Category: Five Minutes With…

The NationSwell Council is made up of social impact-oriented leaders and changemakers. In Nationswell’s latest series, “Five Minutes With…,” we sit down with members of our community whose exemplary leadership deserves a deeper dive. Here’s what Meredith Davis, Government Account Partner at BetterUp, had to share with us:

NationSwell: What does an equitable, human-centered future of work look like?

Meredith Davis: It could incorporate many factors, and  one of the most important is whole person performance grounded in well-being. We will still face change and uncertainty, but a workplace that creates agency and connection to a larger purpose will enable people to perform. My focus is on the Government workplace, where I work to bring the mindsets and behaviors that enhance personal flourishing to everyone, from frontline employees to senior executives.

NationSwell: How does the work you’re driving today help to build that future?

Meredith Davis: I think it’s important to eat your own cookie dough. At BetterUp, personal well-being and company citizenship are reinforced through policy and leadership practice. As a fun example, we’re frequently reminded to take breaks to rest and recharge.  We’re encouraged to decline meetings we won’t add unique value to, prioritizing instead “deep work” like writing a learning memo to contribute a unique observation. We iteratively and intentionally improve our culture with a twice-yearly internal Canvass, Caucus, and leadership Commits process. And in case we need the reminder that our well-being and life experience matter, all of our all-hands meetings start with a mindful minute, meditation, or presence practice. As workplace  guru Dr. Adam Grant recently referenced, exit interviews are too late to find out why people are leaving.

NationSwell: What inspires or motivates you — personally and professionally — to do this work?

Meredith Davis: I’m motivated by the idea that accomplishing government agency missions doesn’t conflict with the well-being of their employees — in fact, employee well-being is crucial to mission success. The choice isn’t me or the mission. I’m seeing the shift to an “and” mentality – that when we focus on our own well-being and the well-being of our staff, we end up accomplishing higher quality, more sustainable work. 

In a macro sense, as humans, we are finding our unique value based on our judgment and creativity  in the world of AI-augmented and robotic-assisted work, something that the speed of technological advancement demands. Futuristic thinking inspires me – no one knows the upward bound of human potential.

Many people might relate to my personal journey to valuing well-being. In my short time in the military, I burnt myself out completely. I developed mechanical habits that created an unnecessary sense of over-urgency for every task — I was “always on.” For example, I developed a self-critical inner monologue, intentionally de-identified with clear pain or injury, and cut off sleep. I saw pressure biofeedback loops as “discipline.” There are times when we need those gears, especially in a job of service to a mission greater than any one person. I’m grateful to know I have them in case I need to “break glass in case of emergency.” However, through working with my coach and reading research on human performance, I now practice skills of self-compassion to create helpful inner monologue, sensory connectedness to reduce stress levels, and intentional rest and recovery to improve mental agility, creativity and sharp decision-making. These habits produce a more useful default mode and have made me a more valuable, more productive (and happier!) employee and leader.

Getting to see these mindset and behavior shifts in others who are serving such important missions in government motivates me. It’s also inspiring to know that there’s always more to learn.

NationSwell: What are some promising signs from the impact you’re driving?

NationSwell: The BetterUp platform delivers a unique capability to measure human flourishing. Quantitative outcomes in our government work have shown 15% improvement in well-being, 7% increase in leading indicators of retention, 14% increase in wartime readiness, and 15% increase in resilience. But I live for qualitative data – the human stories. I’m paraphrasing but, “This experience is priceless… I learned skills I will take with me for the rest of my life” or “I always avoided conflict, and now I have the tools to face it with confidence” are evidence of better workplace performance and a more satisfying life experience for real people.

NationSwell: What are some of the challenges you’re facing? How can NationSwell’s social impact community of practice help you with those challenges?

Meredith Davis: Although the pandemic shifted the work world dramatically toward more flexible work, we still need dialogues about the need for whole person performance and well-being. I would love to see research like Dr. Martin Seligman’s recent findings on well-being as a top predictor of job performance  integrated into workplace policy and practice. I’d ask this community to elevate and expand how we conceive of well-being as foundational to the future of work among leaders in government and its private and non-profit sector ecosystem.

NationSwell: What’s your call to action to anyone who reads this Q+A?

Meredith Davis: In our own daily workplace behavior, we can all set the example of prioritizing deep and meaningful work, reinforcing well-being boundaries, and supporting our teams to do the same. For practical ideas, check the well-being articles on the BetterUp blog. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this topic and seeing what change we can drive together!

The NationSwell Council is made up of social impact-oriented leaders and changemakers who are committed to pioneering solutions in order to better their communities — and the world around them. In NationSwell’s latest series, “Five Minutes With…,” we sit down with members of our community whose exemplary leadership deserves a deeper dive. Here’s what Maria Flynn, President and CEO of Jobs For the Future (JFF), had to share with us:

NationSwell: What does an equitable, human-centered future of work look like? 

