A publication by the Association of YMCA Professionals
Inspired Leadership for the YMCA Professional Vol. 6 No. 6 Dec 2016/Jan 2017
BUILDING A CULTURE OF
CREATIVITY Forget titles and hierarchy. For truly innovative thinking, YMCAs need the fresh perspective of team members who know their voice counts.
Congratulations to the newest graduates of the 2015 YMCA/JCC CRI Training Coach program.
Learn, Grow, Succeed Education and Training For YMCA/JCC Professionals Most Recent Alumni Jean Fry Jennifer Brownlow John Binnie Joseph Granza Justin Noel Karen Buckley Katelyn Szafir Kathy Dew Kelli Holder Krystal Snider Kyle Britton Lincoln Huth Lisa Becht Lisa Horton
Luke Brookner Matt Sallinen Maureen Wilcox Megan Brazill Melanie VanderHorn Melissa McGlynn Melissa Wright Meredith Frazier Patrick McGahan Peta McMillan Peter Christenson Peter Rana Robyn Cohen Santiago Prada
Sarah Faulkner Seth Hazen Shannon Hughes Sharon Allen Shelley McCarty Stacey Hatch Tim Cedrone Tim Lebling Travis Randle Trevalyn Bell Troy Henrich Valerie Prenzlow Victoria MacKenzie Wade Messner
Since its inception, Cybex has hosted over 300 YMCA/JCC professionals, representing over 600 branches at our world headquarters for a unique learning experience, the YMCA Training Coach program. This four-day comprehensive workshop combines classroom instruction with practical hands-on training. Topics covered include anatomy, kinesiology, biomechanics, and motor learning. The program was created to help further the participants’ education in exercise science. It also provides cardio and strength product training to equip their staff with safe and effective ways to better serve their members on the wellness floor. In 2016, the Cybex Research Institute (CRI) Training Coach team, led by Dr. Paul Juris, will once again offer YMCA and JCC health and wellness professionals this highly personalized and exclusive opportunity. Availability is limited. For more information on attending one of the 2016 sessions, contact Al Rousseau at +1.860.621.8888. Visit cybexintl.com to learn more.
“The workshop provides the education and training for our staff to be experts for our communities and members.” Bobbi Wiliams Associate Executive Director Merrimack Valley YMCA
Scan the QR code to see what people are saying about the YMCA Training Coach Program.
© 2016, Cybex International, Inc.
Aaron Mayfield Christina Patel Abel Albanes Colleen McLain Adrian Sadowski Collette Cosby Alex Ciambrone Craig Lewis Alex Shelton Dan Chambers Amber Nelson Dan de Saussure Andrew Jeffrys David Trubiani Ann Johnson Fiona Kriaris April Hix Harriet Shirley Bonnie Livingston Heidi Zarder Brandon Brugger Hiliary Nichols Bryan Einwalter J Morgan Carlos Garcia Jamie Lyell Carma DeVillers Jayne Miller Morgan Catherine Santamaria
perspective
Our Next Best Version Here’s what you can do to help AYP weather a needed re-structuring. So much has happened in such a short period of time at AYP — I hope you find this update useful and informative. After two years of research and discussion about how AYP can best serve the movement forward, the AYP board of directors is actively exploring options for AYP, including a potential management agreement with YMCA of the USA (Y-USA). Though this potential agreement with Y-USA has been on the horizon for some time, former AYP President and CEO Natalie Norton’s recent appointment to executive vice president of COO of the YMCA of Greater New York greatly accelerated the AYP board’s discussions and planning. It goes without saying that the entire AYP family wishes for Natalie nothing but the best. Let me begin this update with the assurance that volunteerism is alive and well in AYP. As we volunteer leaders work thoughtfully through the complex opportunities for our collective future, no one on the AYP board, regional representatives, or chapter leaders is taking this monumental moment in time lightly. We ask for your patience, support, and trust as we work through the options. A few notable standouts to our current efforts are our lean-and-mean
Sandy Morander President and CEO YMCA of Greater San Antonio
operational staff team of Jason Pirnie and Josh Cruz. Combine this with three new volunteer interim positions — Theresa Hillis in charge of membership and finance, Rick Macpherson in charge of chapter relations, and Kim Moser our current project manager — and we have what we need to navigate AYP through the transition. To date, we have completed an inperson work session with 15 volunteers coming to Chicago for a two-day deep dive on our current options for the future of AYP, which include: No change — business as usual Full integration of AYP with Y-USA Form a separate LLC under Y-USA Dissolve AYP as we know it I can say with confidence that we have eliminated option #1; status quo
is no longer a viable option for AYP. We have heard loud and clear that we need to focus on the value proposition and create a new membership model that serves more and costs less. Therefore, we are focusing on options #2 and #3 — or perhaps, a hybrid third option — but will leave option #4 on the table for stakeholder input between now and mid-January when the national AYP board will meet, prior to the February Y-USA board meeting. We will get all the necessary approvals needed to move forward with a decision and direction during the first quarter of 2017. People ask: How can I help? Renew your membership. Regardless of our decision, we will need members to ensure a healthy sustainable organization moving forward. Share your input. Weigh in locally with your chapter, with your regional rep, or by completing AYP surveys. Continue to support EAF and your local chapter events. We all know that is where the magic happens — the local chapter connections and events are what makes AYP special. Thank you for your time, continued support, and willingness to roll up your sleeves and help us figure out the next best version of our Association of YMCA Professionals.
share wares “We don’t want to look at actions solely as actions, but rather as how they serve the community. Bringing in the community is probably the most important step — that’s where we’re connecting the dots.” Bob Cabeza, vice president of community development, YMCA of Greater Long Beach, in this issue’s cover story on “Building a Culture of Creativity”
December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 1
16 Interested in contributing to AYP magazine? Contact Carla Kalogeridis at 313-884-0988 or ayp_edit@networkmediapartners.com.
Custom Publishing Services provided by Network Media Partners, Inc.
Advertising Contact: Holly Klarman hklarman@networkmediapartners.com 410-584-1946 AYP magazine is published bimonthly by the Association of YMCA Professionals. ©2016 by the Association of YMCA Professionals. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission. Address copyright queries to ayp_edit@networkmediapartners.com Annual subscription to AYP magazine is $35 (international is an additional $75 a year) and is included in the membership dues for AYP members. If you are unsure of your subscription status, please contact Josh Cruz at josh@ayponline.org or call 413-748-3884. Statement of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or members of AYP. AYP magazine connects, inspires, and advances the leaders of the YMCA through an exploration in leadership arts, thereby inciting creativity, strength, and strategic thinking.
Association Media & Publishing 2015 Silver EXCEL Award, General Excellence 2015 Bronze EXCEL Award, Design Excellence 2012 Silver EXCEL Award, Most Improved, 50,000 or fewer APEX 2014 Award of Excellence, Magazine, Journal & Tabloid Writing 2013 Award of Excellence, Magapaper & Newspaper Writing 2012 Grand Award, Design and Illustration 2012 Award of Excellence, Design and Illustration 2012 Award of Excellence, Magazine & Journal Writing Printed in the United States of America
2 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
Building a Culture of Creativity By Thomas Marcetti Serving members’ changing needs requires a steady influx of ideas. Luckily, creativity is not just something you’re born with.
