Kerry Alison Wekelo Blog

One Size Does Not Fit All - Lessons from Home School

3/20/2020

Because of the outbreak of the Coronavirus, many schools have switched to an online learning program. For many parents, that means they are now more hands-on in their kids' learning. I have always said that leadership is not one size fits all, and in spending more time with my kids, I am reminded of the power of that statement. My kids, Audrey and Blaine, have different learning styles.

Check out the video below to see how we are navigating the transition from the classroom to online schooling and how they each require different leadership styles.

Here are some cool educational resources for kids which I have found helpful in this transition:

Check out this book of science experiments - filled with tons of projects you can do with items you already have around your home.

Here are a list of Virginia education standards and worksheets you can print out for your child to practice.

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3 Ways to Attract and Engage Top Talent

11/25/2019

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When you’re searching to fill new positions in your organization, it can be a daunting task. Even when you find someone who might be a good match for your team, there’s no guarantee that the sentiment is reciprocated. In order to attract and engage top talent, it’s important to stand out. Here are 3 ways that have worked for us at Actualize Consulting:

1. Leading by Example: At Actualize, we are really adamant about creating a good work environment for our employees, and that isn’t just a facade. Really, truly, at every level, we care about the health, wellness, and lives of our employees. That’s the reason we make work/life balance a priority. And when the leadership at your firm practices what they preach, it trickles down to mean that employees are happy and that they say great things about our company from word-of-mouth. It isn’t ever a struggle to hire people; people want to be a part of our culture.

2. Asking employees for help recruiting: Our consultants are some of the most talented individuals in the financial services sector. Odds are, they know others in the field who would make a great fit for our company.

3. Using social media: The way we use social media at our firm is a bit different than how other firms use it. We like to tell the story of our firm, what we’re up to, and where we are growing, but we also like to showcase the great things going on at the individual level. When you visit our feed, we want you to see our employees and get to know them and how they are using their passion and talent to make strides in the industry. Each of our employees is so skilled; it’s awesome to use our platform to demonstrate how lucky we are to have them.
How do you engage and attract top talent in your organization?

This is an excerpt from an article previously published on Medium.
https://medium.com/authority-magazine/how-to-identify-and-retain-fantastic-talent-with-kerry-wekelo-of-actualize-consulting-and-kage-spatz-75921d3f0a1a

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The Power of Meditation

11/18/2019

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Can you recall the last time you were feeling stressed? It’s a physical sensation - maybe your heart was beating a bit faster or your head was spinning. Recently, as I was navigating a recent health scare with my son, I became overwhelmed with stress. When we took him to the doctor to find the cause of the pain he’d been having, the X-ray showed potential for bone cancer. I was terrified; my best friend growing up had bone cancer and I can vividly remember spending 4 years in hospitals with her. With the stress compounding, I finally reached into my self-care toolbox and revisited the use of a combination meditation, visualization and mantra to focus my energy and attention. Whenever I was feeling anxious, I would visualize my son happy and healthy. Then I stated aloud or silently, “he is happy and healthy” over and over until I could move past any uneasy feelings. I am happy to report that it was only an under formed bone which was successfully treated with a bone graft. When I was sick with anxiety during this time, others would ask how I was coping, I would simply say, I am visualizing him happy and healthy. Even as he recovers, I am continuing the practice.

As you know, stress is an unavoidable part of life. From a biological perspective, stress is important for survival, but too much stress can start to wreak havoc on our immune system and well-being. It’s important to have ways to counterbalance this state so we can be our happiest and healthiest selves. My go to is meditation – it’s a great, scientifically supported stress reliever.

There are actually many different types of meditation of which most people are unaware. In Robert Butera’s book, Meditation for your Life , he details six different types: breath, visualization, mantra, devotion, mindfulness, and contemplative inquiry. The beautiful aspect of meditation is that you can do it anywhere or anytime and for any amount of time. The more consistent you are, the bigger the impact.

