Go Ahead ... Ask!
August 14, 2020 | Business in education
When we look back at 2020, it’s likely that we’ll use a lot of words to describe the time, and “formative” should be one of them. The events and innovation of today will undoubtedly inspire the acts of tomorrow. This time has prompted individuals of all ages to contemplate big questions and participate in important conversations, and it has led to the resurgence of listening to understand rather than reply.
Recently, the Young Professionals of Iowa (YPIowa), an organization dedicated to connecting and serving Iowa young professionals and YP organizations, kicked off a series of virtual conversations. These discussions convene a community of young professionals from across the state for a conversation to share experiences, gather information and inspire action on relevant issues.
During one of the calls, the question was posed to a panel of young leaders, “What questions are you still asking yourself or others?” The answers: “How can we help?” “How do we add value?”
“How and where do we lend our voice to create positive change in our communities?”
Whether they are audibly asking them or not, these are the questions on the minds of our Iowa young professionals. The truth of the matter is that these questions are being asked by multiple age groups, in all industries, at all levels of leadership. If we’ve all been asking the same questions of ourselves and others, imagine what might happen if we bring more voices to the discussion.
At a time when no one has the right answers, it’s safe to say that asking questions and listening to a variety of voices with the intent to collaborate is going to help us construct a path forward. Bring your new hires and young professionals to the table for these important conversations, and you can bet they’ll provide a new perspective that just might lead to new solutions.
The Young Professionals of Iowa (YPIowa) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization driven by young professionals, for young professionals. YPIowa serves as resource for Iowa YP organizations, as well as a mechanism to attract, empower and retain emerging leaders in Iowa. Follow YPIowa on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/YPIowa.