down the right path?"
• "Were the solutions I was designing not 'right'?"

?To paraphrase Ms. Taylor Swift, "Is it me? Am I the problem?"

And I came to the conclusion that there WAS something more I could do...and that was better help, guide, and support these organizations to get to what I termed "change ready".

This wasn't #changemanagement (defining the "Why", assessing risk, drafting training agendas and documentation, creating communication schedules, and tracking project tasks/to-dos to get to "done"). This was the idea that, in order for a staffing firm to TRULY realize lasting transformation (and not just change "tinkering"), change needed to be something that was part of their DNA; to create a #changeculture.

And this #changereadiness could only be achieved by dedicating intentional time, energy, training, and coaching to getting employees READY for the change being asked of and from them - starting with developing a #changereadymindset.

With a change-ready mind, individual contributors and leaders alike can learn the skills to become resilient when challenges, uncertainty, fear, and burnout start to creep it...so they can then show up fully present, energized, and eager to those tasks, meetings, and tough decisions that would eventually be thrust upon them once the planning and implementation phase began. They can learn how to better communicate with one another (both speaking AND listening), and how to have healthy conflict to challenge the status quo of "this is the way", designing innovative, transformative ideas and making change stick.

See, too often, I see that the focus on change is centered around the system, the product, the "thing" that you're configuring and going live with. But the TRUE DRIVER of successful change is 100% contingent on your PEOPLE and their ability to show up, speak up, and team up.

?REAL CHANGE requires People, Process, and System innovation. One cannot exist without the other two.

Once I realized that, I began thinking about those three tenets more and more: People, Process, Systems…P.P.S.

What represents the interconnectedness and harmony of all three? It’s a foundation, something you build…like a porch.

A porch is often where people meet to connect, to discover, to debate, to celebrate, to grow, to listen, to learn. The Stoics had a similar idea.

Unlike more traditional schools of philosophy (like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle), where you had to be “allowed in” based on your social status, class, or rank, Stoicism was considered the “philosophy of the streets”, whose principles were more focused on the reality of “what is” vs. seeking to achieve a higher level of enlightenment. It was the philosophy of the everyman (and sometimes woman) – slaves to emperors studied and practiced its teachings. They did not have a formal school. Instead, they met in an open forum called the “Painted Porch” (the root of Stoicism = stoa poikile, which is Greek for Painted Porch).

And I wanted to bring this same idea to how I could serve my staffing colleagues and friends – where EVERYONE and ANYONE can be a champion and leader for change, be it at work and in their lives.

• Where our programs are accessible to an ENTIRE organization, since change thrives or dies on the front lines.
• Where all employees can feel empowered and be resilient to the challenges, obstacles, and opportunities presented to them.
• Where change is a mindset to be cultivated, not just a project to be managed
• Where everyone is an equal owner and participant in the organization’s change journey
• Where teams can thrive and become excellent – together

Since this was, as Monty Python might say, "something completely different", I decided I wanted to recruit people who were experts in these areas, regardless of their staffing industry acumen. So, on our "porch" we have a seasoned Mindfulness, Mindset, and Movement expert (our Chief Joy Officer, Sierra Ramm Cantrell ) who's years in the hotel spa world helped her develop a program of "Radical Mindfulness" aimed at resilience, stress management, purpose, and joy. With communication being one of the most fundamental, and impactful, skills anyone can hone, I looked to the Broadcasting industry, bringing a 25+ year Radio, Television, and Podcast host (our M.C. Rob Hunter ) and his years of understanding the art and science of effective communication and messaging to help you "Master Your Message". And then, there's me, focused on helping create dynamic, healthy, collaborative teams who are aligned, accountable, emotionally intelligent, and ready to challenge and grow - together.

So, that’s the story of our Painted Porch. I welcome each of you stop on by, reach out to me, and discover how you can create a foundation for transformational growth and innovation in your life, your work, and anywhere in between.?