Vanessa Parli

If you're interested in understanding apprenticeships and their potential to change the landscape of the future workforce in the US, take a listen to this insightful 30-minute podcast featuring Vinz Koller. Vinz sheds light on the opportunities and challenges associated with this proven, but massively underused pathway.. #Apprenticeships #FutureWorkforce

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Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting with DEI and social impact leaders at Genentech, a leading biotech firm in the Bay Area, often regarded as the founder of biotech. As these leaders work boldly to advance health equity within their company and the broader field of health research, I was reminded of the crucial relationship between diagnosis and treatment. The reality is that treatment follows diagnosis—if you can't effectively diagnose due to flawed or incomplete data (especially data that disproportionately focuses on one demographic, like white people), then the solutions or medications that follow won't be as effective or inclusive. This insight really resonated with me in the context of my professional area of focus—career advancement and leadership. So often, I meet professionals who are struggling with career clarity, goal setting, and/or complex leadership challenges. Much like the flawed data in healthcare, many of these challenges stem from a misdiagnosis of the real issues. If the root causes of these professional struggles aren’t properly identified, the steps taken to advance one’s career or leadership skills will be misaligned and ineffective. Just as biotech needs diverse, accurate data to treat health issues effectively, professionals need clear insights and tailored strategies to upgrade their careers and leadership impact. Accurate self-diagnosis—understanding your true strengths, areas for growth, context of your environment, and the unique factors influencing your career—sets the stage for more targeted and successful interventions. In both fields, the right diagnosis leads to the most effective treatment. #Leadership #CareerGrowth #DEI #HealthEquity #CareerClarity #LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #Biotech

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"As the American workday becomes more faceless and scheduled, the number of U.S. adults who call themselves lonely has climbed to 58% from 46% in 2018, according to a recent Cigna poll of 10,000 Americans. More than 40% of fully remote workers polled in a 2023 survey of working parents go days without leaving the house." Te-Ping Chen workplace culture journalist with the The Wall Street Journal delivers some excellent insight from social scientists and illuminates some concerning data on modern workplace shifts since 2020. The stark rise in loneliness, alienation, isolation and lack of belonging should place organizations on notice. Human connectivity and developing trusted relationships is at the bedrock of resilient organizations.

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Having led behavior change and digital transformation initiatives across organizations, I've seen firsthand how challenging tech adoption can be (I myself had an embarrassingly long flip phone era). So when I decided to expand my portfolio of independent strategy and operations consulting this fall, I took my own advice about intentional experimentation: I committed to using Anthropic's Claude on every project for a month - from drafting proposals to building strategic plans and recommendations. I thought the value would be efficiency, and while that was a huge unlock, the most impactful shift was in the quality of my thinking and decision making. When my persistently-detail-focused brain moves out of the weeds and hones-in almost exclusively on the big picture, my ideas are more creative and my deliverables are sharper. I'm not afraid to scrap a method and start from scratch, because the time-cost of redrafting something is really low. Here's my three-part process for maintaining this strategic focus: Capturing Ideas → I just talk to Claude! Through free-form writing or voice-to-text, I work through the context of the opportunity/problem and share all of my thinking without worrying about structure. This keeps my focus where it should be - on objectives, strategic priorities, risks and solutions. High-Level Direction → After Claude makes a first draft, I give big-picture feedback on strategy, tone, and format. AI handles the rewrites based on direction like "make this more concise" or "accelerate the timeline" so I can stay focused on impact over mechanics. Strategic Partnership → I use Claude as a thought partner, asking questions like "what dependencies might we be missing?" "what could go wrong with this timeline?" "what blind spots should I consider?" Then, I check back against the initial opportunity to ensure I'm not getting distracted from the most important outcomes. If you're working on AI adoption with your teams or exploring ways to enhance strategic work through AI, I'd love to connect and share experiences #AI #Productivity #Innovation #FutureOfWork #Consulting #PersonalDevelopment