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NUR TUR E YOU R W ORKFO RCE , GRO W YOUR MISSION When it comes to delivering on your mission, your workforce is at the root of your success. With the right human capital management partner, you can trim costs, grow efficiency, ensure workforce compliance, increase employee engagement, and cultivate the meaningful member experiences you care so much about. Kronos® partners with a growing community of YMCAs to help better manage their largest expense and most valuable asset — the workforce. With intuitive, easy-to-use tools, YMCAs can control costs, streamline processes, and help employees get back to what they do best — delivering on your mission. Learn more at www.kronos.com/ymca.
©2016 Kronos Incorporated. Kronos and the Kronos logo are registered trademarks and Workforce Innovation That Works is a trademark of Kronos Incorporated or a related company. All other product and company names are used for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective owners. All specifications are subject to change.
AYP National Board of Directors Chair Sandy Morander, YMCA of Greater San Antonio Chair-Elect Sal Cisneros, Channel Islands YMCA Treasurer Kelly Kay, YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City Secretary Kimberly Moser, Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Immediate Past Chair David Byrd, YMCA of Greater Kansas City Theresa Hillis, Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA Harry Rock, Springfield College Kim Moser, Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Tracy Miller, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington Michael Bright, YMWCA of Newark and Vicinity Ted Wenta, YMCA of Snohomish County Craig Heinrichs, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis Terri Radcliff, YMCA of the USA Lisa Ramirez, YMCA of Greater San Antonio Ebony Young, YMCA of Greater New York Jon Agnew, Philadelphia and Freedom Valley YMCA
EAF Board Chair Eric Ellsworth, YMCA of Greater Indianapolis Chair-Elect George Romell, YMCA of Greater Rochester Secretary/Treasurer Bob Hastedt, YMCA Retirement Fund Teresa Rogers, Volusia-Flagler YMCA Karen Leslie, YMCA of Greater Providence Rig Riggins, YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh Dick Bennett, Lake County (Ohio) YMCA Krystal Canady, YMCA of Eastern Union County Joan Lovell, YMCA of the USA Jim Havlick, Association of YMCA Retirees Tracy Miller, YMCA of Metropolitan Washington Andy Vamis, YMCA of San Francisco Rob Wilkinson, Kishwaukee Family YMCA Sean Elliot, Philadelphia and Freedom Valley YMCA Alan Hostrup, YMCA of Greater Los Angeles
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AYP Mission The Association of YMCA Professional inspires, connects and empowers Y leaders to achieve personal excellence to support the movement.
AYP Fundamental Principles Innovate, Lead, Support — these guide the AYP focus and Its leadership Data Driven, Defined Outcomes, Relevant, Network Plus — these shape the development, delivery and direction of AYP experiences
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14
feature Creating a Culture of Prevention
postings
Serious assessment is key to protecting people, especially children
News from AYP chapters and members
32
marketplace
34
spirituality
got a minute? Sarah Halby, YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities
findings
the science of... Music
feature Don’t Wait for a Crash Start taking care of yourself
Items of Interest from vendors and partners
Unwrapping Your Gift Use whatever gift you have received to serve others
Silence at Work is a Good Thing
Studies show background music can set a team up for success
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Notes from the field
5 Ways Leaders Can Take Charge in an Era of Digital Disruption
Kimberly Moser, Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Theresa Hillis, Kandiyohi County Area YMCA Richard Bennett, Lake County YMCA
Stitzer YMCA Center, 2nd Floor Springfield College 263 Alden St. Springfield, MA 01109 www.ayponline.org Tel: 413-748-3884 Fax: 413-748-3872
Share Wares
Four-Step Design for Culture Change
AYP Editorial Advisory Group
Association of YMCA Professionals
perspective
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body, mind, spirit Unhelpful work habits, what constitutes true harmony, and a basic math puzzle
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postings
CHAPTER 42
Jill Doerner, Chapter 45 AYP president, left,
Jill Doerner, Chapter 45 AYP president, left,
Minnesota
congratulates AYP Leadership and Emerg-
celebrates with AYP Leadership and Emerging
Kristin Reither has been named the new branch director for the Maplewood Community Center in Maplewood, Minnesota. Most recently, Reither served as the director of healthy living for the Eagan YMCA, leading aquatics, fitness, and older adult programming. Reither has also led Day Camp Kici Yapi, various youth development programs, organized a $90,000 gala fundraiser, and served as the sports director for the Southdale YMCA. While at the Burnsville YMCA, she led one of the largest Youth in Government delegations in the state. She is an AYP board member and has been a participant in both the Sioux YMCA Initiative as well as the German YMCA exchange.
ing Leaders award winner Kaleena Escallier
Leaders award winner Brooke Hall, Greater
Slusser, McGaw YMCA Children’s Center.
Joliet Area YMCA.
CHAPTER 45
Illinois Mentor Program Kick Off. Chapter 45 is matching up mentors and mentees for its new mentoring program. Members of the program team have been busy recruiting participants for the program and launched a sign-up drive during the Annual Fall Staff Rally in October. The program will pair longtime Y staff with emerging Y professionals who are looking for coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities. Pairs will begin working together in January. Mentors and mentees will be followed up with throughout the year to ensure it is a meaningful use of time for both parties. Pairs will be matched based on areas of expertise and areas of desired growth. Fifteen pairs will start 2017 off together, and the program team hopes to add more mentors and mentees as the year goes on.
Your News is Our News
Annual Fall Staff Rally. More than 250 Y professionals attended the annual staff rally on October 4–5 in Bloomington, Illinois. The rally is a collaborative event hosted by the Illinois State Alliance and AYP. “We have closely linked arms with the Illinois State Alliance as a strategic partnership to create professional development growth opportunities within the state of Illinois,” says Jill Doerner, Chapter 45 AYP president and vice president of member services and sales at YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. During the rally, Doerner presented AYP Leadership and Emerging Leaders awards to Kaleena Escallier Slusser, senior director youth development, McGaw YMCA Children’s Center, and Brooke Hall, membership director, Greater Joliet Area YMCA.
AYP members and chapters are encouraged to submit personnel announcements and promotions, YMCA news, and other stories to Thomas Marcetti at ayp_edit@ networkmediapartners.com.
New Board Members. The chapter also recently welcomed four new board members: Cami Loving, healthy living director at Kishwaukee Family YMCA; Robyn Ostrem, executive director at Sage YMCA in Crystal Lake; Candy Conrad, associate executive director at Warren County YMCA; and David Zielinski, operations director at YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.
