Articulate Co-op Purpose and Meaning through Strategic Leadership
What would happen if everyone in a whole community understood their role in achieving a common purpose? It’s not hard to imagine that lots of really positive things could be accomplished, some of them beyond [...]
The Co-op Difference Starts with Staff
Sean Doyle, General Manager Seward Community Cooperative, Twin Cities, MN Sean shares his perspective as a St. Mary's Graduate and long-time GM on how to invigorate the co-op culture at your store. In brief: It [...]
What Startups can Teach us About Participation
Suzi Carter, Startup Co-op Consultant Food Co-op Initiative, Harrisonburg, VA Suzi shares the lessons that she has learned and some fresh perspectives on how startups (and established) co-ops can push their missions forward through active [...]
Why does Participation Matter?
CE Pugh, Chief Operating Officer National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA), Iowa City, IA CE Pugh sheds his perspective, from the national level, on the importance of Participation in helping our cooperatives thive. There are many [...]
Participation and Anti-Oppression
Shawn Furst, Development Manager People's Food Co-op, Portland, OR Shawn and her team of ~30 Co-Managers take inclusivity and openness very serious when they talk about providing "Safe and healthy food for ALL". Hear how [...]
Invitation, Curiousity, Participation
Tom Mattox, Board Member Food Front Cooperative, Portland, OR Tom Mattox gives a personal and compelling talk about new ways for us to invite genuine participation from co-op stakeholders. His perspective will have your whole [...]
Cooperation: It’s all Spirals & Rainbows
E. Kim Coontz, Executive Director California Center for Cooperative Development Davis, CA Kim shares an integrative view of cooperation as she see in her work the overlapping of co-ops in many sectors organizing around the [...]
Theories of Participation
Dan Arnett, General Manager Central Co-op, Seattle, WA Dan gets brainy about participation. Watch Dan break down participation into 3 components and explain some theory behind effectively engaging stakeholders in your co-op and its direction.
Great Idea: Hire a Professional Facilitator
Realistically the board president can’t do everything. No matter how strong someone is at the role, having a hired facilitator may give board chairs the opportunity to lead with their strengths and address different governance [...]