Maria Flynn: Becoming truly human-centered will require shifting our focus from the future of work to the future of workers. There will always be jobs, but skill requirements will continue to evolve. We must ensure we’re preparing people from all backgrounds to meet these rapid changes while also helping them to develop fulfilling and flexible careers. Skills-based hiring, for example, which emphasizes experience gained over degrees earned, is an important first step — in particular for Black and Latinx workers, who are disproportionately excluded from degree-requiring opportunities. We’re seeing many ways tech can help, such as providing individuals with strong career navigation support and easier access to trusted information about non-degree credentials and which ones best lead to fulfilling careers. Above all, workers need access to quality jobs throughout their lives. Decent pay and health insurance are essential, but so is a supportive workplace culture that understands people are always juggling many roles inside and outside of work and helps them take the time they need to care for themselves and their families. 

NationSwell: How does the work you’re driving today help to build that future? 

Maria Flynn: JFF is intentionally working both with traditional system players and disruptors to ensure that everyone has a quality job and the chance to advance economically. We help traditional systems modernize and transform while actively working with entrepreneurs and others, creating change from the outside. A great example is our work to prepare people who have been incarcerated to reenter the community. We work with traditional higher education providers, such as community colleges, to improve prison-based education programs while also investing in tech startups like Honest Jobs, a free online platform that helps people with criminal records find employers that are open to their applications, and advising corporations on how to make their hiring practices more equitable. 

NationSwell: What inspires or motivates you — personally and professionally — to do this work?  

Maria Flynn: When I was growing up, my dad was a working learner before there was a term for it. He worked several jobs at a time and went to school at night, so he could put my older brothers and me through college and try to make a better life for us. My father spent a large part of his career in the workforce development field, and I followed in his footsteps by joining the U.S. Department of Labor at the age of 22.

I have spent my entire career at the intersection of workforce and education—striving to build systems that promote equitable economic advancement. Our traditional education, training, and employment systems are not equipped to keep pace with accelerating shifts in technology and our economy. Political divides and risk-averse leadership too often hold us back. What keeps me motivated after 30+ years in the field is impatience for systemic change. Government can’t do it alone, and neither can the private sector or philanthropy. We need a holistic approach. 

NationSwell: What are some promising signs from the impact you’re driving? 

Maria Flynn: We saw a need four years ago to engage the private sector in transformation more directly, and we launched our corporate-facing products and services. Now we’re a galvanizing player in that space, with over 200 Fortune 500 employers engaging with each other and JFF experts to prioritize  economic advancement opportunities for their employees while maintaining a strong bottom line. To date, over 100 people have participated in JFF-led Corporate Action Collaboratives focused on topics such as supporting women in the workplace, elevating worker voice, and creating greater psychological safety at work.

Additionally, we have supported dozens of companies directly and seen them implement “Impact Employer” practices such as investing in more equitable career development; supporting regional, cross-sector partnerships to support young, Black and Latinx employees; and emphasizing skills in hiring and advancement strategies. Another promising sign is the success of JFF Ventures, which originated as the acquisition of the Employment Technology Fund, and now we have two social investment funds that help startups that are committed to equity and led by a woman, or by a man of color. And we have seen promising momentum for our new Center for Racial Economic Equity, which is focusing first on accelerating Black economic advancement by ending occupational segregation and addressing the Black-white wealth gap. 

NationSwell: What are some of the challenges you’re facing? How can NationSwell’s social impact community of practice help you with those challenges? 

Maria Flynn: Given the magnitude of the inequities that we’re trying to overcome and the systems change that’s needed, no one organization can solve these problems alone. That’s why we’re eager to partner with other organizations and harness our collective strengths. And at a time of fierce political divides, we want to rally around some of the solutions that have strong bipartisan support. A strong example is JFF’s Pathways to Prosperity, which has developed statewide networks improving college and career preparation for high school students of all backgrounds from Delaware to Texas and Tennessee. These kinds of partnerships are what we need to take the bigger swings and solve the biggest problems facing our country.  

NationSwell: What’s your call to action to anyone who reads this Q+A? 

Maria Flynn: First, look inward; ask how you can start building the workforce of the future by embracing some of these future-facing approaches, like skills-based hiring at your organization. Then look externally to find partners for joining forces and addressing some of the bigger problems. Reach out to us with your ideas for cross-sector collaboration. Refer innovative start-ups to our impact investing arm, JFF Ventures. Invest yourself, if you can. Follow Jobs for the Future on social media and join us at our annual summit, Horizons, where you’ll meet more than 1,000 other leaders driving equitable economic advancement for all. 