SPREAD THE WORD
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In the Last 10 Years... Shoes donated by Y’s have generated
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Seedlings in Y Village Nursery
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Please join 150 US YMCA’s to collect used athletic shoes for Trees. “Your generous support using our FREE shoe collection program has made these amazing results possible. Every pair of donated athletic shoes provides ten trees that create a ton of grounding tree carbon and farm income for generations.”. Gratefully - Jim Riordan Director
MOREFoundationGroup.org Order a free box online today and make a real difference, or call 302-470-1513.
got a minute?
sarah
HALBY Digital Marketing Specialist, YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities
Your idea of perfect happiness? A good book, my dog, and Scotch Your greatest fear? Being impaled by a bike spoke, no joke Historical figure you identify with? Amelia Earhart Living person you identify with? Elizabeth Warren Your favorite fictional hero? Hermione Granger Favorite real-life hero? Malala Yousafzai Your greatest achievement? Getting my Professional Association of Diving Instructors certification Favorite food? Cheese (you can take the girl out of Wisconsin …) Where you would most like to be? Exploring a new city Greatest extravagance? Traveling the world Ultimate vacation? An extended trip in Asia What tops your bucket list? Skydiving and visiting Morocco Trait you deplore? Flakiness Your greatest regret? Not loving myself earlier Where you were the happiest? Studying abroad in Glasgow, Scotland Which talent would you most like to share? My desire to constantly learn One thing about yourself that you would
ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY MORROW
change? Learn how to truly relax What you like best about your YMCA co-workers? How passionate they are for their jobs What you like best about your YMCA members? Their enthusiasm What inspires you more than anything else? My husband and his sincerity What is the lowest depth of misery? Not being able to escape a vicious cycle Where would you like to live? Seattle or London Your most obvious characteristic? I’m a planner Quality you like most in a friend? Trustworthy Quality you like most in a co-worker? Hardworking and a good attitude Quality you like most in a man? A dreamer who gets things done Quality you like most in a woman? Supportive of other women and their goals Quality you like most in a child? Wonder and imagination Your favorite writer? Neil Gaiman Your favorite movie? The Sound of Music What keeps you up at night? Past mistakes Your favorite names? Rowan, Ealasaid How to secure the viability of the YMCA movement? Passionate people with new ideas Your motto? There’s nothing that hard work, time, and coffee cannot solve. How this interview made you feel? I’m ready for more coffee.
partner program
AYP Partners support our community The AYP Partner Program is designed to help connect Y professionals with vendors and suppliers that have made a commitment to AYP. AYP Partners want to support the Y movement and provide you and your facility with the best products, services, and solutions. You can find AYP Professional Partners featured in AYP magazine, at www.AYPonline. org, and at AYP events throughout the year. Consider supporting the companies that support your association — just look for the AYP Partner logo.
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findings WORKFORCE
Silence at Work is a Good Thing — For Introverts and Extroverts Alike Recent studies point to silence as one of many ways to improve the way we work. By Jennifer V. Miller I am the offspring of two very different personality types: a gregarious extrovert and a studious introvert. My youth was shaped by my mother’s extroverted style. She had a positive, upbeat energy and effortless charm in social situations. From her, I learned how to thrive outside the safety of my home. But in my heart of hearts, the quiet suited me, and I was always very comfortable in the protracted silence that marked time spent with my introverted father. We were both quite fond of sitting together, with nothing more than “just being” as our objective. By the time Susan Cain published Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking in 2012, I was already well-versed in the differences between introverts and extroverts. I’ve noticed that since Cain’s work brought the concepts of introversion into the mainstream media, some people have written about this personality type as if you are an introvert or you are an extrovert. It’s not an either-or proposition. Introversion and extroversion are at the opposite ends of a continuum. Some people identify as “very introverted,” others as “somewhat introverted.” Many people value their downtime, including the very extroverted person who occasionally needs to get away from it all.
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I find this is very true for me. After a long day of networking at a business conference, the last thing I want to do is mosey on down to the bar and have drinks with colleagues. If business dictates that I do so, then I have to at a minimum find a quiet space for a few minutes to gather my thoughts and give myself a silence boost before I can re-engage. So regardless of your external display of energy, take note of these four potential benefits to be gained by incorporating a bit of silence into your work routine:
1. Enhanced decision-making. According to a Harvard Business Review article on how to have more “Aha!” moments, silence in the form of meditating is especially powerful for creating a break-through moment. 2. Less stress. A 2007 study in Journal of Clinical Psychology shows that as little as five minutes of silence can relieve stress. 3. Improved self-awareness. The ability to understand your strengths and weaknesses is an important aspect of improving your emotional intelligence (EQ).
According to an article in Nautilus science magazine, brain research shows that one of the benefits of staying quiet is to allow your brain to more easily process what’s going on in the background of your mental processing. Daniel A. Gross writes, “Freedom from noise and goal-directed tasks unites the quiet without and within, allowing our conscious workspace to do its thing, to weave ourselves into the world, to discover where we fit in.”
4. Better focus. Rasmus Hougaard is the managing director for The Potential Project, a company that specializes in teaching mindfulness techniques to business people. Mindfulness, which often involves sitting quietly for a few minutes, has been shown to help people reduce distractions from their busy daily lives. “Our research has shown as much as a 30 percent increase in focus,” for clients who routinely practice mindfulness, Hougaard notes.
WHEN YOU BUILD A few moments of quiet into your day, you can relieve stress, improve your focus, and make better decisions.
Silence — it’s not just for the introverts among us. When you build a few moments of quiet into your day, you can relieve stress, improve your focus, and make better decisions. Who would have thought the absence of sound could be so good for us?
Jennifer V. Miller, leadership development consultant and blogger at “The People Equation”.
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December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 11
findings COMMUNICATION
Four-Step Design for Culture Change One of our greatest challenges to culture change is over-complication. Because the work of affecting and enriching culture means that we delve into the intangible realm of exploring how we feel about things, how our teammates feel about things, how our customers feel about our brand, how our investors feel, how our community feels, and so on, we tend to avoid taking the plunge. In business, we’re taught to focus on the tangible and measurable elements of how businesses operate. We strive to create and refine systems. We search for technologies and tools to make our process easier and more streamlined. And we hunt perpetually for the next idea that will fulfill a new need, leverage a niche, or edge us out over a competitor. In fact, if we overthink the process, we’re actually doing the opposite of what is required to evolve culture, which is to feel, to express, to listen, and intuit. Too much thinking and analysis keeps us in our heads and cuts the flow of the feeling-centered effort that is required to move culture forward. Occam’s razor is a philosophical concept used by scientists to guide their discovery process. The concept says that, when comparing competing hypotheses, the more simple explanation is more likely correct. Many great thinkers have espoused the virtues of simplicity over complexity, and I would offer that a simplistic approach to culture is vital to success. And so in the interest of simplicity and Occam’s razor, and to provide a discernible path to culture change, we offer the following very simple four-step design for culture change.
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Step One: We widen our perspective to people, planet, and profits. Step Two: We come to understand how our company functions. Step Three: We accept the reality of our company regardless of what it looks like.
Step Four: We courageously and continually engage in a process of growth and evolution. Notice that these steps are written as “we” statements, indicating that culture work is a collective process. These steps are also written as action statements, not rules or guidelines. That is because culture is a non-static and continually evolving process — it may look like one action or direction one day, and another direction or action the next. The connecting threads are these simple four steps. Much could be written about each of these four steps, and entire books have, in fact, been written about each one. My book, Shift: Indigenous Principles for Corporate Change, is largely about step one. The value in these steps is that — together — they represent a simple reminder of where to keep our focus. All we have to do is trust the process.
