Dear Friends,

At Integrated Work, we believe in living and working with a heart of service—this means doing good work in the world in ways that support our clients and our team.  This month, as we celebrate those who serve everyday—from mothers to service members—we also want to appreciate the people who have gone above and beyond over the last year to help us all navigate the turbulence of the pandemic: the first responders and front-line workers, doctors and nurses, educators both at home and at school, grocery store clerks, and mask-makers.

This newsletter dives into the ways we can be of service to one another as allies in the pursuit of liberty and justice for all; the risks to leadership and organizations when we lose sight of the power and importance of listening to our teams and what matters to them; strategies for planning and preparing for succession in ways that truly set the organization up for sustained success while increasing diversity and equity as well; ways to level the playing field in meetings; how to build routines of learning with our colleagues in ways that deepen relationship as well; and what we all can learn about mindfulness and service from the rituals and practices of Ramadan as that season of reflection and celebration comes to an end.

We’ve got a lot of great content for you this month, so I am keeping my own comments brief—I hope you’ll take some time to dive in and give some thought to the ways in which you live and lead with a heart of service.