Small Changes Big Shifts

"Trust is the firm belief in the truth of something." - Cory Scheer

Due to the declining trust across the globe, experts say its absence is making it harder to solve key problems than it used to. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Cory Scheer – author of Closing the Trust Gap – to share what inspired him to begin researching this word 12 years ago and why it's now inspired him to re-educate people what it means and how to gain it or regain it in a new way. He provides insight and wisdom on just how powerful this word is in our language, and why his father was an influential part of his life when it came to modeling trusting relationships.

About Today's Guest:

Cory Scheer is the Founder and CEO of TrustCentric™ Consulting, an organizational and leadership development firm. TrustCentric™ helps leaders, teams, and organizations become more trustworthy, focused, and productive by using empirical evidence to define reality, implementing a proven trust building framework, and walking alongside clients to develop clear, obtainable, and long-lasting data informed strategies for success. In addition to over 25 years in leadership roles in multiple sectors, Cory has obtained an Executive MBA (Rockhurst University) and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (University of Missouri). Cory has worked with small businesses, school districts, corporations, nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, ministries, the military, and municipalities to provide vital support and clear direction on how to ensure people, practices, and policies become more trustworthy so that key performance indicators improve. Cory is the co-author of The National Survey on Brand and Trust with BrandCertain as well as the developer of the online course, The Complete Guide to Building Organizational Trust (www.StructureOfTrust.com). Cory is also the author of Closing the Trust Gap: Taking Action on What Matters Most for Leaders, Teams, and Organizations.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Closing the Trust Gap book by Cory Scheer
• The Complete Guide to Building Organizational Trust - www.StructureOfTrust.com

"It feels good to be grateful. Gratitude opens your heart and unleashes a power of love." - Mark Hulet

As we head more into the holidays, this season helps us become more aware of the level of gratitude in our lives. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Mark Hulet from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City to share some lessons and insights he's learned over the course of this year. He'll speak about what it means to reflect and forgive, and why sometimes we can get stuck in a place with relationships by thinking about what should be next – when really it's important to first pause and find gratitude in those relationships. As he prepares to start his 24th year at the YMCA, he'll also explain the impact their nonprofit has had on families' lives in Kansas City this year – and why they couldn't do what they do in the community without their volunteers.

About Today's Guest:

In July 2023, Mark Hulet became the 11th chief executive officer to lead the YMCA of Greater Kansas City since it was founded in 1860. Hulet has served as interim president and CEO from January 1, 2023. Hulet's background includes all aspects of YMCA leadership, philanthropy, operations, and support. He began his YMCA of Greater Kansas City career in 2000 as an executive director of a Y membership center, and has held various positions including chief operating officer, senior vice president of capital assets and risk, and vice president of membership. As interim president and CEO, Hulet successfully launched the current strategic plan to address organizational culture, operational excellence and sustainability as the Y recovers from the pandemic. During the pandemic, Hulet led the reopening of Y centers and programs as chief operating officer, including mobilization of resources and programs to provide childcare for essential workers, combat social isolation for older adults and support vaccine distribution throughout greater Kansas City. Over the years, Hulet has provided operations and philanthropic leadership and established innovative partnerships. Projects have included partnerships for the Y to operate community centers in Platte County and North Kansas City and bringing the University Health primary care clinic to the Linwood YMCA/James B. Nutter, Sr. Community Center. In addition, he led capital projects including the construction of the new Kirk Family YMCA in downtown Kansas City, MO, and the renovations of the Linwood and Atchison Y's as part of the largest capital campaign in the Y's history. A longtime Kansas City resident, Mark has two sons, Keagan and Killian, and three grandchildren, Gracelynn, Raiden, and Ruari.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• YMCA of Greater Kansas City
• YMCA – find a location around the U.S.
• Your Wellness Connection
• Volunteer at the YMCA of Greater Kansas City

"When I took someone who felt lost, and I would suddenly see the clouds lift and that lightbulb come on for them – that's where I discovered my joy." - Gina Creek

Did you know there's a difference between feeling happy and experiencing joy? Experts often describe happiness as a positive state of overall well-being and impacts your outlook on the meaning of life. However, joy is felt in moments such as listening to a friend make a toast or receiving a hug from a dear friend. When we experience joy, it's less about that overall sense of how life is going, and more about discovering what moments touch your heart. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Gina Creek to share how she began to lean into those joyful moments early in life, which eventually impacted her career path in a profound way and now helps her experience that same joy throughout the workday. She'll share about her journey into healthcare and why it was the people who mentored and surrounded her that became a key ingredient to learning what lit up her heart.