Glenn Geffcken is an author, speaker, business coach, and organization culture expert and partner of Balanced Is.
LEADERSHIP
5 Ways Leaders Can Take Charge in an Era of Digital Disruption The rapid advancement of technology continues to change the world – and the marketplace – faster than many organizations can keep up, disrupting all their plans and threatening to render them obsolete. That’s why it may be time for leaders to take the initiative and start doing a little disrupting of their own, says Dushyant Sukhija, a former executive with Cisco Systems and author of The Cisco Way: Leadership Lessons Learned from One of the World’s Greatest Technology Services Companies. “We’re in an era of digital disruption,” he says. “As leaders, if you don’t transform to master the disruption, you’ll get disrupted.” Digital disruption is how technology can transform everything about the way organizations are run and interact with their members and clients. Sukhija says those in leadership positions can guide their organizations through the new digital era by following a simple five-step operational blueprint: Execute a compelling vision. Focus on developing a vision that is disruptive to your industry and think three to five years out. Engage your members and partners in the process. Clarify and articulate the value to your stakeholders. Ensure that your entire organization and ecosystem internalizes and drives in formation toward that vision. Build robust execution plans and review your performance regularly.. Adopt a partner-centric model to deliver. Collaboration is core to delivering superior competitive advantage with speed in the new digital world. Pick the right partners to build unique and sustainable value for your core. Reinvent yourself. A nimble organization that can read market transitions and adapt itself to refocus on cheaper and faster ways to deliver new value is best suited to lead through the digital disruption. Deploy a governance process to listen, learn, execute, lead and adjust to changing market dynamics and competitiveness. Turn people into your secret weapon. Employees are the true intellectual capital of every organization and that means leaders must invest in their people to enable them to help navigate the digital transformation. Align employees to a common goal and create a nurturing environment. Harness their intellectual horsepower to drive exceptional thought leadership. Accelerate the speed of innovation. Innovation is not just about technology but also about how you organize yourself and how you engage your customers.. Resource sharing and clustering talent should come into laser-sharp focus to get closer to your customers and streamline your business. Learn from your members by engaging them in your innovation cycles. Become nimble to react to changing market needs and adapt to them. “Digital disruption is bound to propel the rise of new groups that master the digital transformation and bring about the demise of those that fail to do so,” Sukhija says. “As a leader, you can either take the steps to embrace it or risk being left behind.”
December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 13
the science of... SOUND
Background Music Doesn’t Just Set a Mood —It Can Set a Team Up for Success Findings show upbeat music makes people more cooperative and collaborative. By Jill Suttie
A
new study suggests that happy, rhythmic music increases cooperative behavior — and that may be good news for organizations and supervisors. Last summer, I took my niece shopping at an urban clothing store in New York City. While she shopped, I couldn’t help but notice the music blaring on the store’s speaker system — it left my ears ringing and my nerves shot. I could only take it for about a half-hour before I had to leave the store. I’m sure the music was designed to appeal to the younger crowd shopping there — a.k.a. not me — and certainly, music has been shown to affect buying behavior. But it made me wonder: What about the people who work there and can’t leave the store? Does the music affect them? A new study recently published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior suggests that background music can influence people in surprising ways that could have special relevance for team leaders designing workspaces or member experiences. In the study, Cornell University researcher Kevin Kniffin and his colleagues mimicked a workplace by paying university students to participate in an economics game while listening
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to music. Participants received tokens (worth money at the end of the experiment) and could choose to anonymously donate some of them to a pool, where they would be multiplied and redistributed among the players. Since players stood to make the most money if everyone gave all of their tokens, the number of tokens donated acted as a measure of their willingness to cooperate. During the many rounds of the game, participants were randomly assigned to listen to either happy, rhythmic music (e.g., the pop song “I’m Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves) or unhappy, non-rhythmic music (e.g., the heavy metal song “Smokahontas” by Attack Attack!) in the background.
The results showed that participants who listened to happy music were more likely to cooperate —regardless of their age, gender, or academic major —than those who listened to unhappy music. Perhaps it’s not surprising that happy music makes us happy, and happy people are more cooperative. But that wasn’t exactly what was going on. In a second experiment, researchers found that happy music was linked to increased cooperation, whether or not it boosted participants’ mood. Here, researchers added a control group that didn’t listen to music and measured participants’ moods before, during, and after playing the game. Results again showed that the happy-music group cooperated more than the unhappy or no-music groups. And, while a better mood was tied to greater cooperation, it couldn’t account for the differences between groups. In other words, something else about happy, rhythmic music seemed to be encouraging cooperation. According to Kniffin, this finding fits with previous research on music showing that it can increase cooperative behavior through synchronization among listeners. “When people are presented with a steady rhythm or beat, they are inclined to mimic that beat and, in turn, get in sync,” he says. “That translates naturally into more cooperation during decision-making.” Though results from this study are preliminary — for example, the researchers didn’t consider the impact of participants liking, disliking, or being familiar with the songs — they do point to the fact that music could impact workers, as well as clients or members. Kniffin believes this is especially relevant to employers. “Compared with expensive off-site team-building retreats, our findings suggest that inexpensive modifications to the office soundscape can boost mood and performance,” he says. More research needs to be done, he says, as too little attention has been paid to how “atmospherics” — the background qualities of the workplace environment — impact worker performance. Some of his previous research has found that simply having workers eat together can increase job performance, yet the employee social climate is often overlooked. If his findings on happy music hold, Kniffin believes they may translate into changes in the workplace that could benefit employees and employers without hurting the bottom line. Hopefully, that New York department store and others like it will take note.
Jill Suttie, Ph.D., is a book review editor and a frequent contributor to the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. This article originally appeared on Greater Good. Read more at greatergood.berkeley.edu.
December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 15
BUILDING A CULTURE OF
CREATIVITY By Thomas Marcetti
Y
ou want to build a better mouse trap? Start by building a better brain. In the Y’s case, better means more creative, more innovative, more unconventional. After all, serving members’ changing needs requires a steady influx of ideas to keep our communities engaged and fulfilled in mind, body, and spirit. Luckily, creativity is not just something you’re born with. As demonstrated again and again by research into brain plasticity — or the ability of the brain to form new pathways and connections — you can actually build yourself a more creative, more innovative brain. How? The simplest answer: By being creative. Creativity, like so many skills or muscles in the body, follows an old adage: Practice makes perfect. For some ideas on how to bring more creativity to your everyday work, we asked some innovative Y professionals their secrets.
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To serve communities’ changing needs, Ys need new, unconventional ideas and thinkers. Here are some ways you can build creativity.