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The devastating fires in LA have absorbed my mental and emotional space today. If you’re affected, know that my heart is with you and I’m taking the advice of Sharon McMahon to “do for one person what you wish you could do for all”. ❤️‍🩹 And I’m reminded again that nothing happens in a vacuum. We need to remember this as we dive head first into conversations about how to leverage AI in education. Have we objectively evaluated the unintended consequences that reach far beyond the school building? Have we thoroughly tested our assumptions and addressed intersystemic relationships? Will the benefits really outweigh the costs? To where are we shifting that burden? I’m all for innovation that improves the educational experience, but I implore us to advocate responsibly and get outside our silos. When schools and homes turn to ashes, trauma trumps any positive assist from the technology designed to serve a classroom that no longer exists. (I’m neither a climate nor AI expert, so I welcome awareness on research that demonstrates low/no impact of the AI functions most likely to be employed in education spaces.) https://lnkd.in/g-JeVKhU

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This podcaster's angle on prioritizing DEI over capital projects is not totally accurate, but it is an interesting criticism vector. You are continuing you DEI program, or even if you are adjusting it to an "inclusion" program, you probably need to be ready to respond to criticism like this. #betterbizculture A lot of his arguments are also actually very pro-ESG reporting and makes the case for better ESG risk management by government agencies, and the tying of potential ESG risk disclosures to fiscal budgets. #accelerateinnovation And at the very end of this episode, he makes a really great case for people paying attention to local politics and elections and being sure to really know who and what you're voting for. I wholeheartedly agree with this entire part of his segment to #improvetheworld. https://lnkd.in/gtB_8yU8

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One week until the next cohort launches, four spaces left! I could tell you all about it, but I'd rather give that space to the incredible Anna Gasparian (Manager, Reporting & Analytics) to share her experience from the last cohort: ****************** I highly recommend Claire Fry’s Vocal Confidence course. Each session provided an incredible opportunity to learn from Claire’s expertise as a voice actor. Over eight weeks, she taught us strategies and techniques aimed at communicating impactfully and effectively. Breathing techniques, voice warm-ups, setting the right tone before a presentation or meeting, and aligning message content with its delivery—these are just a few areas where I gained a wealth of knowledge from Claire. During each session, I practiced what I learned, pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and received immediate, professional, and constructive feedback. I appreciated how Claire focused on helping each participant leverage our unique strengths. My favorite take away from the course is that “vocal confidence is not about sounding like someone else who’s more confident than you; it’s about having the confidence to sound like yourself." This is the best self-development course I've ever taken. ****************** If you're ready to show up, work hard, practice diligently and grow your communication skills fast (the way Anna did) then you can find more information at the link below. #VocalConfidence #LearnToLoveYourVoice #PublicSpeaking #CommunicationSkills #SpeakerTraining #Testimonial

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Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind, by Coauthor.studio: Love transformed everything in 2024. Not just a feeling, but a powerful leadership strategy that reshaped how we support people in their most challenging moments. This year, Heart Work expanded beyond boundaries—launching Heart Work Healthcare™ to prove that compassionate leadership isn't just possible in healthcare, it's essential. When traditional systems feel cold and disconnected, love becomes the most revolutionary tool we have. Highlights from our transformative journey: • **Heart Work Healthcare™ Launch:** Bringing heart-centered practices into healthcare systems. "I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Managing Partner at Heart Work Healthcare™!" • **Heart Work Summit Success:** Gathering 55+ leaders who believe purpose is more powerful than position. "Thank GOD for the blessings of the attendees and volunteers who took their time to hold space with over 55 heart-centered leaders..." • **Leadership Development:** Proving that true education releases potential, not just transfers information. "Higher learning is NOT all about training, it is indeed about releasing...The future is in amazing hands!" We didn't just grow an organization this year—we expanded a movement. A movement that says leadership is about seeing the humanity in every person, especially in sectors like healthcare where compassion can literally save lives. Looking ahead to 2025: We're not just transforming leadership, we're reimagining how love can be the cornerstone of organizational culture. Our mission continues to evolve, challenging leaders to lead not just with strategy, but with genuine heart. To every leader who chose vulnerability over performance, who saw people before profits, who understood that love is the most sophisticated leadership tool—thank you for making 2024 a year of profound transformation. 💜 #heartwork #leadwithlove #LinkedInRewind #2024wrapped -- Get your 2024 LinkedIn Rewind! Go to coauthor.studio