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Maria Flynn is president and CEO of Jobs for the Future. Her commitment to JFF’s vision of equitable economic advancement for all and her leadership in workforce policy have made her a national authority on the future of work, the role of technology in the labor market, career pathways for learners and workers underserved by the education and workforce systems, and employer engagement. If you’re interested in learning more, please get in touch.

The NationSwell Council is made up of social impact-oriented leaders and changemakers who are committed to pioneering solutions in order to better their communities — and the world around them. In NationSwell’s latest series, “Five Minutes With…,” we sit down with members of our community whose exemplary leadership deserves a deeper dive. Here’s what Dr. Larry Johnson, President of CUNY’s Guttman Community College, had to share with us:

NationSwell: What does an equitable, human-centered future of work look like? 

Dr. Larry Johnson: The future of work will require a change in perspective from a nuanced 40-hour a week schedule wherein employees are glued to a cubicle or office to one of flexibility—understandably, this will vary based on the scope of one’s position. The recent environmental health crisis (COVID-19) challenged the status quo as we know it. K-12 and higher education organizations learned something that private corporations already knew—employee productivity can be maximized through remote work assignments.  

Additionally, there must be an equity lens applied to policies and practices at corporations or institutions. The next generation, and I would argue the present, are values-driven and desire to work at organizations that will allow them to show up their authentic selves and to environments that are embracing of entrepreneurial approaches to achieving organizational outcomes. Thus, the future of work is nimble and inclusive and welcoming to transformation that positions the employee at the core of the institution’s mission, values, goals, and objectives.  

NationSwell: How does the work you’re driving today help to build that future? 

Dr. Larry Johnson: Two-year colleges provide people with the skills and competencies to compete in a global marketplace. Specifically, community colleges are designed to teach students technical skills in programs such as Nursing, Cybersecurity, Transportation, Dental Hygiene, EMT, for example, or transfer to four-year colleges or universities. While community colleges differ across the United States, the mission of these institutions remain consistent—prepare students for gainful employment. Each vocation has a seminal connection to driving the future of work.  

At Guttman Community College, faculty, staff, and administrators are employing best practices around career readiness and implementing strategies that will prepare students for success. Through the Ethnographies of Work (EOW) courses, students participate in work-based learning—a first-year requirement. These experiential learning initiatives expose students to various organizations and occupations. In so doing, students are better equipped to choose a career pathway. An anchor program to the Guttman model, the EOW program has been replicated by some K-12 organizations, four-year institutions, and work-based. 

NationSwell: What inspires or motivates you — personally and professionally — to do this work?  

Dr. Larry Johnson: I am inspired when people with whom I partner and/or lead achieve their dreams. In private reflections, I consider decisions that resulted in barriers being removed that have impacted student, employees, or the institution. Additionally, the joy in witnessing students commence from the institution is the climactic moment that solidifies my purpose. 

What further motivates me about this work is the revelation that learners arrive with abstract ideas that are honed to solidify one’s purpose and future impact—and that is what is important to me. Further, and in the case of my commitment to community colleges, these moments serve as a reminder of the significance of two-year institutions in improving lives—emotionally, socially, and most importantly, financially.  

NationSwell: What are some promising signs from the impact you’re driving? 

Dr. Larry Johnson: There is a heightened interest by corporations and non-profit leaders to partner with two-year institutions to amplify the value of certificates, micro-credentials, and associate degrees. Several sectors were impacted by COVID-19. Two-year colleges are poised to develop the short-term and long-term credentials to support growth in the region. Conversations with various industry professionals reveal employers are more receptive to hiring students with credentials from community colleges. Institutions like Guttman are engaging workforce leaders to ensure that future credentials meet industry demand. 

NationSwell: What are some of the challenges you’re facing? How can NationSwell’s social impact community of practice help you with those challenges? 

Dr. Larry Johnson: College leaders, faculty, and staff are faced with many challenges that go beyond being sources of knowledge to now serving as safe-havens—providing essential resources for students who are, oftentimes, housing or food insecure. Additionally, access to mental health support is a disparity that impacts low-income and under-resourced communities and institutions may not be as resourced to provide the type of counseling a student requires.  

NationSwell is positioned to highlight this topic as a social justice and moral imperative. Convening educators from K-12 to post-secondary institutions to exchange discourse around best practices would increase awareness that may lead funders to support initiatives aimed at supporting already established programs that will allow institutions to scale programs and supporter more students.  

NationSwell: What’s your call to action to anyone who reads this Q+A? 