December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 17
LAST THINGS FIRST
IN THIS MULTIFACETED world, in this multifaceted organization — where one group has 100 kids and another has two kids — one solution won’t work. Frederick J. Riley National Director of Urban and Youth Development, Membership and Programs YMCA of the USA
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Frederick J. Riley doesn’t mind the idiom “first things first.” He just prefers that the first things include last things as well. “Right at the beginning, I always ask, ‘If you solved this tomorrow, what does success look like?’” Riley says. “Sometimes, people look at a problem and dive right in. If they lose sight of where they going or don’t know what a good answer looks like, they might end up solving a problem, but not the problem.” Riley is the national director of urban and youth development, membership and programs for YMCA of the USA. When Riley took over Y-USA’s teen programs portfolio a few years ago, he says the first thing he and his team did was create five pillars to evaluate each program’s success. Did they provide academic assistance, post high school preparation, identity and personal growth training, life skills, and peer relationship skills? “We were looking at what will be important to these teens 10, 15, 20 years down the road,” he says. “We have some great programs. Some programs needed more attention than others. Some were doing just fine on their own. But some, even some of the great ones, needed redirection.” The result has been a bevy of new or re-envisioned programs for teens across the country. Riley says the ability to take framework and apply it across numerous branches and demographics is important to the Y’s mission. “One solution is fine. One solution might be a great solution for some Ys. But in this multifaceted world, in this multifaceted organization — where one group has 100 kids and another has two kids — one solution won’t work. What you need is one over-arching goal to turn one solution into many solutions.” Riley says it’s important to remember that creative approaches and planning are important even for everyday issues and operations. “God bless the people who have to make calls on their feet every day. It’s a fastpaced operation and it’s important to be able to make quick decisions,” he says. “It’s still important to keep that end goal in mind so we can adequately take care of all the things in the middle.” As an example, if a member approaches staff to complain about the temperature in the whirlpool, the fast fix is changing the temperature in the whirlpool. “That’s good, because it addresses an important goal: membership satisfaction. However, if I place a cover over the temperature control so no one can change it, we can assure it stays steady for everyone. Now the solution solves the long-term goal. If people get used to keeping the end result in mind, it gets easy to wrap their mind around long-term solutions.” That approach can lead to fewer seat-of-the-pants moments, which in turn means more time for other issues. That’s why Riley says creative approaches are needed at all levels of an organization.
“CEOs certainly need to have the long-term-planning mindset,” he says. “But front-line staff — the people who are the eyes and ears of what we do every day — are the first ones who are going to see the effects of our efforts. If they can get away from transactional thinking about their job and look for the transformational opportunities, they will see things we can’t. For example, someone swiping cards at the front desk might notice a member who lost a lot of weight and be able to offer support for that person’s journey.”
ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW Missy Huppert, marketing coordinator of YMCA Greater Twin Cities in Minnesota and regional representative for AYP Chapter 42, likes to look at a problem or a project from as many angles as possible. “It’s easy to get caught up looking at the data, the process, and what we think the problem is. When that happens, we lose sight of part of the process or the end result that really needs our attention,” she says. Huppert says as a project nears completion or if she needs a boost of creativity, she likes to bring in people who are not connected to the task. “They can give it a fresh look and see the outcome from a different perspective,” she says. “They can see things in the project that I may not have seen. Of course, the earlier you can bring people in, the better. I like to bring in people who are not connected right from the beginning.”
SEVEN YOUTHS WHO went through our program are now on my board ... helping create the next generation. Bob Cabeza Vice President of Community Development YMCA of Greater Long Beach
December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 19
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY are a little more free to make suggestions, or run ideas by me than they would have in the past. It allows for that team — and me — to be more innovative. If you give people a voice in the process, they will use it. Missy Huppert Marketing Coordinator YMCA Greater Twin Cities in Minnesota and Regional Representative for AYP Chapter 42
For example, Huppert says she recently was working with a group on a camp facility. The team was very happy with the way things turned out until they brought in focus groups. “We found out that we thought some of our offerings were better than they were,” she says. “We had a great facility, great food, a great staff to facilitate team building and conference programs. But we didn’t have paved roads. We didn’t have wi-fi. For corporate groups, without those two things, all of our great things didn’t matter as much.” Getting an outside look at the bigger picture helped the team re-assess the camp facility, their process, and their target audience. But Huppert stresses that collaboration doesn’t have to be one of the final steps. In fact, she urges bringing people in at any stage, especially early on. “The more I have buy-in and input from the beginning, the greater the outcome,” she says. “I obviously can’t do it on every single project – I work with 17 different locations. If I can’t work with an entire team — for example, if I’m working on a brochure for 10 camps, I can’t run work through every step with 10 camp directors — I can bring in three or four people. I’m still getting the feedback I need, and I usually get more buy-in because the other directors know their peers had input.” Huppert says the buy-in is important for a lot of obvious reasons, but also because it means those people will be more open to alternative approaches in the future. The increased trust means more creativity and more collaboration. “When they realize that I’m in this for them, to provide the best support possible for them, it makes other projects easier,” she says. “Those times when I can’t collaborate — because of deadlines or whatever — I have more buy-in and support because I’ve brought them in on other projects.” She says the collaboration builds on itself, and the more people are involved, the more they want to be involved and want to contribute. “They feel like they are a little more free to make suggestions or run ideas by me than they would have in the past,” she says. “It allows for that team — and me — to be more innovative. If you give people a voice in the process, they will use it.”
BUILDING A CULTURE OF CREATIVITY Bob Cabeza decided a long time ago that the best way to have a lot of new, innovative ideas was to listen to a lot people who are hungry to learn. So the vice president of community development for YMCA of Greater Long Beach set out to create a culture of learning, creativity, and sharing. Cabeza admits some of his success at creating a very creative team would be hard to replicate quickly, because he’s been building his culture for decades. “Seven of the youths who went through our program are now on my board,” he says. “They are doctors and engineers, and they are now helping create the next generation thanks to some of our programs. We need to be intentional and longterm. Instead of talking programs, we’re talking development. We’re talking about where the kid will be in 10 years.”
20 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
BRAINSTORMING — THE RIGHT WAY In group brainstorming, there are no bad ideas, which is fortunate given that group brainstorming actually might be a pretty bad idea all by itself. Group brainstorming is probably the most widely used method to spark creativity and innovative problem solving in a team setting. In part, this is because the rules are simple: Generate as many ideas as possible. Prioritize unusual ideas. Combine and refine. Abstain from criticism. There are certainly benefits to the approach: the feeling of democracy, group buy-in, and utilization of broader ranges of skill sets. Alex Osborn, who introduced the group-brainstorm structure as a technique in the 1940s, said the process should increase productivity by 50 percent. Unfortunately for Osborn, there is still no evidence of any increased productivity from brainstorming. In fact, a Yale University study conducted in 1958 found just the opposite. Two groups were tasked with solving a problem. The first group was instructed to work together; the second was instructed to work individually. The second group produced twice as many unique solutions as the group that was brainstorming. Studies like this have been repeated often since then, with similar outcomes. The apparent paradox — that a technique lauded for its ability to create a multitude of ideas actually hinders creativity — was explored by Ralph L. Keeney in his 2012 paper, “Value-Focused Brainstorming,” in the Decision Analysis journal. Keeney, professor emeritus of the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, noted that brainstorming can be a very useful tool, but noted some major flaws. “When the group collectively is working on generating alternatives, it is generally expected that one person will speak at any given time and the others will listen. When participants listen, they naturally anchor their thinking on the ideas being presented by the participant speaking,” he wrote. “It is difficult to listen and contribute to creating one group alternative and simultaneously think about very distinct alternatives that you may be able to generate.” What Keeney refers to as anchoring is also known to psychologists as conformity pressure. In brainstorming, the most obvious ideas are usually the first to be offered. Any kind of positive response to the idea lends it credence, whether it deserves it or not. Each person who lends positive reinforcement to the idea (one of the rules of group brainstorming) creates pressure both internally and externally on people to join the community and agree it is a good idea. This process takes time and energy, which is then not used to develop new avenues. Keeney’s value-focused brainstorming, also called brainwriting, requires that people work on solutions individually before the group meeting. By laying out the objective beforehand, people come up with ideas without the pressure of the anchor. Once everyone has written down their ideas, they are shared with the group and evaluated based on merit rather than who was louder or quicker to speak. “Individuals have minds, and groups do not,” Keeney wrote. “The purpose of having individuals create alternatives alone prior to any interaction is to allow each individual to provide their best thoughts because (1) they do not get distracted or anchored on spoken thoughts of others, and (2) their personal contributions, and lack of contributions, are more recognizable.”