Nicole Braveman, a Chopra Center Certified Instructor who discovered meditation after her struggle with her own chronic illness shared some of these impacts with our team at Actualize. Meditation:

Improves our ability to cope and improve emotional stability when dealing with stress
Slows down the aging process
Decreases activity of the genes responsible for inflammation and chronic illness

Dr. Rudy Tanzi’s research has also found something fascinating: “Disease-associated gene mutations that will actually destine a person to acquire a disease with certainty in the span of a normal life span amount to only 5% of all disease-associated mutations." Meaning that the other 95% of our chances depend majorly on lifestyle and diet. These findings and more are published in his and Deepak Chopra's book Super Genes.

Like Nicole, I turn to meditation during times of stress, illness, or when I need to solve a challenge and find a solution. Both of us and even a lot of great historical figures can attest to its power. Einstein said, “I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me.”

After Nicole led a meditation for our team, I polled them to see how they felt afterward. Maddie Yaskowski, a senior consultant at Actualize, said, “I was surprised how much I relaxed during the meditation. I had never done one that long before, even though this was actually a short meditation. At first, I definitely had a lot of thoughts and had trouble bringing my attention back to my breath. But as I started to become even calmer, it became easier to quiet my thoughts. I noticed I was actually quite tired - it may be good to try this before I go to bed because I usually have trouble falling asleep.”

In that same meditation class with Nicole, we explored a mantra-based meditation using the Sanskrit word sohum. This type of meditation is one I especially enjoy - focusing on one word rather than striving for complete silence.

Lori Lite, a manager with us and founder of Stress Free Kids said, “unexpectedly, I found myself responding to the word gentle. I have never contemplated or noticed how just hearing this word would affect my nervous system. Whenever Nicole said the word gentle or gently, I felt myself relaxing further. Breathe gently, be a gentle observer…. I am inspired to try using the word gentle during my next one-word mantra meditation.”

While teaching yoga to children for seven years in the school system, I could not use Sanskrit, so I would use words the kids could identify with. For example, Buzz Aldrin Eagles (the name of the school mascot) became one of our mantras. If you are interested in some of the meditations I used in my classes, you can listen here.

If you are interested in starting to meditate, know that there are many paths you can take to begin. There are guided meditations, sound meditations, mantra meditations, walking meditations, and breathing meditations. Play with the different techniques and see which style suits you best… your mind and body will thank you!

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Time to Move One

9/16/2019

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Have you ever had to say goodbye to a valuable team member? There are usually mixed emotions for all parties involved — this includes the person leaving and the team hearing about the departure. Just as someone should resign in a professional manner, a company and especially leadership should handle the resignation professionally. Let this be a time that you extend your philosophies and culture even further as you support your departing employee.

I forge bonds with each of our team members, and it can be challenging for me when someone leaves the firm. Luckily, with low turnover and high tenure rates, I don’t have to deal with it that often. When it is time to move on, I return to our core principles of gratitude. When I focus on having gratitude for their time spent with us, it shifts the energy of the loss into a positive revitalized feeling.

Below are some ideas on how to wish departing team members well as they begin their new chapter.

Send a handwritten letter of gratitude and be specific in why you are grateful for their service. In one such letter, I cited a project I had worked on with the person leaving. I stated how much I appreciated the careful nurturing attitude he shared while working with a sensitive client.
Send a gift of gratitude. When my long-term internal team member left, I sent a package filled with elements that represented some of her favorite things. The beach, horses, and shopping were all included.
Offer to give a positive reference. This shows the person that you appreciate their hard work and that you are willing to share your experience with future employers.
Host a going away lunch, dinner, or happy hour. Taking time out of our busy schedules to honor their time and celebrate their upcoming adventure is very meaningful. Bringing the team together keeps things transparent and supports current and future connections.
Compile a list of gratitude from other team members. Whether a card or a poster board, having multiple messages of appreciation from co-workers will leave a lasting impact.