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🎯 Discover Productivity- 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 Like you, I'm often feeling overwhelmed by...everything.  For over ten years, the way I've been able to find meaning in the chaos is through The Bullet Journal® Method. It helps me align my daily tasks with my deeper intentions and stay true to what truly matters.   Here's how this system has changed my life: - Take 15 Minutes a Day: I am more aware of my thoughts and feelings. - Reflect Without Shame: I evaluate my thoughts, moods, and actions honestly, but with compassion for myself and for others - Uncover Patterns: I identify behaviors and situations that hinder my goals. - Act Intentionally: I use that insight to make better choices - Purpose and Meaning: I have less FOMO, better boundaries, and more satisfaction with how I spend my time and energy. 𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 Bullet Journal® 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗮, 𝗜'𝗺 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗼𝘀, 𝗖𝗔 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟱:𝟯𝟬 𝘁𝗼 𝟴:𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺. Space is limited and seats are going fast! Please join me and my friend, our hostess Elena Krasnoperova- founder of Women of Wisdom Bay Area- to learn how to align your daily tasks with your deeper intentions. All you need is a notebook and pen(or your digital notebook,) and a willingness to commit to the process. Are you ready to focus on what truly matters? Let’s start journaling! ✍️ #BulletJournal #Productivity #Mindfulness #PersonalDevelopment https://lnkd.in/gBn3KHef

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🔍 Understanding Decision Making Through Marr's 3 Levels of Analysis 🔍 I first learned about Marr’s levels during a Fulbright year I had the privilege to spend at UCLA. David Marr posited that every (computational) problem can be approached on three levels of analysis: computational, algorithmic, and implementation.  Crucially, we need all three levels to provide a satisfying, effective solution. Marr himself famously stated, “trying to understand perception by studying only neurons is like trying to understand bird flight by studying only feathers: It just cannot be done.” Marr’s approach has guided my thinking ever since, and I believe it can also help understand what is needed to deliver satisfying solutions to Decision Making problems. 🔍 1. Computational Level (The "What" and "Why") At this foundational level, we define the problem and its purpose. In decision making, this involves understanding our objectives and the context in which they exist. What are we trying to achieve? Why is this goal important? Just as knowing the purpose of a cash register—to add numbers and keep a financial record—guides its design, defining the "what" and "why" ensures our decisions are purpose-driven and aligned with our overarching mission. 🛠️ 2. Algorithmic Level (The "How") This level focuses on the processes and rules needed to achieve our goals. Here, we develop strategies, models, and plans to tackle the problem. In decision making, this translates to devising methods and frameworks that guide our actions. Similar to how a cash register uses specific algorithms to perform addition and manage transactions, the "how" provides the roadmap, detailing the steps and approaches necessary to move from our current state to our desired outcome. ⚙️ 3. Implementation Level (The "Physical Realization") Finally, this level concerns the physical execution of our strategies. It involves the tangible actions we take to implement our plans. For a cash register, this is the physical machine that operates using the defined algorithms to achieve its computational goals.  In decision making, this means executing our strategies with precision and adapting to real-world complexities. This is where our decisions are brought to life and become actionable and grounded in reality. 🌐 The Synergy of All Three Levels No single level can stand alone. Just as understanding bird flight requires more than examining feathers, and understanding a cash register requires more than knowing it adds numbers, effective decision making demands the integration of all three levels. The computational level gives us the "what" and "why," the algorithmic level provides the "how," and the implementation level brings our plans into action. Together, they form a holistic approach that is robust and comprehensive. #DecisionMaking #StrategicThinking #MarrsLevels #HolisticApproach #Leadership #ProblemSolving #CognitiveScience #EffectiveStrategy #Integration #SustainableSuccess #UCLA

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The Delta Principle, LLC considers one of our most important roles as advisors and supporters of Human Resources. We echo the sentiments of Linda Misegadis, CPP, CPM, CCM, IPMA-CP that HR Leaders should both have a seat at the table and have a voice. 💯 #changemanagement #humanresources

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There has been a lot of attention in the workplace to generation Z workers. Soon, they will make up 1/3 of the workforce, but since they grew up and entered the workforce during the pandemic, they are missing some important skill sets while having other capabilities that are quite exciting. This is an informative piece on this topic!

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A definitive highlight from #ATD2024 -- hearing from Daniel Pink. He shared 5 ways to make a bigger impact with your work. 1. Embrace subtractive thinking 👉 Create a To-Don't list of 3 things you won't do weekly (like checking email first thing in the morning) 2. Make progress on meaningful work DAILY 👉 Daily, write down 3 things you made progress on (keep a journal by your desk) 3. Connect with purpose by visualizing your end users, and how your work makes their lives better. 👉 Change "how" conversations to "why" conversations (instead of talking about how to do something, start by talking about why to do it) 4. "Take breaks like a badass" 👉 Schedule a 15 min walking break at least every other day 5. You will regret the things you didn't do, so take more chances 👉 Visualize yourself 10 years in the future -- what advice would that person give you?