December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 21
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22 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
This was the impetus behind Cabeza’s nationally recognized urban youth summer program. Cabeza describes the program as a combination of Outward Bound and hard vocational skills. The youths experience the outdoors and camping, but then are engaged in courses such as software engineering, 3-D printing, marketing, and media. “We’re giving them tools for the world, for college,” Cabeza says. “Then, when they graduate college, we hire them.” Cabeza did offer some tips for anyone who doesn’t necessarily want to wait for a team that has to go through the full, formative education system. It starts by making sure people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and even to fail. “There has to be a culture of learning,” he says. “There are a lot of Ys that get caught up in the hierarchy. They become so title-oriented, that people’s voices get lost. It doesn’t take long for people to figure out they are not being heard. If they don’t simply leave, they stop offering their ideas or their input.” Thanks to an off-hand comment by a young staffer, Cabeza says his was the first Y to do away with landlines and go to all cellphones. “They were complaining about being tied to their desk by the landline. So we said, ‘Why not put everyone on cellphones?’” Cabeza says. “The metro office was very leery at first. After they got used to it, they love it. And the move cut phone costs by 40 percent and improved productivity by 20 percent. Listening to different stakeholders creates innovation.” Part of that listening process also involves knowing the team. Cabeza says the first thing to do is to look inward. “What are we good at? Where is the innovation coming from on the team? What skillsets do people bring to the table?” he says. “Look at how you allow your staff or the team to get the skills and information they need to make informed decisions. “Why we are doing what we’re doing is more important that what we’re doing,” he says. “We don’t want to look at actions solely as actions, but rather how they serve the community. Bringing in the community is probably the most important step; that’s where we’re connecting the dots.”
Thomas Marcetti is associate editor for AYP.
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December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 23
Don’t Wait for a Crash:
Start Taking Care of Yourself By Thomas Marcetti
Proactive pursuits of emotional wellness provide the fuel needed for those serving the Y mission.
T
here is a pretty good reason airlines tell you to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others with theirs: You’re not going to be able to help anyone if you’re passed out in the aisle from your own oxygen deprivation. But in our day-to-day life, Y professionals often forego the proverbial oxygen masks, preferring to steam ahead without any assistance — especially when it comes to their own emotional well-being. Derek Smith, vice president of operations at YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth, says this can be very common among people who work at organizations like the Y. “Part of it is the nature of the work,” Smith says. “It’s not uncommon to be so focused on helping others that we sometimes forget to help ourselves. But we must take care of ourselves so that we can take care of others.” Of course, one of the benefits of working at the YMCA is that caring for your emotional or mental well-being is part of the core mission.
December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 25
IT’S NOT UNCOMMON to be so focused on helping others that we sometimes forget to help ourselves. Derek Smith Vice President of Operations YMCA of Metropolitan Forth Worth
MIND, BODY, AND spirit need to be in balance. If one area is out of balance, one or two or all three areas can go sideways. David Byrd President and CEO YMCA of Greater Kansas City
26 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
David Byrd, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, points out that caring for one’s self clearly begins with the values of the Y. He encourages people to consider their actions and interactions through the filter of body, mind, and spirit. “If you’re practicing them on a day-to-day basis, life is a pretty good place,” he says. “As you think about the original YMCA triangle, it’s on point. That means balance. Mind, body, and spirit need to be in balance. If one area is out of balance, one or two or all three areas can go sideways.” When we find ourselves going sideways, it not only affects us and keeps us from helping others, but it might actually go far enough to have negative effects. “There is a saying ‘Hurt people hurt people,’” Byrd says. “We all have stuff. We all have struggles.” As each of us go through life, Byrd says we have fingerprints put on us by the people we meet, the people we interact with. “For young people especially, these are vitally important. It will shape their lives. And there are plenty enough chances for negative fingerprints,” he says. “We want to make sure we give them positive ones. We can, and should, be positive forces in their lives.” So where are these proverbial oxygen masks? One of the best and most suggested ways to improve emotional wellness is to exercise or just get up and move. Smith says the activity is not only good for you, it can be a distraction for your mind. It can give you a chance to disconnect and recharge or to let your mind work through some things more unconsciously or serendipitously. He says he tries to exercise every night when he gets home, whether by himself or with his two sons. But you don’t have to wait until you get home to get some of that relief. Smith points out there are many opportunities throughout the day for people to get up and get some exercise. Even a walk at lunch is good break from the day. And being at the Y also means you don’t have to go far for additional options. “There’s nothing wrong with going on break, taking a swim, or working out using the facilities that are readily available to you,” Smith said. “Plus there is something to be said for setting an example for members and staff. If they see you doing the same things they are doing, working toward the same goals they are working toward, that’s outstanding. That can be a real connection.” Connecting with fellow Y workers and supporting each other can be hugely beneficial. Smith and Byrd both stress the importance for executives and senior leadership to be shepherds of a culture of support and well-being. “There is a saying I always go back to: ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,’” Byrd says. That’s why Byrd says he particularly enjoys the Greater Kansas City Y’s Transformer Awards. The awards are given out at each all-staff meeting and are selected through peer nomination and recognition. “They actually get a little plastic toy Transformer and we recognize them for something they did that was transformative,” he says. “People love it, because it’s fun, but more so because they are nominated by their teammates for going the extra mile, for reaching out to those in need.”
