Happy Chocolate Mint Day!
February 19 is national chocolate mint day here in the United States. Like maybe two other people in the world, I have that date starred on my calendar because…it’s time for Mint Chip Studios' semi-annual newsletter. How is Mint Chip Studios nearly nine years old already? I know, I say that every year. Here are seven highlights since the last update in 2014 - so that’s just one per year! - including this new website and blog, new partners, and of course, a poem. There is a reward for anyone who reads to the bottom.
1: Fresh Digital Infrastructure
Over the past 18 months, we’ve updated our digital infrastructure. In addition formalizing our newsletter capability, welcome to our new website! In addition to our solutions for individuals, teams and organizations, we encourage you to explore:
My (Jen’s) new blog which covers leadership, coaching, learning, resilience and more
Our credo, a formal statement of our beliefs
Why Mint Chip? (a question we get asked a lot) elaborating on my brother’s answer: “Because it's refreshing and exciting and has little bits of awesome inside!”
2: Available for coaching, consulting or other projects
After taking much of last year off to manage remote schooling for my two kids during the pandemic, I'm slowly reconnecting with professional life and rebuilding this consulting and coaching business. Hooray for 2021! No matter the context, my passion remains social innovation, and I most especially love working with smart people on wicked hard problems. If you know anyone looking for leadership coaching, consulting or help with a project, please be in touch.
3: We did it!
Part of the reason Mint Chip Studios went mostly radio silent for awhile is that I spent about five years helping to develop and deliver an organizational assessment based on Collective Genius with Paradox Strategies co-founders Linda Hill, Greg Brandeau and others. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with over 50 clients around the globe seeking to define customized roadmaps for leading innovation.
4: New partnerships
I’m always seeking new approaches and collaborators; there is always more to learn. In the past few years, I’ve found two outstanding partners:
Corentus I’ve learned many new approaches to designing, developing, and transforming teams while working with founder Alexander Caillet and the magnificent Corentus team.
EXPLO After learning about EXPLO in 2019, Mint Chip Studios is now partnering with EXPLO Elevate, a global innovative schools cooperative. More details (including a case study documenting our innovation work at Belmont Day School) in this blog post.
6: Learning New Things
In addition to projects, partners and books, I’ve been exploring new tools and methodologies through professional development. Highlights:
Taking a Dare to Lead course based on Dr. Brené Brown’s research. I haven’t yet written anything formal, but drop me an email if you’d like to know more.
Earning Team Management Profile (TMP) accreditation. This 60 question psychometric assessment of work preference has exciting applications for building high-performance teams and individuals.
Studying The Core Protocols with Richard Kasperowski. These eleven practices are foundational for building psychological safety.
7: The Unbroken
A poem by Rashani Réa
There is a brokenness
out of which comes the unbroken,
a shatteredness
out of which blooms the unshatterable.
There is a sorrow
beyond all grief which leads to joy
and a fragility
out of whose depths emerges strength.
Click for more poems I use in my coaching and consulting practice.
Thanks so much for reading! Subscribers to Mint Chip Studios’ newsletter receive at most two annual emails by default. Please sign up for email updates below if you’d like to know when we post something on the blog or have other news to share.