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I had the pleasure of being on a panel with Isabelle Hau of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning at the Care Summit last month, and I can't stop thinking about this fascinating research she presented. RAPID, as they call it, launched in April 2020 to understand and address the experiences and challenges that caregivers of young children were facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, they have found that 71% of child care providers feel burned out "often" or "always" and that 1 in 3 are experiencing material hardship. While these kinds of statistics don't come as a surprise to anyone paying attention to the headlines or their own community's experiences, it is so helpful to have it concretized in this actionable way. They have continued to field monthly national surveys after the most acute moment of the pandemic in order to provide timely, actionable data to advocates, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. If you play any of those roles, or are just a parent wondering—what the heck just happened?!—you will find their beautifully designed site fascinating. https://lnkd.in/gdvCeUmP

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I admit it. I would rather stand in a corner watching what is going on than engage in small talk. I am really bad at it. Think 'awkward teenager' at a school dance. Yeah. That bad. But there is hope. I went to a networking event last week....and I actually talked to people. So, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Take a look at the article below. It may give you some insight or tips about how to engage successfully. #networking #social #connecting #communications https://lnkd.in/eyyG58rQ

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Reports: Project 2025 recommends abolishing the Department of Education, whose programs would be either transferred to other agencies, or terminated. Funding for climate research would be cut while the National Institutes of Health (NIH) would be reformed along conservative principles. Project 2025, also known as the Presidential Transition Project, is a collection of conservative policy proposals from the Heritage Foundation to reshape the United States federal government in the event of a Republican Party victory in the 2024 presidential election.[2][3] It proposes reclassifying tens of thousands of merit-based federal civil service workers as political appointees in order to replace them with loyal conservatives to further the objectives of the next Republican president.[4] It also adopts a maximalist version of the unitary executive theory, a disputed interpretation of Article II of the Constitution of the United States,[5][6] which asserts that the president has absolute power over the executive branch upon inauguration.[3][7] Critics of Project 2025 have described this as an authoritarian, Christian nationalist plan to turn the United States into an autocracy.[8] Several experts in law and conservatives have indicated that it would undermine the rule of law, the separation of powers,[9][4] and civil liberties.[10] https://lnkd.in/gNAiB4iv

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When it comes to AI, Bob (Robert) Fay argues that while investments in compute are positive, "a greater focus is required on investment in the intangibles that make these tangibles more effective". I couldn't agree more. Whether it is in the development of strategies around how to really apply AI in a productive rather than performative way, in the skills to implement those strategies, or, as Robert highlights, in the regulatory and privacy frameworks that provide up-to-date ground rules that enable AI diffusion - these intangibles matter. This is especially true in a landscape where the federal government's $2 billion commitment to build and provide access to computing capabilities and technological infrastructure is increasingly a drop in the ocean. With the cost computational power needed to train advanced AI models doubling every 9 months (https://lnkd.in/gibehh6Q), that kind of investment is no where close to enough to secure any kind of advantage to Canadian firms at the cutting edge. However, even smaller investments into the intangibles around AI can help make Canadian firms both early and effective adopters of AI. https://lnkd.in/gM-F-zmJ

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Today, McCall Delaney and I introduced Ordinal to a civic leader in Arizona. We shared Ordinal’s vision and walked through the tools that transform the way governments work: semantic search to unlock hidden data, GIS integrations that connect the dots, and an onboarding process so simple it’s practically invisible. At the end, we asked the simplest question: “How do you feel about Ordinal, 1 to 10?” Without hesitation: “10.” City leaders operate under crushing constraints: budget, bureaucracy, politics. They’ve seen every shiny object. Earning that 10 level of trust means cutting through the noise with something undeniable. Stop building cool features. Start solving painful, boring, everyday problems that your audience can’t afford to ignore. That’s what gets you a 10. We’re honored. We’re energized. And we’re just getting started. A “10” isn’t the finish line - it’s permission to make something even better. What painful problems earn a 10 from your users? If you don’t know, it’s time to start listening.

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