About Today's Guest:

Gina Creek is the Vice President and Chief People Officer for the Mid-America Region. She leads human resources at AdventHealth's hospitals and clinics in Kansas and Wisconsin, including AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, AdventHealth South Overland Park, AdventHealth Ottawa, and AdventHealth Durand. In this role, she leads human resources initiatives, including attracting, motivating, and retaining top talent; performance management; leadership development and change management for the health care system's information technology team. She then led the system-wide Emerging Leader Program, developing high potential leaders for executive roles. Starting in 2018, she led AdventHealth's Leadership Institute, developing multi-level leadership programs and interventions to meet the needs of an 80,000-member workforce. Creek earned her doctorate in leadership and learning from Vanderbilt University, her master's in organizational development from Avila University and her bachelor's education from Union College. She is also a publication author in leadership culture.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Junior and adult volunteer opportunities at AdventHealth
• AdventHealth website
• Your Wellness Connection
• Small Changes Big Shifts

"I'm grateful for where I'm planted in each season of life." - Caleb Cooper

What would you do differently with your health if there were no barriers? Would you choose more organic? Workout at a gym? Plug into your community through classes or even see a therapist? Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Caleb Cooper from the YMCA of Greater Kansas City to share why their organization is focused on health equity in our community - a state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. He'll also explain how kindness and gratitude overlap within their mission, and why he recognizes that many people choose the Y because they find kindness and gratitude within their walls. Caleb will also explain why it's a human need to feel like we belong, and how the Y delivers on that need. At the end of the episode, he'll also share some personal stories that he recalls over his 20-year career with the Y. Each one is rooted in the power of what happens when we give people an opportunity to reach for the best version of themselves.

About Today's Guest:

Caleb Cooper joined the YMCA of Greater Kansas City as Chief Operating Officer. He brings mor than 20 years of experience from the Ys across the country. Most recently, he was the Vice President of Equity and Belonging for the YMCA of South Hampton Roads. In previous roles, Cooper successfully led more than 14 Y locations, raised over 2 million to benefit marginalized communities, created a diversity, equity and inclusion department, and rebranded six Ys as Health Equity Campuses. As COO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, he is a key member of the executive leadership team which is focused on supporting the vision and setting the strategy for all operations and programs. Cooper leads a comprehensive and complex array of services and programs that focus on healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility in 11 membership centers and more than 90 before- and after-school programs and summer-day camps in 14 school districts. He also provides leadership for Marketing and Communications. Cooper has a bachelor's degree in business management (Human Resources). His volunteer work has included serving as a board member for Rotary, Exchange Clubs, Sentara College of Health Sciences, Hampton Roads Diversity and Inclusion Consortium, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. Outside of work, Cooper enjoys golf, coaching soccer, fishing, and spending time with his family, which includes his wife Crystal and their two children.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• YMCA of Greater Kansas City
• YMCA locations in the U.S.
• Small Changes Big Shifts
• Quadrants of Well-Being

"It's the emotions and habits that create a powerful formula for financial well-being." - Anita Newton

A recent study revealed that money negatively impacts 52% of adults' mental health in the U.S. - and 4 in 5 of those individuals say it causes them to lose sleep at night. There's a problem in today's world with money, and it's time we address that the traditional approach to saving isn't working anymore. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Anita Newton from CommunityAmerica Credit Union to highlight some key findings their in-house Innovation Lab have discovered about our spending habits. She will also share how they are helping members (customers) approach their money story and why it matters to their success. Additionally, she'll explain some tools and resources they offer their members that work better in today's financial climate vs. the traditional approach. Anita will also tell why she's passionate about helping others reach their financial goals, which includes her personal money story. Get ready for a conversation rich in tips that can help you take your next small step on your financial well-being journey.