Ultimately, some of the most powerful emotional well-being comes from being able to ask for help, from being able to admit you’re the one in need. Byrd says too often people are afraid to be humble or vulnerable and try to hide their struggles or bottle them up. But it doesn’t work. Over the years, Byrd says he’s made it through some very rough patches with the help of a close group of people. There are four or five of them spread out all over the place, but they are incredibly important to him. He calls them his go-to people, his kitchen cabinet group (because they are always there), and his mentors. “People have a lot of names for these types of people in their lives,” he says, “but what matters is that I know I can pick up the phone and they will be there. They will tell me the truth, sometimes even when I don’t want to hear it. They are totally candid with me. But I know they always have my best interests at heart.” He says the relationship is a two-way street, and he often helps his people in the same way they have helped him. That reciprocal caring can be what your time at the Y is all about. “Y work is a calling. Many times, it becomes part of who you are and what you do,” Byrd says. “It’s a tough place, out in the world. There are a lot of people looking for a hero, looking for a cheerleader, for someone to help pick them up. The more someone is emotionally well, the more they can help people. It can be the most difficult work, but it’s the most rewarding.”
Thomas Marcetti is associate editor for AYP.
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December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 27
CREATING a Culture of Prevention By Thomas Marcetti
Proactive strategies and serious assessment are key to protecting people, especially children.
28 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
W
hen Kevin Trapani talks about respect, responsibility, honesty, and caring, he’s not just reciting values he learned as a kid growing up in the Y.
Trapani says these values play a big role in what he does every day as president and CEO of an insurance underwriter and risk management agency, the Redwoods Group. Trapani says it takes a lot of intentional work to create and maintain that culture. “Who we are isn’t who we say we are — it’s what we do,” he says. “If you think about the values of the Y, it makes sense. If we are going to communicate the values of the Y, we have to live the values. Too often we think about risk management in terms of compliance instead of commitment. Our culture should be one of a commitment to respect, responsibility, honesty, and caring. That’s how we can keep people safe.” Creating a culture of commitment and prevention is a goal of many organizations, especially those like the Y that are so closely tied to the protection of children. However, as many risk assessors will tell you, having that goal and fully executing the goal are two very different things. To truly live up to the goal requires ingraining the protocols and the values behind them into the DNA of an organization.
THERE HAS TO BE A great deal of intentionality. It can’t be just one training. There have to be goals and then daily reinforcement. Anne Calvo Senior Director,, YMCA of the USA
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THEY SAY, ‘WE THOUGHT we had a policy for that. Everyone knows what the policy is, but it’s not written anywhere.’ Britt Darwin-Looney VP, Youth Development Services Praesidium
Trapani — himself a former Y kid who now takes his children to the Y — says creating or reinforcing a culture of prevention is not usually a quick process. He knows because he has the data to prove it. Redwoods aggregates insurance data and shares it with their clients to help keep children safer than they otherwise would be, Trapani says. The company almost exclusively serves Ys. One of the greatest areas of concern for Trapani is the gap between protocol and practice. Overall, he thinks Ys do a good job paying attention in many areas where it’s needed — “not adequate yet, but good,” he says. Generally, areas that are not getting enough focus include: aquatic safety; child sexual abuse from adults and peers; transportation; elevation risk such as climb-walls and zip lines; and slips, trips, and falls. “People die in the gap between practice and protocol,” he says. “Our goal, as a movement, is to have a culture to eliminate that gap. That has to be true in the pool and true in the board room. This topic really needs to be driven from the C-level. There are a lot of Ys with risk managers. That’s great, but it has to be the CEO’s set issue.” As an example, Trapani notes that there are as many adults drowning in pools at Ys as children. On the one hand, it is good news that so few children are drowning. However, the majority of adult drownings are related to extended-breath-hold training. “Ys don’t allow extended-breath-hold training. Lifeguards are instructed what to look for, how to respond to it, and how to prevent people trying to use Y pools for this training,” he says. “For some reason, the practice doesn’t match the protocol.”
STARTING THE CONVERSATION
TOO OFTEN WE THINK about risk management in terms of compliance instead of commitment. That’s how we can keep people safe. Kevin Trapani President/CEO, The Redwoods Group
30 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
Trapani says an important first step — one you can take today — is to engage in candid dialogue. From the volunteers to front-line staff, it’s important for everyone on the team to be heard and to be involved. “You need to find the gap between practice and protocol and hear the ways people suggest to resolve the barriers that create those gaps,” he says. “For example, you have a lifeguard. While they are on duty, they should be always scanning. But if we ask them to test the pool water or remove lane lines, they can’t do that and scan at the same time. That creates a gap. In these ongoing discussions, that lifeguard can say, ‘Testing the pool water means I cannot keep people safe.’ But they might not raise their hand on their own to say that; they might need the invitation of those discussions.” A true assessment of risks and existing policies and practices is at the heart of creating a more mindful culture, so it’s no surprise that it’s also at the heart of a very successful partnership helping make Ys across the country safer.
WORKING TOGETHER A great example of the Y’s commitment to creating a culture of prevention is on display in the partnership between YMCA of the USA and Praesidium, a child sexual-abuse prevention consultancy. Entering its third year of operation, the partnership provides tools and resources to assist Ys in strengthening their abuse prevention systems. In the two years that Praesidium’s Know Your Score! online self-assessment has been available to Ys, more than 620 branches across the
country are using the program, says Britt Darwin-Looney, vice president of youth development services of Praesidium. For each gap identified through the assessment, Praesidium provides a corresponding resource for the Y to create an action plan to help close any gaps in child abuse prevention. “Ys, being a bit ahead of the curve, realize that it’s an investment worth making. By doing this, they are keeping the kids safe,” Darwin-Looney says. Through the partnership, the Praesidium program is free for Ys. Anne Calvo, senior director of child abuse prevention for YMCA of the USA, notes that a great deal of the success of the Praesidium program comes from it being a highly structured and supportive system. The program begins with a self-assessment to identify needs, and then provides resources such as online and onsite training, kits for things like hiring, policy templates, and many other useful tools. “An action plan is created showing them where they are doing well and what they need to work on. Then a year later, we recommend they do it all over again,” she says. “That’s how you create a culture. There has to be a great deal of intentionality on the part of the leadership. You can’t do it one time. It can’t be just one training. There have to be goals and then daily reinforcement.”
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BUILDING HABITS Praesidium’s approach focuses on preventing child sex abuse, but it’s an excellent illustration of a risk management process being put into daily operations in a way that can be modeled and spread to other Ys. “Many times, we hear from Ys that feel the self-assessment opened their eyes,” Darwin-Looney says. “The assessment is going to show them gaps. For example, they say, ‘We thought we had a policy for that. Everyone knows what the policy is, but through the assessment, we realized it’s not actually written anywhere.’ They start to pick up on the small things, especially when they realize that small things can very quickly add up to big things.” Calvo says the program follows a “3-C” path. “Are you complacent, compliant, or committed?” she says. “We want everyone to be committed. My sense is that Ys take protection of children very seriously. They are doing prevention work, but we can always do more. It takes a great deal of intentionality.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit the Y Exchange for more information about the Praesidium self-assessment, training, and resources to prevent child sexual abuse. The program is free for Ys through Y-USA.
SilverSneakers and YMCAs nationwide are helping older adults like Harriet start their well-being journeys.
In fact, 43% of SilverSneakers participants said this was their frst ftness membership.1 We’re proud to help older adults get healthy, but we can’t do it alone. That’s why we partner with hundreds of YMCAs to create healthier communities.