Think about the person leaving and tailor the way you honor them to meet what would best suit them. By taking an elevated approach, the transition will be one filled with kindness. We never know when we can cross paths again, so focusing on gratitude and honoring employee departures is always a win scenario.

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Positivity in Action

8/19/2019

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Recently I hiked the Camino de Santiago, or The Way of Saint James, which is an ancient pilgrimage route dating back to the 9th century to Santiago, Spain. It is believed that St. James is buried in the Cathedral of Santiago. You can start walking in France, Portugal, or Spain and the total route is over 800 km. It was an enriching cultural and spiritual experience to travel to the countryside on foot, but it is extremely tiring. On average, we walked around 12-15 miles a day.

One day, we were scheduled to walk 20 miles. Although it was a strenuous task, I had already made up my mind that I would make it through the day. When I reached the 20-mile mark, I realized we had 3 miles left to get to our destination for the night. My feet were aching, and I knew something was wrong with them. I kept thinking, I only accounted for 20 miles, how am I going to do 3 more miles?

I was in pain and wanted to stop, but I looked inward for a solution and used my 3P method (pause to pivot to the positive). I knew I had to keep going, and negativity simply wasn’t going to help me get to my destination. “If walking hurts, why not run?” I thought to myself. So, I ran the last 3 miles.

When I passed other people on the trail, they called me a champion and asked me why I was running. Bolstered by their cheers, I felt like Rocky as I ran up the last hill into town. When I took off my shoes, I realized the pain was being caused by a really bad heat rash and two blisters. While these battle scars took a month to fully heal, I was left with a victory that still stays with me: it’s all perspective, I realized. I was in pain, but I only had three more miles to go. I knew I could make it and so I did.

When I returned home, I read the book The Happiness Advantage, written by Shawn Achor. It ended up driving the message home even more: the book explains that mindset is the difference between success and failure. Positive brains actually have a biological advantage over brains that are neutral or negative. Being positive in the present means we are less likely to burnout and more likely to be productive and resilient… and finish the last three miles of the Camino.

This week, I ask you this: What is your Camino? How can changing your mindset help you to finish your last three miles?

Here is the video I shared with my team while I was running my last 3 miles.

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The Biggest Mistake You’re Making When You Communicate

7/26/2019

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Here is a challenge for you: think back to a recent conversation you had. Did you experience the phenomenon where you began talking about one topic, but suddenly, without realizing it, got on to a different topic? A subject that was unrelated to the initial conversation? Maybe you even forgot what the initial conversation was about!

This game of telephone happens when we try to relate instead of listen. This isn’t entirely wrong - we may think we’re helping when we share our stories and that it will bring us closer to the people we interact with. While communication can do all of those things, it’s important to realize that some people simply want a safe space to vent. Many times, when people have a problem or issue, they hold the solution inside of themselves. Unless they specifically ask for advice or want to hear if something similar has happened to you, try to refrain from relating and focus on listening instead.

If you are struggling with this, active listening is a practice that can help you fine-tune the way you show up in your conversations. It comprises two simple parts: Listening and Understanding.

Listening:
Allow the other person to express themselves fully before offering your opinions, and do so only if they ask.

Practice Empathy: Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and try to see things from their perspective.
Focus Attention: Listen fully and limit distractions like phones.
Show Listening: Provide subtle responses, such as “yes” or “I understand.”
Suspend Judgment: Resist making assumptions.

Understanding:
Verifying what you’ve heard is a good way to validate the other person in the conversation. It shows them you care.

Be Responsive: Provide direct responses like “tell me more…”
Ask Questions: Ask questions to gather details.
Verify Understanding: Summarize what you heard to verify understanding.
Be Open: Be open to what the other has to say.

It’s a cliché that communication is vital, but it’s true: communication is the thread that connects us all together. The next time you enter a conversation with someone, try to avoid the game of telephone. The paradox of it is, in not relating, you may even find that you relate more. Give someone the gift of listening, it is free and one of the best gifts you can give.