About Today's Guest

Anita Newton currently serves as the Chief Innovation Officer of CommunityAmerica Credit Union. Her mission is to create digital products and services that will help us deliver peace of mind to our members. The Innovation Lab has received numerous awards, and their work has been mentioned in USA Today, Forbes, and the Kansas City Business Journal. Newton has spent the last 20 years helping marketing organizations both large – P&G and Spring – and small – Zave Networks, myEdmatch, and Adknowledge – grow. She currently advises a startup called Mighty Good Solutions, a consumer goods company that makes products that are currently sold in Walmart, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, and Amazon. Newton helps support the community by serving as Trustee of the Kauffman Foundation and Cristo Rey, Board Committee Chair for the University of Kansas Liberal Arts, and co-chair Rose Brooks 2019 Cabaret. Newton was the 2018 Recipient of the Athena Award. She has also taught startup marketing through the Kauffman Foundation's Founders School and FastTrac Venture programs. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas and Harvard Business School. Anita currently lives in Prairie Village with her husband, two children, Sydney and Spencer, and two goldendoodles, Scout and Bailey.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• CommunityAmerica Credit Union
• Financial Well-Being Coach Services
• ScoreMore Loan

"If there's one thing you can do today, be kind." - Bayleigh Petty

We're celebrating another amazing year of the 31 Days of Kindness annual series, which began on October 14 and ended on World Kindness Day (November 13). Dr. Michelle Robin invites the Big Shifts Foundation Program Director, Bayleigh Petty, to share why this year was special to her while running it. She'll also share why she continues to learn something new about herself every year she participates. Both Dr. Robin and Bayleigh will read some stories that were submitted to our team during the 31 days – which all truly reflect the power kindness has in our lives. At the end of the show, she'll also explain how the series impacted kids in schools this year, and why the younger generation has an opportunity to change the world by carrying kindness forward.

About Today's Guest:

Bayleigh Petty's passion for health and wellness began when she first started playing sports. She studied Human Performance with an emphasis in Sports and Exercise Therapy. She graduated from Fort Hays and began working with Dr. Michelle Robin at her chiropractic practice. In 2021, she joined Small Changes Big Shifts because she believes in approaching health from a whole-person perspective and loves educating the younger generation about connecting their mind, body, and spirit. In 2022, she transitioned to the Big Shifts Foundation team as the Program Director.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• 31 Days of Kindness – sign up here
• 7 Days of Kindness for kids
• Read all kindness stories submitted
• Submit your kindness story
• Big Shifts Foundation

"One of our graduates is impacting a massive amount of people every day – she's making giant change after going through our program." - Natasha Herdman

When Natasha Herdman was growing up, she took care of the marketing and bookkeeping for her mom's grooming business in Iowa. Fast forward to 2011, she began working with homeless families in Kansas City, where she was seeing some big barriers between employment and getting out of poverty. Little did she know a vision would come to her in 2012 where these two worlds would collide into one: Pawsperity (formerly known as The Grooming Project). Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Natasha to share her behind-the-scenes story about how this vision came to life one day, and why it took a village of people – some complete strangers – to lift her up and make it a reality. She'll share some incredibly inspiring stories about some people who have graduated from Pawsperity's grooming school and what they are doing to give back to our community today from that experience. At the end of the show, she'll also give an inside look at why the human-animal bond can be a powerful healer for so many who have gone through severe trauma in their lives.

About Today's Guest:

As founding CEO of Pawsperity, formerly known as The Grooming Project, Natasha Herdman believes in a two-generation approach to breaking the cycle of poverty. Basic needs for food and shelter must be met before a parent can focus on guiding children through school and out of poverty, so a living-wage, family-flexible career for the parent is key. Natasha's innovative approach to breaking the cycle of poverty and proven success has received several awards and the attention of a national catalyst foundation. Natasha has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa and an Executive Master's degree in public administration from the UMKC Bloch School. She is passionate about working with mothers and fathers with multiple barriers to entering the workforce, such as low reading skills, severe trauma, or past incarceration and brings experience in both staff and volunteer roles for Healing House, Reach Out and Read, Community LINC and Stop Child Trafficking Now to the EPC project. Natasha enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids ages 19 and 15.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Pawsperity website
• 31 Days of Kindness – sign up for the free emails
• Big Shifts Foundation
• Newhouse

"You can't truly treat people with kindness if you aren't first kind to yourself." - Dr. Dave Braun

Did you know one of the most common reasons that people give on improving their health is because it gets too hard or the results take too long? Oftentimes it's because we don't approach our well-being with a wider lens, meaning we try to eat our way to good health or exercise our way to feeling better about ourselves. However, our well-being encompasses more than one area to reach the state of physical and mental wellness that we're truly seeking. Join Dr. Michelle Robin as she invites Dr. Dave Braun to share his incredibly inspiring story of living his best life – his dream job, dream house, dream family, dream cars, dream financials – only to hit rock bottom and walk through a very dark season shortly after reaching that success. He will explain what made him start becoming more self-aware of the way he was living, specifically in seven areas, which eventually led him to launch an entire brand around it called Oola Life with good friend, Dr. Troy Amdahl. Dave will explain the revelations he began to have around kindness and hope and why they were designed to work together on his journey, and why Oola Life's brand is built around both. By the end of the episode, he will also share two powerful stories of people whose lives were turned around from their encounter with the Oola message.

