Trying to explore
the path forward?

People in conversation around a shared table at a Bringing Houston Together event — The conversation

Two participants greeting one another at a Bringing Houston Together event — The connection

Participants and organizers together at a Bringing Houston Together event — The people

First, we figure out what is actually happening.

The people closest to the work each see something different. We bring those experiences together, understand the system around them and see what none of us could see alone.

ListenFacilitation
Hear what the people closest to the work know.
ConnectResearch + synthesis
See where experiences, systems and decisions meet.
DecideStrategy
Name what matters now and what can change.
BuildProgram design
Make the structure or tool the work needs.

Culture becomes structure.

The work with Alameda County Community Food Bank began with an all-hands meeting. What the team learned there became the next phase of the work: workplace culture, clearer decisions and organizational design.

Alameda County Community Food Bank staff working together during an all-hands workshop

Alameda County Community Food Bank colleagues sharing a playful moment during the workshop

One Team One Direction workshop workbook cover

In the room People named what was getting in the way and built shared language for the work they wanted to do.

In practice The team tested new ways of working across old divisions and making decisions together.

In the structure That learning now shapes ownership, leadership and the connection between internal culture and external engagement.

“The end result was—and continues to be—a more cohesive team with a deeper sense of belonging, and a collective excitement for the work ahead.”
Michael Altfest · Director, Community Engagement & Marketing · Alameda County Community Food Bank

We created community.

Working with the Houston Food Bank, I developed Dining with Purpose to explore how to build connection among its stakeholder groups: neighbors, partners, donors, and volunteers. The program focused on connection, the state of community, storytelling, othering and belonging, power dynamics, and personal action plans across six shared meals. Three cohorts included 55 participants. The pilots were successful, so we created facilitator and participant playbooks that allowed the program to be shared with other organizations.