What have you learned by listening?

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Walkie Talkie

7/25/2019

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This year, my adventure vacation is walking the Camino in Spain. To prepare myself physically and mentally I had to find creative ways to fit more walking into my already busy life. Walking the Camino requires stamina and I wanted to be prepared to walk 12 miles a day for a week.

Turns out, it was easier than I thought. Movement has many benefits to include boosting creativity and clarity, bringing more oxygen to your brain, activating endorphins, and increasing productivity. While increasing my daily walks from 6 miles to 8-10 a day, I found myself solving problems with less effort. I started to crave additional walks and would turn to a walk more often to solve a problem rather than calling someone to talk it through.

Often, we are challenged with fitting moving or walking into our workdays, but there are many ways to get your steps in.

I add steps by walking or moving during situations or events that are traditionally done sitting or standing in one place. Here are my best tips:

Walk around sporting events. Instead of standing on the sidelines to watch my children play sports, I walk around the field. Not only does this help me to get my steps in, but I get to see the game from different perspectives.

Schedule walk and talk meetings. I schedule "walk and talks" with co-workers, friends, and family. If no one is available to actually walk with me, and I am talking with a team member that will not mind, I will still do the walk and talk. This helps me to eliminate unnecessary sitting time, add steps, and clear my mind.

Move each hour. Every hour, I take a 5-minute moving break whether I am working or writing. I add high knees or do jumping jacks for extra oomph. All of those 5-minute breaks add up!

Take the stairs. I resist the urge to take the elevator or escalator and use the stairs whenever possible.

Rock star parking. Well, not really…. I choose a parking spot further away from my destination to get some extra steps in.

Airport downtime. Instead of sitting and waiting to board the plane, I use the time to take a brisk walk through the terminal.

Screen time. I watch most of my shows on Netflix, therefore my screen time was used on the treadmill while watching one of my favorite cooking shows on my phone via the Netflix app.

It has been said that walking is the antidote to many physical and emotional ailments. Walking can clear the air and release strong emotions like anger. Walking meditations are stress-reducing, mood-elevating, and stimulate creative ideas.

These are just a few reasons why we encourage all of our employees to add walking to their day. Fun, competitive wellness challenges get our team moving with points awarded for exercise and triple points for trying something new. Creating awareness and point motivation is all that is needed to take the first step. One team member walked up and down a pier gangplank during low tide for extra points and another used their airport waiting time to get their walk-in for the day.

If you would like to walk the talk and get yourself or your team moving in a forward direction, I would love to schedule a walk and talk with you.

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4 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Sleep Habits

7/25/2019

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Do you ever you wish you could sleep as soundly as a baby? When we think of nourishing our bodies, the focus is often on what we consume: what we eat, what we drink, what we read, and who we listen to. While these things are essential for our minds and body, I’d argue that behaviors are just as important, if not more important, when it comes to nourishment. Simple actions like vowing to get enough sleep can do wonders for our health and have a domino effect in other areas of our lives.

Did you know that poor sleepers are more likely to have higher weights, a greater risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression? Not surprisingly, lack of sleep also affects our emotions and social interactions as well. Think about it - the last time you got a bad night’s rest, were you fully present the next day? Were you more emotional or high-strung or stressed-out? Getting enough sleep improves our concentration, increases our productivity, and improves our immune function so we have the best capacity to be mindful in all of our interactions.

At Actualize after a recent wellness event, our team suggested we include sleep as one of the next topics. Most healthy adults need around 7-9 hours of sleep per night in order to function at their best capacity. Unfortunately, according to the most recent Gallup poll, around 40% of Americans fall short of that number, the national average being around 6.8 hours a night. No wonder our team wanted more tips to aid in their sleep.

Are you a part of this statistic? If you’re in need of more sleep, here are 4 things you can do to prioritize rest in your life:

1.     Set a bed time: Try to stick to a schedule if you can – our bodies like structure. Once your body gets into a routine, you may find it easier to fall asleep around the same time every night.

