The Power of Connection

Hello LMT Family,

I listened to a news story recently about a Harvard Business School graduate who looked at data from eight countries and found that people who practice engaging with all different kinds of people in their daily lives are happier than those who don’t. Not just family and friends, but acquaintances and strangers and the richer the diversity of the daily connections, the sense of community and belonging was stronger. The student encourages us to get out of our shell; say hello, wave, smile, and talk because just these small things have the power to brighten someone’s day, especially if you don’t know them well or at all. I’ve always been a person to smile, wave, and say hello, but mainly to people I know. I challenge all of us to extend these simple gestures to strangers. As our state population and accompanying tensions continue to grow, we can model the way.

Along the lines of connection, our team of staff and volunteer committee members have been putting together an alumni survey to engage with all of you. My college friend Katie Rucker, and recent Everest Base Camp trekking partner, is Co-Owner/Co-President of MacKenzie, a 2nd generation Family-Owned Boutique Customer Insights Consulting Firm. From conversations that started on the trail to over the past three months, she has volunteered her time to guide us through the process. Please take 10-15 minutes to fill out the survey; we truly want to hear from you. Your voices will help us continue to shape our organization and its offerings over the next few years. Please tell us your thoughts. We are listening!

For other ways to connect with the LMT team and your fellow alumni, please check out our Connection Corner at the bottom of the newsletter, which lists all of our upcoming events. And we always welcome a call or email with a friendly hello 🙂

Waving and smiling,

Kelly Heaton
Executive Director
Class of 2014, Masters 2019
kelly@leadershipmontana.org