Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
The concept of emotional intelligence is now part of popular culture. Just as we each have an IQ or Intelligence Quotient that measures cognitive ability, some social scientists say we have an EQ or Emotional [...]
Everyone Welcome? Personal Narratives about Race and Food Co-ops
By Jade Barker and Patricia Cumbie We believe that now is a critical time to engage our cooperative community in important conversations about racism and oppression. Everyone Welcome? Personal Narratives about Race and Food Co-ops [...]
The Cooperative Advantage
Sometimes the obvious isn’t so obvious. Just because we have co-op in our name does not mean that people will really understand what that means. The formal definition of a cooperative is an autonomous association [...]
Skills for Building the Board-General Manager Relationship
There is nothing more fundamental to cooperative governance than the board-GM relationship. After all, the entire leadership of the co-op rests on how the board and the general manager work together in their respective roles, [...]
Gaining Grocery Fluency
Most directors are drawn to serve on the board of their local food co-op because they embrace its values and mission, and not because they yearn to become grocers. And yet their role as the [...]
Everyone Welcome? Considering Race and Food Co-ops
Three years ago, we were participants in a workshop designed to raise awareness of racial bias, particularly in progressive organizations. As part of that Training for Change session in Minneapolis in 2014, everyone was [...]
Reflecting Ends and Implementing Inclusivity Practices
Seward Community Co-op Minneapolis, MN Year founded: 1972 Member investment: $75 Number of members: 16,000 Number of employees: 335 Business units: two retail grocery stores, restaurant, production facility In 2013, when Seward Community Co-op began [...]
Distinguishing Characteristics: Utilizing the Power of Produce to Stand Out from the Crowd
By James Morrell 190 May-June 2017 Keeping it fresh: a vibrant and fresh produce department is a key part of most natural food cooperatives, and a positive produce experience is the primary reason given by shoppers [...]
Telling the Board Story Through the Co-op Marketing Department
By Rebecca Torpie 190 May-June 2017 Co-op boards and marketing teams can be like two ships passing in the night. Chances are they’ve crossed paths during election season and annual meeting planning, but contact beyond that [...]
The Power of Board Perpetuation Planning
Board perpetuation is a key task for directors, and actively pursuing it throughout the year (and every year) creates a powerful influence in the quality of board work. The first step is having a strong [...]