Dr. Larry Johnson: It is my hope that this correspondence serves as a clarion call — to business and industry leaders — to engage with community colleges around establishing mentorship and paid internship programs, to name a few. And, finally, two-year institutions should receive the same financial support and recognition in strengthening the economy as more than half of four-year graduates began at two-year institutions as revealed in the 2019 National Survey of College Graduates. 

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Dr. Larry Johnson, Jr., is an equity-minded student advocate with nearly 20 years of higher education experience.  Selected by the CUNY Board of Trustees on February 1, 2021, to be the College’s second president, he assumed the presidency on July 1, 2021. If you’re interested in learning more, please get in touch.

The NationSwell Council is made up of social impact-oriented leaders and changemakers who are committed to pioneering solutions in order to better their communities — and the world around them. In NationSwell’s latest series, “Five Minutes With…,” we sit down with members of our community whose exemplary leadership deserves a deeper dive. Here’s what Radha Ruparell, Head of Global Leadership Accelerator at Teach For All, had to share with us:

NationSwell: What does an equitable, human-centered future of work look like?
Radha Ruparell: The future of work is rapidly changing. There is growing uncertainty and complexity, technology is quickly evolving, and we are facing constant shifts in how we live, work, and learn. The challenge is that education systems around the world are failing to equip young people for this new reality. This is a global challenge, magnified even further for those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. An equitable, human-centered future of work is one where all young people have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

NationSwell: How does the work you’re driving today help to build that future?
Radha Ruparell: To prepare for the future of work, we must invest intentionally in developing the leadership of young people to thrive, and lead, in a rapidly changing world. Across the Teach For All network, we have a growing force of locally-rooted, globally-informed leaders, including 13,000 teachers currently in classrooms, and 94,000 alumni reaching millions of students across 60 countries, who are united by a common purpose of growing students as leaders who can shape a better future for themselves and for all of us.

We recently engaged in a collective effort to explore this question of how we develop young people to be leaders of a better future, learning from 3,500 students, teachers, community members, CEOs, researchers, and policymakers from around the world. It brought to light the truth that our education systems today are too narrowly focused and are not preparing youth for the future of work, or for the array of other challenges they will inherit. The implication is that we need to rethink the purpose of education. Academic achievement is important, but this alone will not suffice. In our studies of transformational classrooms around the world, we see that the best teachers are oriented to growing their students’ leadership toward a more holistic set of outcomes, not just focusing on student mastery of skills & knowledge, but also on cultivating their wellbeing, connectedness, awareness & agency.

As one example, take the outcome of connectedness. So many of our education systems and workplaces are built on a foundation of individual achievement & competition. Yet, as we face new, complex challenges where no playbooks exist, we need workers who know how to collaborate effectively with one another to generate creative solutions. And we need to start now to cultivate these capacities, so that by the time they enter the workforce, our youth are practiced in how to seek out diverse perspectives, listen genuinely to those with different views, hold space for productive conflict, and work with others toward shared solutions.

NationSwell: What inspires or motivates you — personally and professionally — to do this work?
Radha Ruparell: What motivates me is that, if we can rethink the purpose of education, it’s not just about the future of work, it’s also about creating a humane, equitable world. It’s about fostering a generation of young people who are more conscious, who know how to work together to solve big problems, and who have the agency to lead this change. As I reflect on the big societal challenges we face, from rising polarization to climate change, it’s so clear to me that we won’t make progress unless we reimagine how we develop our young people.

NationSwell: What are some promising signs from the impact you’re driving?
Radha Ruparell: To prepare young people for the future of work, we need the collective leadership of many. We need to bring together students, educators, business leaders, and many other stakeholders to work jointly toward solutions. I’m excited to see more of these collective efforts emerging, whether it’s an intergenerational discussion bringing students and business leaders together to reflect on the future of work, or a global bank partnering with local communities in Cambodia to develop financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills among thousands of girls.

NationSwell: What are some of the challenges you’re facing? How can NationSwell’s social impact community of practice help you with those challenges?
Radha Ruparell: The challenges are particularly stark for those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. They often have less access to high-quality education and career development opportunities. As we continue these conversations about the future of work, we must include these voices at the table. Otherwise, we risk further perpetuating the inequities that already exist.

NationSwell: What’s your call to action to anyone who reads this Q+A?
Radha Ruparell: Whether you are a parent, student, educator, activist, or business leader, I would invite you to pause and ask deeper questions about WHY we educate and what skills and mindsets we need to equip young people with, not only to help them succeed at work, but also to unleash their full creativity, agency and leadership in shaping a better world.

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Radha Ruparell is the Head of the Global Leadership Accelerator at Teach For All. Teach For All is bringing together educators, students, business leaders, and key stakeholders around a Future of Work Initiative. If you’re interested in learning more, please get in touch.