Change is uncomfortable, especially when we did not seek it and when it sets us on paths we would never have chosen. How we choose to deal with the inevitable surprises life has in store for us is where we really find out who we are and what we are capable of. This is true in our everyday lives, as well as in our jobs and careers.

In this talk, Tugboat Institute® member Elizabeth Glasbrenner shares her story of dealing with change. Elizabeth co-founded her company, Smiley Technologies, with her brother after their father sold his own company and they perceived a window of opportunity. Over the following years, as she started her family and worked on the business, she encountered several twists of fate she had not planned for at all, both at home and at work. As she faced the huge changes that presented themselves, she realized she had a choice: to let change happen to her… or to choose to embrace it and make it work for her.

Listen and be inspired by this extraordinary story to choose to be an agent of change, rather than a victim of it.

Tugboat Institute® member Kirk Aubry leads Savage Services, a transportation company based in Utah that moves and manages critical materials. In the years he has led the company, they have seen impressive growth. Rather than simply sit back and admire their success, Kirk asked himself, why? He spent dedicated time and effort exploring this question, and has reached a clear conclusion: connection.

Connection is, in Kirk’s words, “The Secret Sauce” that has allowed for Savage’s success and growth. Connection amongst team members, with their customers, and with their community. This realization is, in many ways, a great confirmation of the Evergreen® model and mindset, because creating connection starts with communication, care, and a focus on People.

Listen and be inspired to examine and improve connection throughout your organization.

Jeff Patterson is the CEO and founder of Gaggle, an EdTech software company that exists to protect students in schools. As a company founder, he has fought hard to create and build Gaggle, and along with it an entire industry, and he has remained committed to the Evergreen® path throughout. However, as committed as he is to the Evergreen 7Ps® principles, he has had a nagging feeling for years that he needs more than a wonderful culture to survive for the long term.

In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Jeff shares his own journey toward creating a meaningful and effective strategy for Gaggle. After searching in vain for the “right” strategy, he embarked on his own learning journey, reading many books and talking with many leaders about the ingredients of an effective strategy. Here, he shares his learnings and explains why, in his eyes, culture is important, but without a strong strategy, it’s not enough.

Liusten and be inspired to dig deeper in your efforts to create a strategy that is just right for your company.