2.     Power down: Try your best to avoid electronics 30 minutes to an hour before you go to bed. The blue light can mess with our circadian rhythm, tricking our brains into thinking it is day time. If you can’t bear to part with your devices, play with the settings to decrease the amount of blue light it emits.

3.     Avoid large meals late at night: While it’s an old wives’ tale that eating late at night can make you gain weight; it is true that eating a large meal could mess with your digestion and make you feel uncomfortable. Play around with an eating schedule that works for you, but you may want to explore taking a few hours off from eating close to your bedtime. If you do find yourself hungry, try a light snack instead.

4.     Stay active: Incorporating joyful movement into our day can benefit all areas of our health, but especially our sleep habits. Exercise can help us burn off extra energy throughout the day. Just be careful to finish exercising 2 to 3 hours before bedtime or it may have the opposite effect.

How can you change your routine for better sleep?

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Signs You Should Enhance Operational Efficiencies

7/24/2019

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Can you remember when you kept trying to resolve a problem and continued hitting roadblocks, and the problem persisted?

Last year at Actualize Consulting, our UK expansion increased project responsibilities tasking individuals to work on multiple projects, making our staffing decisions more complicated.

We decided to bring on another person internally to support our growth rate. When that person suddenly quit, we immediately hired another person ignoring the signs. Losing this person was a red flag that made us realize that Instead of looking at adding people we needed to shift our focus to our operational efficiencies. We paused and pivoted our energies to address the firm’s needs for an updated process to report on key metrics.

When our Manager of Finance and Accounting went out of the country for vacation and the second hire did not work out, I found myself accountable for the key items to keep the business running smoothly which specifically was payroll and setting up new projects as we won work.

At that moment, I had a moment of panic. I had to instill my Culture Infusion teachings of pausing to pivot to a positive and utilize self-talk as I told myself, “I got this.”

Through the storm of having to tangle through the weeds of our operations, I realized we did not need another person. We needed to automate and bring our internal systems to a new level. Just as we assess and recommend systems improvements and overhauls to our clients, we needed to look at our internal systems with the same eye.

I started my career at Accenture and worked at other consulting firms before moving into operations at Actualize in business process redesign, vendor evaluation, and system implementations. I even have my MBA in Information Systems. As you can imagine, I was beating myself up for not seeing the answer sooner. Yes, I am human and was caught in the tangle of weeds. I had an “aha” moment and had to laugh at myself as I also needed a reminder of the importance of reviewing your processes, procedures, and systems on a regular basis. Geez, we do this all the time for our clients, so I put on my consulting hat and dug in.
We are currently evaluating new systems to support our internal operations using the same Actualize developed vendor selection process we use with our clients.

When was the last time you reviewed your processes, procedures, and systems to create and maintain efficiencies to support your firm’s growth?

I know it can be a daunting thought to review all, so I suggest starting with asking yourself the following questions to determine where you can start.
1.      Are there manual processes that are hindering operational efficiencies? For example, our manual process of tracking resources was not meeting our needs, so automation of data is necessary.
2.      Can you identify a person or team that is overworked? In our case, our entire internal team was overburdened with manual processes, again a sign to automate.
3.      Is there data you need but do not have easy access to run your business? We see this all the time with our clients of needing more access to their Treasury or Mortgage data. Internally, the manual spreadsheets were not robust.
Bottom line, with ever-changing technology and innovation it is imperative that you take the time to review your processes, procedures, and systems regularly.
At Actualize, we use this methodology with our clients and utilize internally as well. We stay on the forefront of the industry innovations.

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Juggling at Work? Add Balls....Literally

7/24/2019

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Hands are used for talking, grasping, feeling, clapping, gesturing, typing, and even stopping traffic. We use our arms and hands all day; but besides washing them, how often do we stretch and take care of them? Here are simple exercises that can improve your mobility and keep your arms and hands healthy.