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go.silversneakers.com/ayp and download your free beneft guide. 1. According to the SilverSneakers® Fitness 2014 Annual Participant Survey.
Thomas Marcetti is associate editor for AYP.
December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 31
marketplace
We make it our business to know your business.
When something happens at your YMCA, it may not be a disaster. But no matter what kind of claim you may have, it’s reassuring to know West Bend will handle it with efficiency, professionalism, and compassion. That’s because we understand your business. When a young child lost the tip of her finger after getting it caught in a large metal door at a YMCA daycare, getting good care for her and taking care of the medical bills quickly was important. So that’s just what we did. Your Y is important to you, the people you serve, and your community. It’s also important to us. That’s why we make it our business to know your business.
32 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
Greater Waukesha County Y Uses FreeMotion to Craft Better Workouts At the Greater Waukesha County Y, members are getting motivated and burning more calories thanks to the FreeMotion i11.9 Incline Treadmill. With up to 30 percent incline, users will recruit more muscle and target their quads and glutes while specialized one-step controls provide fast incline-decline and speed and nine built-in workouts. “We have multiple FreeMotion Incline Treadmills in each of our Y facilities,” says Chris Becker, CEO of the Greater Waukesha County YMCA. “Our members love them, and our staff and personal trainers are educated on the benefits of the Incline Treadmill through training from FreeMotion Master Coaches.” Using a built-in, 10-inch, full-color touch screen, members get smart workouts and fast results using iFit Live Technology, workouts Powered by Google Maps, training with Jillian Michaels, and personalized, goal-specific programs.
YMCA of Stevens Point Thankful to Grow With CenterPoint The YMCA of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, has been using CenterPoint Payroll to manage their payroll since 2004. “Our experiences with CenterPoint over the years have been very good,” says Tim Borchardt, director of administrative services at the Stevens Point YMCA. “It has been easy to scale as our operation has grown and becomes more complex with people working in four and more areas, each requiring a different job code. Integrating with Timeforce timekeeping has also saved us countless hours. I am grateful for the partnership our Y has with Red Wing and CenterPoint.”
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Are Your Instructors Helping with Member Retention? Group exercise classes encourage regular workouts for members who may not enjoy training on their own or who want to combine it with other forms of exercise. Have you ever wondered what secret ingredient causes certain group exercise classes to be fully booked, with members coming back for more week after week? Research shows that more often than not, it is the additional coaching skills and personality of the instructor that keeps them coming back. Many assume that the no-pain, no-gain approach to working out gets better physical results. But a recent study found that instructors who use a motivationally adaptive communication style are more successful in retaining participants. The motivational communication style encourages participants by making them feel supported, cared for, respected, and confident. If instructors are encouraging members in this manner, research shows they are much more likely to return, fall in love with fitness, and become a long-term member of your facility. Motivational communication has long been an integral part of Les Mills instructor training. Les Mills instructors understand the importance of catering to all fitness levels and want participants to have a safe and effective workout. Each class requires modifications on how the information is delivered and the type of motivation used to inspire members throughout the workout. These in-depth educational sessions are refreshed every three months to ensure consistency.
VENDORS: ENGAGE WITH AYP COMMUNITY AYP recently released the AYP Partner Program, which gives the YMCA vendors and suppliers better access and engagement with the AYP community. The Partner Program offers marketing packages within your member resources, including this magazine. Know an outstanding company that should become a Partner? Send an email to ayp@networkmediapartners.com.
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December 2016/January 2017 AYP magazine 33
spirituality
Unwrapping Your Gift “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” Romans 12:4-6 In all Y staff and volunteers, I see the gift of service. There is never a job too big or too small. They come together and find the resources needed. They serve out of love and love to serve. I believe working for the YMCA is not a career but a calling. My Y experience did not start until I was 30. I had been working in the corporate world since age 19. I had a gift for working with numbers, but not a passion for it. What I really loved was working with people and helping them discover their gifts. I did volunteer work in my community and wanted to turn that type of experience into a career. I was not sure of the plan, but God was leading me down the path. One day, my company unexpectedly announced it had been sold and would be relocating to Kentucky. Although I had the option of moving with the organization, my family, friends, and home were in Georgia. I started seeking employment and was hired as a business trainer with the YMCA. It was a decision that would forever change my life.
Sheree Slaughter Sheree Slaughter is an executive assistant at the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta and has been with the Y for 19 years. She is an active member of North Avenue Presbyterian Church and volunteers with various organizations in her community.
I taught math, data entry, and professional skills to women who were transitioning from welfare to work. It was mostly single moms who faced many challenges and had little self-confidence. Some were homeless, abused, and scared. Some were ready to give up hope. I found a place where my business skills and love for empowering others were in balance. Through the years, these women taught me far more than I ever taught them. We laughed, cried, celebrated, and formed lifetime friendships. Some of them even ended up working for the Y, which gave me great pride. They all had different gifts to share.
Sadly, our grant eventually ended and so did the program, but my adventures with the Y were far from over. I moved to our corporate office and became a trainer and help-desk consultant for our information technology department. Again, I was able to use my skills while sharing my passion for learning to help empower others. This new opportunity allowed me to see all of the different gifts my Y family had to share. It is humbling and inspiring to work with people every day who are so dedicated to serving others. I see those with the gift of administration helping to steer us toward our goals. I see those with the gift of evangelism sharing the good news through Bible studies and daily devotionals. I see many with the gift of giving cheerfully sharing resources. I see gifts of leadership from those motivating others to get involved and bring out the best in those around them. I see those with the gift of teaching working with children every day to ensure school readiness and improve academic achievement. I see those sharing their gift of wisdom to steer us in making the best decisions in our professional and personal lives. I feel so blessed to be a part of this organization for the past 19 years and cannot wait to see the gifts of the Y staff yet to be unwrapped.
“EACH OF YOU SHOULD USE WHATEVER GIFT YOU HAVE RECEIVED TO serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 34 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
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body, mind, spirit. BODY
SPIRIT
Work Habits That Hurt More Than Help: Multitasking While Eating
“ HAPPINESS IS WHEN WHAT YOU THINK, WHAT YOU SAY, AND WHAT YOU DO ARE IN HARMONY.”
Mindless eating (eating while your head is focused on something else) typically results in eating faster and consuming more calories than if you were seated at a dining table paying attention to what you eat. Even worse than eating at your desk? Eating take-out food at your desk! Americans eat in a restaurant five times a week, according to a recent survey conducted by Living Social.
Ð Mahatma Gandhi
Do This Instead: Bring in your own snacks and lunch. Eat away from your primary workspace. Invite your colleagues to have lunch with you in a pleasant environment and use eating time to connect face-to-face. If you work remotely, host a virtual lunch via Skype. Work with your local foodservice provider or local restaurants to provide healthy options for meetings and events.
Source: Leigh Stringer, LEED AP, is a workplace strategy expert and researcher. Her work has been covered by CNN, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal..
MIND
How can you make the following equation correct without changing it at all?
8 + 8 = 9I 36 AYP magazine December 2016/January 2017
Answer: Look at it upside down. I6 = 8 + 8.
Source: www.braingle.com.
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