About Today's Guest:

Dr. Dave Braun has a deep-rooted commitment to empowering individuals to find balance and transform their lives. He's spent over a decade guiding people towards holistic well-being. As President, he plays a pivotal role in shaping Oola's strategic direction, leading the team in creating science-based products and transformative programs that promote life balance.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Oola Life
• Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World book
• Oolapalooza 2023
• Connect with Dr. Dave Braun
• 31 Days of Kindness – free to sign up
• Big Shifts Foundation

"Diversity is a fact, equity is a choice, inclusion is the action, and belonging is the outcome." - Dr. Diedrick Graham

As we continue to celebrate our annual 31 Days of Kindness series, Dr. Michelle Robin invites Dr. Diedrick Graham to share why kindness has influenced what he does today in the world for others. During this powerful conversation, he'll reveal who helped him understand the most foundational aspects of kindness, and why their guidance taught him that no matter what's happening in the world, it should always be our goal to connect with a person and hold space for them. Dr. Diedrick will also share why we as humans are wired for connection, and how kindness created a pathway for him to seek self-improvement. This ultimately helped him finally understand what it meant to truly belong and find his purpose. By the end of the episode, listeners will be encouraged to trace the threads in their own lives to see who has impacted it and helped them become the person they are today.

About Today's Guest:

Dr. Diedrick Graham is the DEI and Organizational Development consultant for Margolis Healy and Associates. Dr. Graham brings over 20 years of experience as a Master Trainer, Facilitator and Mediator, making him highly qualified in the resolution of complaints, appeals, and internal grievance processes for employee/employer issues. As the former Ombudsperson at Princeton University, San Diego State University, and the University of Kansas, Vice President, Global Integrity Leader at the Nielsen in NYC, and Former Director of Human Resources at The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Dr. Graham has a wealth of experience in resolving issues between diverse parties through distinct types of intervention and communication processes. He's also designed and taught numerous courses and workshops on communication, conflict engagement skills, JEDI, and accountability at multiple universities, corporate, and nonprofit organizations.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Connect with Dr. Diedrick Graham
• Hoffman Process
• Sign up for the free 31 Days of Kindness series
• Big Shifts Foundation

"Kindness is really rooted in love." - Cynthia Newsome

It's official – the annual 31 Days of Kindness series (powered by the Big Shifts Foundation) has launched across the world, and Dr. Michelle Robin has invited a true kindness champion in the Kansas City community to celebrate it. Award-winning journalist Cynthia Newsome reveals what she's learned about kindness after being an anchor for 25 years – even through some of the world's darkest days and her battle through breast cancer – plus, why she continues to keep her heart centered on being kind. You'll also hear what inspired her to launch Awesome Ambitions for young girls in Kansas City, and how this nonprofit is reshaping these girls' futures and establishing a village around them to help navigate life. There's also an incredibly emotional story about what one group of girls chose to do for three kids at their school that showcases what kindness does for the heart. Near the end of the episode, Cynthia will also share what she believes are some missed opportunities our world is missing when it comes to kindness.

About Today's Guest:

Cynthia Newsome is Community Relationships Director for KSHB 41, NBC in Kansas City, Missouri. After 25 years on the air at KSHB 41, Cynthia stepped down from the anchor desk and into her new role as Community Relationships Director. Cynthia came to KSHB 41 in January of 1997. Prior to that, she was in Oklahoma City for 13 years serving as Weekend Anchor at KWTV Channel 9, and a reporter at KFOR-TV and WKY Radio. She is an award-winning journalist, whose 30-plus year career in broadcasting includes covering the Oklahoma City bombing of the Murrah Federal Building. Cynthia's reports on the lives of bombing victims are shown at the Oklahoma City Memorial and Museum of Oklahoma City. When Cynthia came to Kansas City, that's when she met and married the love of her life, Ed Newsome. He actually popped the question to Cynthia on live TV on NBC Actions News on June 13, 2001.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Sign up for the free 31 Days of Kindness series
• Awesome Ambitions Facebook page
• Big Shifts Foundation