Steve Breckheimer, Board Member at Hendersonville Community Co-op in Hendersonville, NC describes two different versions of what alignment can look like and why alignment is so critical to Ends accomplishment. Then he tells a story of Hendersonville's successful engagement and outreach around a capital campaign to help grow their food co-op and impact.
River Valley Co-op in Northampton, MA is a jewel among startups with over $25M in annual sales and robust growth. Rochelle Prunty, the GM at RVC takes us through the co-ops history, as well as a possible future, in which the region has many more River Valley Co-ops and an exponentially greater impact on its members, staff, and communities.
John Tashiro shares with us some of the "wisdom of the Bamboo". Tashiro, the newly appointed General Manager at Onion River / City Market in Burlington, VT applies some of this wisdom to being courageous leaders in the retail co-op sector and entices us all to "be the bamboo".
By Carolee Colter, Lauren Olsen, Marilyn Scholl 183 Mar-Apr 2016 It takes a lot to manage a food co-op. Co-op general managers (GMs) are responsible not only for the retail operations but also for budgeting, financial analysis, marketing, information technology, and human resources—functions that are provided by corporate headquarters to managers of chain stores. Co-op GMs, in addition to the demands of the business, [...]
Lizzy Haywood, CEO of the newly expanded People's Food Co-op in LaCrosse and Rochester, asks tough questions and shares her vision for some of the pathways to the future for co-ops. Let's imagine together with Lizzy what we could all accomplish with bold leadership.
Holly Fearing, Board Member at Willy Street Cooperative in Madison, WI breaks down the barriers to being strategic, making hard choices, and being fearless. And beware the 'killer but'!
In this short presentation Alex Stone, of CooperationWorks!, expresses the importance of knowing vulnerability. Especially in a leadership position.
Michelle Oliver from Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op says that being a leader requires knowing yourself. Know your strengths and know your weaknesses. Understand where you need support and ask for it.
Weaver Street Market General Manager Ruffin Slater on the Magic of Commitment. Ruffin shares what he sees as the power of making a commitment and all that follows from making a decision.
By Michael Healy 182 January-February 2016 As a director, you may notice or hear things about your co-op that may be cause for concern—or are at least worth asking about. How can you respond in a way that honors your sense of responsibility, your board’s clear delegation to the general manager (GM), and your GM’s professional judgment? Here is an approach that opens a [...]
