NEWSLETTER 031

Marion Design Co. is a woman-owned, 80% women-staffed company. During this month of October, as we prepare to host a slō dinner for Bloom on October 26th, we celebrate the women leaders we have the privilege of working alongside. It’s fair to say that each of these women exhibits traits of wisdom and compassion in multiple ways, creating significant change in our community.

In a recent Harvard Business Review, it’s reported that Potential Project conducted a multi-year study of 5,000 companies across nearly 100 countries to learn how leaders do hard things while still remaining good human beings. The findings were summed up in two key traits: wisdom and compassion. Wisdom is defined as the courage to do what is needed to get things done. Compassion is defined as the care and empathy shown towards others. When combined, job satisfaction is 86% higher for employers who work for wise and compassionate leaders than those with a leader who does not embrace those characteristics.

The study also revealed that 55% of the women were ranked as wise and compassionate compared to just 27% of men. By a 2:1 margin, followers said that women leaders versus male leaders are able to do hard things in a human way. We can name several men who demonstrate both wisdom and compassion. This isn’t to diminish their character but to elevate the unique ability of women to merge these strengths exemplified through their leadership styles.

Marion has a significant number of businesses and organizations throughout our county that are led by women who demonstrate excellence through wisdom and compassion. In order to narrow the list for this newsletter, we’ll just mention those within a half-mile radius of Marion Design Co.

Let them know you notice the good work they’re doing. Write them a note, treat them to lunch, or simply say thank you. Your encouragement goes a long way! You might even consider treating them to join you at slō, a Bloom event!

Design Thinking empowers creativity to soar! Our current schedule has been filled with half-day and full-day design thinking sessions, each one custom-created to meet the needs of businesses, organizations, and educational institutions' strategic and innovative planning.

We’ve found that “play” breaks down barriers that distract from mutual desires to achieve success beyond our wildest imaginations. If you’ve found your team or organization stuck in a rut, con and chances are, we can create a design thinking experience that will free your group to think outside the box!

Take an evening to slow down and join us on Thursday, October 26th from 6-8 pm for an unhurried dinner experience of sharing at the table. Dinner will be served at Marion Design Co. in a Korean-inspired style and the menu will feature Asian-American cuisine. Relax with new and familiar friends while savoring new and familiar flavors!

Tickets are $50 per person and include a multi-course meal experience. Only 30 seats are available so don’t wait! Register today on Eventbrite. The deadline to sign up is Oct. 19th or until tickets are sold out!

Art and design have the power to spark curiosity. Oftentimes we go through the course of a day confronted with biases that we’re not aware of. We can choose to stick our heads in the sand or open up spaces to have safe conversations. The Kennedy Art Center has chosen the latter.

Have you ever wondered what a preschooler, middle schooler, or even adult thinks about racism? Have you ever looked at products on the grocery store shelf and felt like something “just wasn’t right?” Have you ever wondered what races exist in Marion and how many might walk into an art gallery?

The upcoming Kennedy Art Center “How Do We Get Here” S gallery show is designed to spark your curiosity through experiential exhibits. Join us for the opening on Friday, October 20th from 7:00-9:00. While you’re downtown, also be sure and head over to the Firestone Building across from the Marion Public Library from 5:00-9:00 for live music and more!

*CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO PURCHASE ART FROM OUR CURRENT SHOW BEFORE IT DISAPPEARS OCTOBER 13TH!

Purchase Art

One morning driving to work, I noticed a woman in the vehicle next to me frantically putting on her make up while at the stop light. She was obviously multi-tasking, but I could also tell she was a bit hurried as she quickly moved from mascara to another make up tool. Part of me started to say, “Well, I hope she is paying attention when that light turns green!”, but I quickly replaced that

with “Good morning fellow working female, I see you headed to work, putting on the finishing touches for the day, with a million other things going on inside that head of yours! You probably folded a load of laundry, put supper in the crock pot, and checked someone’s homework all before you left for your day!” I gave her a quiet nod in affirmation as we both pulled away from the stop light. It was my affirming way of saying, “You’ve got this! Go conquer the day!”.

Many times, in a female’s strive for leadership in her spheres of influence, she encounters non-affirming setbacks that take her off track mentally and physically. She may put a lot of effort and time into something that is done very well, only to not receive any feedback at all. When females are affirmed in their actions, they develop a sense of purpose, self-confidence, and identity. This leads to a level of risk-taking and creativity in females that a community benefits from.

So how can we help develop female leaders in our community? When we see females stepping out and entering new areas, encourage them! Send them a message, or a note, visit their business, and give constructive feedback. Acknowledge and show grace when people are trying new things. Leadership doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to learn and it takes an environment that fosters that learning. Let’s encourage young women to lead and dream. Give them opportunities to make decisions and to safely make mistakes. These things will only make communities stronger! Let’s say to each other, “I see you getting ready for the day! Go conquer it!”

“A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself.” Maya Angelou

-Angie Thompson, Chief Financial Officer