Finance Matters

Patty and Brandi discuss Ryan Holiday's book Stillness is the Key, a NY Times bestseller that describes how to stay steady and draw on inner peace while the world is anything but quiet.  We go over the book's main concepts, historical examples, and practical applications, in the hopes that you'll find at least two or three ways that you can increase your own clarity, calm, and happiness.  We learned much from Holiday's book and hope you will, too!

See also:  

Stillness is the Key (summarized by the author)

Stillness is Key (on the Daily Stoic)

Vice President for Finance Melody Bianchetto will retire from UVA on February 3 after 26 years of service. She sat down with Patty and Brandi to reflect on her career and her pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion in UVAFinance.  

Resources Mentioned: 

UVAFinance Mission, Vision, Values

Melody's Brown Bag Series (under "Resource Library")

Melody's Career Reflections Podcast

Vice President for Finance Melody Bianchetto will retire from UVA on February 3 after 26 years of service.  She sat down with Patty and Brandi recently to reflect on her career.   

Resources Mentioned: 

UVAFinance Mission, Vision, Values

Melody's Brown Bag Series (under "Resource Library")

Melody's DEI Podcast

Our fight or flight response kicks in when we perceive a situation as potentially dangerous or threatening.  It's an automatic and unconscious impulse that stems from caveman days (thanks, evolution!) and could be causing you to burn out, make bad decisions, and all around feel pretty crummy at work and at home.  Patty and Brandi talk to Augie Maurelli, James Gorman, Gretchen Kriebel, Sarah Fleming, Addie Coe, and Stacey Rittenhouse about what they've learned about managing this response and prioritizing competing demands without letting their brains kick into overdrive. 

Resources mentioned: 

The Eisenhower Matrix

Steven Covey Time Management Matrix

More about Fight or Flight

Two of the Business Analysts who joined the Change Management team during Finance Strategic Transformation share their perspectives on change, big projects, and what sets UVA and FST apart from other projects they've been a part of.  Featuring guests Derrick Carter and Detria Thomas.

Resources Mentioned:  The Change Curve

Six members of UVAFinance's first summer intern cohort are here to talk with Patty and Brandi about their experience in Central Finance at UVA.  Thank you to Luke Blair, Samyukhtha Venkateswaran, Karly Fuentes-Parades, Raymond Costa, and Amanda Lin (all UVA students), and Maheswar Ghimire (Piedmont Virginia Community College student) for taking the time to join us.  What an inspiring group!

In this episode, we welcome members of UVAFinance's Inclusive Excellence Committee and Equity Action Team to discuss the trajectory of diversity and inclusion efforts in UVAFinance.  Our guests are Melody Bianchetto, ToShun Campbell, LaVerne Harris, and James Cobb.

• More on the UVAFinance blog about Inclusive Excellence activities: http://uvafinance.blogspot.com/search/label/Inclusive%20Excellence

A Sampling of Previous Sprint Discussion Topics: 

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, ft. White Allergies

Rioting for Injustice, ft. Trevor Noah addressing protesting and rioting, plus Kimberly Jones interview

Covert/Overt White Supremacy ft. Reverse Racism and Race vs. Religion

Book Discussion:  Master of the Mountain:  Thomas Jefferson & His Slaves

Colorblind Ideology: 

• CBS News: MLK’s “content of character” quote inspires debate

History of Race at UVA with Professor Kirt von Daacke:

• UVA and The History of Race

Inclusive Mindset for Committed Allies (LinkedIn Learning)

1619 Podcast

Lovecraft Country

Defund the Police discussion with UVA Chief of Police Tim Longo: 

• Brookings Institute: What does ‘defund the police’ mean and does it have merit?

A Capital Insurrection

• An interview with UVA historian, Caroline Janney: The Dark Familiarity of Trump’s Lost Cause

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Viruses don't see race, right?

• Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Map 

We've got a panel of creative folks from the UVAFinance team in today's episode, talking about the benefits of creative pursuits on them as individuals and also as professionals on the Finance team.  Join Patty and Brandi as they talk with Jay Gallimore (musician), Matt Bonham (photographer, graphic artist), and Mary Wagamon (artist, writer), and get inspired to pursue your own creativity!

Resources Mentioned:

• https://lillstreet.com/7benefitsofcreativity

Hear Jay in action:  https://profile.virginia.edu/jpg8x

See Matt's Work:  www.bonhamcreative.com and www.mattbonham.com

There are now FIVE generations in our workforce, ranging from our Traditionalists in their 70s to the newest members, Gen Z, in their early twenties.  (And all the Millenials cheer, because they're no longer the babies!)  Today we have UVAFinance's Jack Sherwood, a rising UVA 4th year and member of the FST project team and Gen Z extraordinaire, for a discussion on how his generation participates in the workforce.

Resources Mentioned: 

• Intergenerational Workforce discussion with Lisa Harris:  https://everydaygrace.podbean.com/e/bridging-the-generation-gap-in-the-workplace-finance-matters/

Change Team Leader Angela Knobloch visits to discuss practical tips for managing yourself during times of change, including the dreaded "valley of despair."  

Resources Mentioned:

Gartner Report

Engage for Change:  Clarify Purpose, Honest Reflection, Assess Opportunities, Note progress, Grow Skills, Exhibit Flexibility